Karimikui coffee from Kenya, roasted by the Dutch roastery Manhattan Coffee Roasters, is a great choice for lovers of balanced, clean cups with a juicy flavor. The first notes in the cup are red currant, followed by a more intense note of cassis ( black currant) and the sweetness of dark grapes. The entire cup is accompanied by a juicy texture, giving it a fresh and energetic character. Karimikui is exactly the type of Kenyan coffee that will delight anyone looking for clearly discernible fruit notes, pronounced acidity, and a very clean profile.
The coffee comes from the Kirinyaga region, from the fertile red volcanic slopes of Mount Kenya, where it grows at an elevation of 1,600 to 1,750 meters above sea level. The Karimikui station is part of the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, a cooperative founded in 1997 that processes the harvest of approximately 600 smallholder farmers from the Ngariama area. Coffee trees of the SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian varieties grow here alongside banana trees and corn, while macadamia and grevillea trees provide shade. The cooperative also provides farmers with access to loans for equipment, education, and other daily needs.
Upon arrival at the station, the coffee cherries undergo thorough manual sorting and are then de-pulped. The beans ferment overnight in concrete tanks to release the remaining mucilage, and are then washed and sorted by density in channels of clean water. After a final soaking, the beans are dried for 7 to 15 days on raised African drying beds, where they are regularly turned and monitored. They are covered overnight and during the hottest part of the day to ensure even drying. The result of the washed processing method is a beautifully clean and precise cup, in which the fruity character of Karimikui can truly shine.
- Producer: Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society
- Processing Station: Karimikui
- Elevation: 1,600–1,750 m above sea level