Kenya Karii

Origin

• 🇰🇪 Kenya· Nyeri

Tasting notes

Character

• Clean
  50
• Bright
  40

Producer: Mutira Farmers' Co-operative Society Ltd. Origin: Kirinyaga county, Central Highlands Varietal: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28SL28A Kenyan variety selected in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories, prized for intense blackcurrant acidity and deep sweetness., SL34SL34SL28's sibling selection, also from Kenya's Scott Labs. Slightly less celebrated but hardier, with a similar juicy, complex cup. Altitude: 1600-1800 metres above sea level Process: WashedWashed processThe fruit is removed from the seed before drying, usually with fermentation and a water rinse. Tends to give clean, transparent cups where origin character shows clearly. Flavours: Blackberry, Apple & Red Wine About This Coffee Karii wetmill is part of Mutira Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited. The mill sits on the border between two famous coffee regions: Kirinyaga and Nyeri, and works with around 600 smallholderSmallholderA farmer growing coffee on a small family plot — often under two hectares. Most of the world's coffee is grown this way, typically pooled at cooperatives or washing stations. farmers. Karii was built in 1984 and is around 70 miles from Nairobi near Kerugoya town and the Rundu river is the water source used for washed coffee processing. The Region Kirinyaga, in Central Kenya, is home to Mt. Kenya. It is forested with a wealth of exotic wildlife receiving 50 inches of rain per year. Many rivers run through the region and the soil is rich and volcanic, providing smallholders and cooperatives with the resources to grow and process some of Kenya's most fruit-forward coffees. More farmers there are using shade trees to combat climate change. Kirinyaga county borders Nyeri, 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. The combination of fertile soil, seasonal rainfall and high altitude provide the ideal climate for coffees characterised by high acidityAcidityThe bright, lively, fruit-like sensation in coffee — praise, not a flaw. Citric sparkle, malic apple-crispness, tartaric wine notes; light roasts preserve more of it., full bodyBodyThe weight and texture of coffee in the mouth, from tea-like and delicate to syrupy and heavy. Driven by process, roast, variety, and brew method. and ripe fruit flavours. Due to the cool temperatures at altitude, particularly at night time, coffees from Kenya's central highlands tend develop and mature slowly producing very dense, hard beans high in acidity and complexity. The Process The coffee cherries are hand sorted for unripes and overripes by the farmers before they go into production. The pulp is removed and the coffee is fermented for 24-36 hour under close shade depending on climate temperatures. After fermentation the coffees are washed and again graded by density in washing channels. They are then taken to the drying tables where they will be sun driedNatural processThe whole cherry is dried with the fruit still on the seed. Gives heavier body and big fruit flavors — think berries and wine — sometimes with a fermenty edge. on African dr