We look forward to Keni every year because it is one of the most rewarding coffees. They are also beautifully clean, sweet and full-bodied.
Farm / Processing Station:
Kii Factory, owned and operated by the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), is known for the high quality of its coffee. FCS members grow cherries at an altitude of 1,310 to 1,900 meters above sea level, and the factory uses careful grading and processing to ensure optimal quality. The washing station, located at the foot of Mt Kenya, supplies 3,380 smallholder farmers. Most farmers have an average of about 500 coffee bushes, which are usually grown under the shade of avocado or macadamia trees. Kenyan coffee is divided by size. AA size beans are the largest. Class AA coffees are those that have a sieve size of 17/18, which means they are larger than 7.2 millimetres.
Variety:
SL28 is one of the best known and most respected African varieties. From Kenya, where it was originally selected in the 1930s, it has spread to other parts of Africa (it is particularly important in the Arabica growing areas of Uganda) and now to Latin America. The variety is suitable for medium to high altitudes and is drought tolerant, but susceptible to the main coffee diseases. SL28 is characterised by rusticity, a trait that means it can be left untended for several years or even decades and then return to successful production. Many parts of Kenya have SL28 trees that are 60-80 years old and still productive. The variety was selected at the former Scott Agricultural Laboratories (now the National Agricultural Laboratories, NARL, located in Kabete). The individual tree selections made at Scott Laboratories between 1935 and 1939 were prefixed with SL. There were 42 in total and they were examined for yield, quality and resistance to drought and disease. Recent genetic tests have confirmed that SL28 is related to the Bourbon genetic group. It has become valued for its sweet, complex flavour with vinous undertones.
SL34 was originally selected in Kenya in the late 1930s at Scott Agricultural Laboratories. It is very susceptible to major diseases such as coffee rust, coffee berry blight and coffee berry disease. Therefore, proper disease control and prevention strategies are essential for its successful cultivation. Recent genetic tests have shown that SL34 is related to the Typica genetic group. The variety is known for its exceptional cup quality, full body and pleasant acidity.
Processing:
Processing at Kii’s wet mill follows a strict quality-oriented method. After the red ripe cherries are delivered to the processing area, they undergo a careful sorting process to ensure the exceptional quality of their coffee. After the cherries are shelled, they are transported to fermentation tanks where they ferment for approximately 16-20 hours, depending on the ambient temperature at the time. The coffee is then completely washed to remove any traces of slime in the catchment water channels using water from the nearby Kii River. The parchment is then spread out on raised drying beds where it will dry slowly over a period of approximately 12-20 days. During the hottest times, the parchment is covered with a screen. The coffee is then bagged and sent to auction at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, located a few hours to the south.
Our baristas notes:
We look forward to freshly washed Kenyan coffees every year. The grinding will not surprise you in the least. You can play around with the temperature of this coffee. It depends on whether you want a sweeter coffee (than ahigher water temperature will help) or a more acidic one (we wouldn’t be afraid to turn the temperature down to 90 degrees of celsia).
After drinking at higher temperatures the coffee is very juicy and beautifully fruity. There is a nice subtle bitterness of grapefruit in the background. As it cools down a sweet peach-like fruitiness emerges and a lighter black tea flavour comes out at the end. At all temperatures the typical blackcurrant flavour is beautifully perceptible. The coffee has a medium body and higher acidity at all temperatures.
Recommended recipe for V60:
95 °C water
300ml water
20g coffee
690 micron grind (23 clicks per comandante)
0:00 40ml water
0:35 100 ml water
1:10 80ml water
1:50 80 ml water
total time around 3 minutes
