Kenya Coffee

This washed Kenya AB Top lot from Ichuga wet mill comes from Nyeri county. Ichuga is one of 4 wet mills - or 'factories' - operated by the Kiama Farmers' Co-operative Society. The co-op has 3,549 members, of which 690 deliver cherries to Ichuga for processing. The farmers occupy land on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya and western slopes of the Abedare range, at altitudes of 1,200 - 1,800 masl. Varietals cultivated include SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian.

The Process

This coffee utilizes a traditional, fully-washed process using fresh water from Gathiururuko stream. Cherries are delivered to the wet mill, where they undergo careful sorting to select only the ripest for processing. Red ripe cherries are de-pulped and then fermented in water for 12-48 hours (depending on climatic conditions). The purpose of fermentation is two-fold: first, to break down the remaining sugary mucilage, and second, to develop more complexity in the cup. From here, the coffee is washed & graded in clean water channels and then dried slowly in the sun on raised African beds for around three weeks.

The Region

Nyeri County has cool temperatures and fertile central highlands, lying between the Eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) Range, which forms part of the Eastern end of the Great Rift Valley, and the western slopes of Mt. Kenya, the highest mountain in the country and second highest in Africa after Kilimanjaro. The combination of fertile volcanic soil, seasonal rainfall and high altitude provide the ideal climate for high-quality arabica coffee cultivation. Coffee cherries in these conditions mature slowly, contributing to increased acidity and complexity in the cup. As such, coffees from Nyeri are widely considered some of the best in the world. Source: Olam Specialty Coffee

Process: Fully Washed

Producer: Kiama Farmer's Co-op

Country: Kenya

Roast Profile: Light

Flavour Notes: Bergamot, Orange, Cherry

Who Made It: Hugo, a Colombian-Canadian who grew up in a coffee growing mountain community and Jordan, a coffee equipment technician and coffee geek teamed up to start Galloping Goose. This Fair Trade coffee roaster began from a shared passion for great coffee and a vision to affect real change in people’s lives. They are passionate about championing farmers across the planet and bringing awareness to North America.

Size: 9.9oz

Coffee grown in Kenya, roasted in Canada