A Kenyan coffee that’s both vibrant and sweet. KIAMABARA from the Liberec-based roastery Nordbeans combines a lively citrus freshness with sweeter notes of wild berries and a distinct hint of brown sugar. In the cup, it’s clean, juicy, and beautifully balanced, with medium acidity and body. What’s most appealing is the contrast between the fresh fruit and the caramel-sugar sweetness, which keeps the coffee lively without making it sharp.
KIAMABARA comes from the area around the town of Karatina in Kenya’s Nyeri region, on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya. The coffee trees grow here at an elevation of approximately 1 ,650 meters above sea level in red volcanic soil, complemented by cooler nights. As a result, the cherries ripen more slowly, and the beans develop greater density and a more pronounced sweetness. The Kiamabara processing station is operated by the Mugaga Farmers Cooperative Society, which brings together around 2 ,000 smallholder farmers. On average, these farmers have only about 200 coffee trees on their farms, and the cooperative helps them maintain high standards of cultivation and processing.
Kiamabara consists of a blend of the SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian varieties—a combination of traditional Kenyan varieties with newer, more resilient selections. SL28 and SL34 are known for their deep roots and distinctive flavor potential, while Ruiru 11 and Batian were bred with an emphasis on greater disease resistance. Interestingly, local farmers sometimes graft Ruiru 11 onto SL variety rootstocks to combine their strong root system with the disease resistance and yield of the more modern variety. The coffee underwent washed processing. After being hand-picked and sorted, the cherries are pulped; the beans are then fermented for 12 to 24 hours, washed, and sorted by density in channels fed by water from the Kingu River. This is followed by a 24-hour soaking and drying for 10 to 15 days on raised beds or in solar dryers. It is this meticulous process that helps preserve the coffee’s clean, juicy, and distinctly fruity character.
- Elevation: 1,650 m above sea level