Kenya — Ruera Estate SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru 11 (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🫐 Blackcurrant • 🍇 Gooseberry • 🌺 Hibiscus

DETAILS

• Producer: Ruera Estate (managed by Coffee Management Services Ltd)
• Region: Juja Sub County, Kiambu, Kenya
• Varietal: SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru 11
• Process: Washed
• Elevation: 1,577 masl

INTRO From Ruera Estate in Kiambu — an award-winning coffee farm just 15km from Ruiru town, whose natural lot took 1st place in the Natural Coffees category at the Kenya National Taste of Harvest 2024–2025. Blackcurrant and gooseberry lead, with a hibiscus tartness rounding out the cup. In the cup: blackcurrant, gooseberry, and hibiscus.

THE PRODUCER Ruera Estate spans 190.31 hectares of red volcanic soil on gently sloping hills, planted with Ruiru 11, SL28, K7, and Batian. The estate provides employment for over 1,000 Kenyans across the coffee production process, with around 300 workers daily and roughly 30% living on-site — supported by an on-farm crèche, primary school, and dispensary. Managed by Coffee Management Services Ltd (CMS) since 2006, the estate benefits from regular agronomist visits, ongoing quality feedback, and continued investment in farm management and processing improvements, alongside environmental initiatives including reforestation, energy conservation, and soil erosion control.

THE PROCESS Workers manually pick cherries and transport them to the wet mill, where they're carefully sorted and pulped using Pinhalence and Mackinnon Pulper plants. Rewetting of dry coffee and over-fermentation are avoided at all costs. Drying takes place on outdoor beds using natural heat, with well-dried beans maintained at 10-11% moisture content for safe storage and quality.

The estate's strict avoidance of rewetting and over-fermentation is the defining detail here — this careful, disciplined approach is what preserves the clean blackcurrant and gooseberry character behind this award-winning cup.

THE CUP Bright and tart — blackcurrant and gooseberry lead the cup, with a hibiscus finish rounding things out. A well-managed, award-winning expression of Kiambu's classic profile.

Flavour Notes 🫐 Blackcurrant 🍇 Gooseberry 🌺 Hibiscus