Kamwangi AA Washed | Kenya

Kenya — Kamwangi Factory (New Ngariama Farmers' Cooperative) AA (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍊 Ruby Grapefruit • 🍎 Apple Juice • 🌼 White Flowers

DETAILS

• Producers: About 1,800 smallholders around Kamwangi Coffee Factory (New Ngariama Farmers' Cooperative Society)
• Region: Kirinyaga, near Mt. Kenya, Kenya
• Varietal: Field blend of SL-28, SL-34, Batian, and Ruiru 11
• Process: Washed (24-hour dry fermentation, 6-hour soak)
• Altitude: 1,700–1,800 masl
• Grade: AA
• Source: Cafe Imports

INTRO
Kamwangi sits in Kirinyaga near Mt. Kenya, with around 1,800 smallholders growing between 1,700 and 1,800 masl. In the cup: ruby grapefruit, apple juice, and white flowers.

THE PRODUCER
Kamwangi is owned by the New Ngariama Farmers' Cooperative Society. Its processing is a slightly unique variation on the classic Kenyan "double-washed," beginning with very detailed hand sorting supervised by the factory manager, ensuring only the ripest red cherries reach the depulper.

THE PROCESS
The Washed process for this lot involves:

🍒 Hand sorting — cherries hand-sorted for defects, ripest red cherries only
🌱 Depulping — fully depulped
🛢️ Dry fermentation — laid out immediately for 24 hours, without mucilage
💧 Soak — soaked for 6 hours
☀️ Slow drying — dried slowly on raised beds

The 24-hour dry fermentation followed by a 6-hour soak is the defining step. It builds the sweet red berry tone and the malic, juicy acidity.

THE CUP
An overwhelmingly sweet red berry tone, accented by a slightly biting citric acidity like ruby grapefruit. As it cools, a lovely malic acidity emerges, like apple juice, with a finish of magnolia, jasmine, and orchid.

Flavour Notes
🍊 Ruby Grapefruit 🍎 Apple Juice 🌼 White Flowers