Kenya AB Kiamaina (2019 Crop)

This is a AB Top grade washed microlot from Kiamaina wetmill, one of five wetmills (or factories) operated by Kiama Farmers Cooperative Society in Nyeri county. The co-op is made up of smallholder farmers who cultivate the varieties of SL28, SL35, Ruiru 11 and Batian at an average altitude of 1,700masl.

THE PROCESS

This coffee has undergone a traditional fully washed process. Ripe coffee cherries are carefully selected and floated in clean water to remove any immature or poor quality cherries, which float to the top of the tank. These top cherries are then pulped to remove the cherry fruit and fermented in clean water for 4-6 days to break down the remaining sugary mucilage. The parchment coffee is washed with clean water in grading channels, and then dried on raised African beds for 3-5 weeks (depending on ambient climatic conditions). Once the optimum moisture content has been reached the parchment is rested for around 1 month and then hulled, graded by bean size and further handpicked, before being bagged in GrainPro for export.

THE REGION

Kiamaina wetmill is located near the town of Karatina in Nyeri. Nyeri County has cool temperatures and fertile central highlands, lying between the Eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) Range, which forms part of the Eastern end of the Great Rift Valley, and the Western slopes of Mt. Kenya. Nyeri town (county headquarters) acts as a destination for those visiting Aberdare National Park and Mt. Kenya

The combination of fertile soil, seasonal rainfall and high altitude provide the ideal climate for coffees characterised by high acidity, full body and ripe fruit flavours. Most coffees from Nyeri develop and mature slowly producing hard beans and a complex cup.