KENYAN COFFEE BEANS

The Kenya Karindundu AB single origin coffee is grown by hundreds of farmers near the Karindundu factory (wet mill), and primarily includes the variety SL-28 grown at approximately 1,700m above sea level.

SL-28 is a Scott Agricultural Laboratories produced cultivar related to Bourbon-Typica related and is favoured for its drought tolerance and good cup quality, though it is susceptible to major diseases such as leaf rust, berry disease and nematodes. It is a tall evergreen variety that produces large beans – hence the AB screen grade on this lot.

The Kenya Karindundu AB single origin coffee is best suited to filter brew methods such as Pour Over, Chemex and Plunger, and also produces exceptional cold brew coffee.

 

Tasting Notes: Soft orange acidity and medium body, with notes of grape, mandarin and black current, with hints of chocolate and dried spices. Dried fruits and spices.

 

     

KARINDUNDU AB - KENYA

The Barichu Coop was formed originally in 1987 as a member of the giant Mathira collective, but broke away in 1996 to better serve the farmers in Nyeri region of Kenya. The coop now boasts more than 4,500 members and manages four ‘factories’, also known as wet mills. The wet mills are located in the south-eastern stretches of Nyeri, along the southern slopes of Mt. Kenya.

The Barichu cooperative is among the largest of the Nyeri cooperative societies and is focused on improving the lives of farmers. For example, the Barichu FCS provides credit facilities to its members so that they are able to pay for school fees, farm inputs and medical fees. They also have a range of initiatives and programmes to improve farm yields and quality, in partnership with Coffee Management Services (CMS). The goal is to increase coffee production through upskilling and training farmers, ready access to inputs, agricultural practice seminars and sustainable farming education.

Most farmers care for approximately 300 coffee trees which are grown as part of a ‘coffee garden’ system that includes other food crops such as maize and beans, fruit trees and shade trees. This creates a more natural cultivation environment for the coffee. The most common coffee varieties grown by Barichu Society farmers include SL-28, SL-34 (approximately 99%) and a very small amount of Ruiru (about 1%).

During harvest season, farmers selectively handpick the ripest cherries, which are then delivered the same day directly to the cooperative’s wet mill. Only the ripest and best quality cherries are accepted to ensure quality, so cherries are hand sorted to remove and defective or unripe cherries from the lots prior to pulping. 

 

     

 

THE GREEN BEAN PROCESS

The washed process relies on every stage of the growing, harvest and fermentation process being right, as the flavour is totally reliant on the bean having absorbed enough nutrients and sugars while growing.

The Karindundu factory has a four disc pulper that removes the skin and fruit from the inner parchment layer that is protecting the green coffee bean. After pulping, the coffee is double fermented with periods of washing and soaking in between. After soaking, coffee is spread out on pre-drying tables to remove excess liquid before being moved to raised drying tables. Time on the drying tables depends on climate, ambient temperature and total production volume undergoing processing. Drying can take from 7 to 15 days in total. While drying, the parchment is repeatedly moved and sorted to remove any damaged or discoloured beans and is covered during the hottest part of the day to maintain even temperatures.

 

          

Image Sources:

https://www.coffeehunter.com/the-coffee/karindundu-ab/

https://www.coffeehunter.com/the-coffee/kangunu/

http://www.georgehowellcoffee.com/country/kenya/

http://www.salamancaviaggi.it/tours/kenya-un-safari-affascinante-tra-paesaggi-spettacolari/