A fresh and juicy coffee from Kenya that showcases the country’s typical profile in a clean and approachable way. The washed process and light roast by QB Coffee Roasters bring out distinct notes of red currants and cranberries, complemented by a delicately creamy, sweet body. The result is a balanced cup with lively acidity, pleasant sweetness, and a smooth, creamy aftertaste.
This micro-lot comes from the Karii processing station, which is part ofthe Mutira Farmers’ Cooperative Society. The station was founded in 1984 and today brings together approximately 600 smallholder farmers from the area around the town of Kerugoya. An interesting feature of this lot is the combination of four different varieties. In addition to the classic Kenyan cultivarsSL28andSL34, which are prized for their complex flavor and ability to maintain quality even as the plants age, modern cultivarsBatianandRuiru 11 are also grown here. These were developed in response to climate challenges and the spread of diseases—bred for greater resilience while retaining a distinctive flavor profile.
In the washed method, the cherries are first sorted by hand to remove defective fruits and then hulled using a pulper, which removes both the skin and the pulp. The remaining green beans with pulp residues are then fermented for 24 to 36 hours depending on the ambient temperature, which facilitates the removal of the remaining pulp. After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed with water to remove sugar residues and then sorted again by density. The beans prepared in this way are dried for 12 to 20 days, most often on raised African beds, or on concrete surfaces or in mechanical dryers if conditions do not allow for sun drying. The resulting coffee processed using this method has a cleaner taste, higher acidity, and distinct fruity notes.
- Altitude: 1,600–1,800 mabove sealevel