This washed coffee from Kenya, roasted by the Amsterdam-based roastery Friedhats, is a great choice for coffee lovers looking for a fruity and light cup. The coffee combines the intoxicating flavor of subtly tart blackberries with aromatic mandarin. These notes are complemented in the finish by fresh lemongrass, which adds complexity to the coffee and invites you to take another sip. You can enjoy this pleasantly acidic and clean coffee as your morning brew or as a welcome pick-me-up throughout the day.
The coffee comes from the Kiambururu and Lari sub-regions, located in the Kiambu region in southwestern Kenya. The coffee beans grow here at an elevation of 1,960 meters above sea level, which—combined with soil ideal for growing coffee trees—gives them their unique flavor and aroma. The producer is the Komothai Farmers’ Cooperative Society, which brings together more than 11,000 farmers from the region and a total of 13 processing stations. Kamuchege coffee comes from the processing station of the same name, which is the youngest within the cooperative. The farmers believe that the local water source used in processing—a natural lagoon on the Gatugu River—gives the coffee its complex and playful flavor.
The beans underwent a washed processing method, which allowed their unique and juicy character to shine through. The coffee cherries were first hand-picked and then carefully sorted to remove any unripe or damaged ones. Next, the skin and most of the pulp were mechanically removed. The beans were then transferred to water tanks, where they fermented for 12 to 36 hours. After fermentation, the remaining pulp was washed off the beans, and they were placed on raised African drying beds, where they were dried until they reached optimal moisture content. The result is a fruity coffee with a balanced profile and a pleasant acidity.
- Producer: Komothai Farmers’ Cooperative Society
- Processing Station: Kamuchege
- Elevation: 1,960 m above sea level