Kiawamururu Kenya specialty arabica filter coffee 200g

About this coffee:

Located in Nyeri County on the slopes of the Aberdare ranges, Kiawamururu factory is a wet mill managed by Njimbi Farmers Community Based Organization (CBO). The organization was registered in 2020 after the split of Rumukia Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS).  
Kiawamururu factory lies at an altitude of 1,750 meters above sea level, on the fertile foothills of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare ranges slope. Rich volcanic soils and cool mountain climate naturally encourage the slow maturation of cherries, resulting in sweet, dense beans. Carefully cultivated and expertly processed, this Fully washed AA lot reveals bright grape and rhubarb notes, rounded out by a warm, comforting chocolate finish. 

Cultivation:

Located at an altitude of 1,750 meters above sea level, smallholder farmers in the region benefit from a cool mountainous climate and fertile volcanic soil. These factors are crucial: they promote an ideal environment that slows the development of the coffee cherry, allowing complex sugars and acids to accumulate, resulting in bright, winey citrus-forward flavors that Kenyan coffee is famous for.  

Farmers delivering to Kiawamururu cultivate SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and a few Batian varieties in small coffee gardens that are, on average, smaller than 1 hectare. The ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation.  

Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity, cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.

Harvest & Post-harvest:

Smallholders selectively handpick ripe cherries and deliver them to Kiawamururu factory for processing. At the factory, cherries are carefully sorted to remove any underripe or damaged fruit. Selected cherries are then pulped and fermented for approximately 12 to 24 hours, depending on the weather. Following fermentation, coffee is soaked in clean water for 24 hours before being moved to raised beds in covered greenhouses to dry.   
Soaking is a step that historically was a method for ‘holding’ coffee in a stable environment until space was made available on the limited space available on drying beds during the peak of the harvest season. More recently, research has shown that soaking can add points to the final cup score and, potentially, contributes to a cleaner, brighter cup profile.   
At the drying stage, the parchment is evenly laid and raked frequently to ensure even drying. Workers cover drying parchment during the hottest time of day to maintain slow, even drying and again at night to shelter parchment from moisture. It takes approximately 7 to 21 days for parchment to dry. Once the drying process is completed, parchment is bagged, milled and ready to export.

About the Nyeri county:

Nyeri County is one Kenya's most famous growing regions. 

The name Nyeri is derived from the Masaai word nyiro, meaning red, after the red volcanic soil in the area. The name was adapted by white settler farmers to Nyeri. Most farmers in the area today grow tea and coffee as cash crops. Coffee varieties in the region are usually a mix between SL 28, SL 34 (roughly 80%)  Batian and Ruiri 11.