THE CUP

Sparkling and complex. Orange, blackcurrant, and lemon-lime lead the way, with rounded cherry sweetness and dried-fruit undertones. Clean and citric, this lot captures the brilliance of Kirinyaga’s terroir.

THE ORIGIN

• Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

• Region: Nyangeni, Kirinyaga, Kenya

• Altitude: 1,600–1,800+ masl

• Harvest: Oct.–Dec. 2024

• Process: Washed

THE PRODUCERS
Smallholder farmers around the Nyangeni community deliver cherry to Kiamugumo Factory, part of Ngariama in Kirinyaga County, on the slopes of Mount Kenya. Farmers typically manage fewer than two hectares, intercropping coffee with food crops and relying on the factory to handle processing and lot assembly.

THE PROCESS

Ripe cherries are delivered to the factory, depulped with water from the Kii River, and washed before drying on raised African beds. Once dried to 11–13% moisture, parchment is brought to the Central Kenya Coffee Mill in Karatina, Nyeri, for grading and sorting. The factory also promotes sustainability through soak pits for wastewater, farmer training, and conservation initiatives.

WHY WE LOVE IT

This field blend is a vibrant expression of Kirinyaga’s microclimates: citric, fruit-forward, and layered. It reminds us why this region continues to set the bar for Kenyan coffee.

Tasting Notes: Orange, Blackcurrant, Lemon-Lime

What is the roast recency?

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 6-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12 - should we have any left in stock!). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.