Manhattan Coffee Roasters - Karimikui Washed | Kenya
Description
Kenya — Karimikui / Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian (Washed)
Tastes Like — 🍇 Redcurrant • 🫐 Cassis • 🍇 Purple Grape
DETAILS
- Producer: Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society
- Farm: Karimikui
- Region: Kirinyaga, Kenya
- Varietal: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian
- Process: Washed
- Altitude: 1,600–1,750 masl
INTRO Karimikui from Kenya is back — redcurrant, cassis, and purple grape, all complemented by a juicy mouthfeel. In the cup: redcurrant, cassis, and purple grape.
THE PRODUCER Karimikui is one of the renowned washing stations (locally known as "factories") operated by the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, established in 1997. Named after a native tree species found in the area, the station serves around 600 smallholder farmers in the Ngariama sublocation, on the fertile red volcanic slopes of Mt. Kenya. Coffee is cultivated alongside bananas and maize, with macadamia and grevillea shade trees helping create a diverse, balanced farming ecosystem. Through the cooperative, farmers also benefit from social welfare initiatives and access to credit for farm inputs, education, and other essential needs.
THE PROCESS Quality control begins with strict hand-sorting of cherries upon delivery. The cherries are then pulped and undergo overnight fermentation in concrete tanks to break down the mucilage. After fermentation, the coffee is washed and graded by density in clean water channels, followed by a final soak. The parchment then moves to raised African beds for sun-drying, typically lasting 7–15 days, with continuous hand-turning and sorting to ensure uniform moisture content, and covered at night and during peak sun to protect quality.
The density-graded channel washing followed by a final soak is the defining step here — it's what builds the clean, juicy redcurrant and cassis character that define this cup.
THE CUP Juicy and fruit-forward — redcurrant and cassis lead, with a purple grape sweetness running throughout. A welcome return for one of Rungeto's standout stations.
Flavour Notes 🍇 Redcurrant 🫐 Cassis 🍇 Purple Grape
