Anyone who loves pure-bred Kenyan coffee knows that finding a lot without any new hybrid varieties these days is a real treat. Kiri AB from the renowned Kirinyaga region is exactly the kind of coffee that makes getting out of bed worth it. In the cup, you’ll find a spectacular fruity profile featuring fresh and zesty grapefruit, complemented by bittersweet black currant and a light floral note of hibiscus. The AB grade indicates beans with slightly higher sweetness, a medium-full body, and an amazingly long, velvety finish. As the coffee cools, a delicate tea-like character emerges, making it a joy to sip from the first to the last drop.
At the heart of this lot is the Kiri Factory, part of the Ngiriambu Cooperative. All beans from the 25/26 harvest come from small plots owned by local farmers who cultivate the fertile volcanic soil at an elevation of approximately 1,522 meters above sea level. The stars of the show here are the good old SL28 and SL34 varieties. You won’t find any compromises here in the form of more resilient but flavor-less hybrids. It’s pure, unbridled Kenyan history—a tradition that, unfortunately, is slowly disappearing from the local plantations.
The traditional Kenyan washed processing method ensures perfect clarity of flavors. After being hulled, the cherries first underwent classic fermentation, but were then given a 24-hour soak in pure mountain water. It’s precisely this extra step that washes away any cloudiness from the profile and guarantees crystal-clear acidity. A slow, twenty-day drying process on African drying beds then securely locked all that fruity splendor into the beans. It’ll be an absolute blast in a V60 or Aeropress.