Kenya - Mukunga Kiambu | Washed - Archived

Origin

• 🇰🇪 Kenya· Kiambu

Tasting notes

Character

• Clean
  30

This charming little coffee farm is run by Haner Wanjiku Mukunga and is nestled in Gatundu, right next to Nairobi County. The high altitude creates the perfect environment for growing exceptional beans, and Mukunga's passion for coffee really shines through. The coffee trees were planted back in the 1970s, with 90% being the SL-28SL28A Kenyan variety selected in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories, prized for intense blackcurrant acidity and deep sweetness. varietyVariety (cultivar)The botanical subtype of the coffee plant — Gesha, Bourbon, SL28 — analogous to grape varieties in wine. A major driver of cup character alongside origin and process. and 10% Ruiru 11. In 1998, Mukunga set up her own washing stationWashing stationA central mill where many smallholder farmers deliver cherry for processing. In Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda the station name (e.g. Idido) often identifies the coffee., using a careful hand- picking method to process the coffee cherries. First, they get 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., then dried under the sun, and finally milled to ensure every cup bursts with top-notch flavor. Harvest season here is split into two main phases: from October to January is the main harvest, while the early harvest runs from April to June. Mukunga's dedication makes this farm synonymous with high-quality coffee. Thanks to the high altitude, plenty of rainfall, and rich soil, the coffee produced here boasts a vibrant fruitiness and bright 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. that's hard to beat! Recommendation: RestingRoast date / restingSpecialty bags carry the roast date, not a best-before. Coffee needs days to degas CO₂ after roasting ('resting') and is typically best within weeks, not months. time - 3-4 weeks Filter: 1:16-17, 93c Espresso: 1:2.5-3, 92c, 28-32s