Story

Story


One of our favourite coffees from last year, we’re thrilled to reintroduce a juicy AA lot from the Karimikui factory into our filter coffee line-up.


The Farmers

Several hundred smallhold farmers in the villages of Kiamugumo, Githure and Gituba deliver their coffee cherries to the Karimikui factory, some by foot, some on motorbike and some by ox-drawn carts. The farmers attend agricultural seminars held by the Rungeto Farmers’ Co-operative Society (FCS) year-round, and are provided access to fertilisers with the aim of helping them to sustain and improve their coffee production.

The Washing Station 

The coffee cherries are first sorted through by hand for under- or over-ripe cherries, and then floated to sort by density before depulping. After depulping, they are fermented for up to 24 hours. The washing stage is then done by periodically introducing clean water from the nearby Nyamindi river into the tanks and stirring the coffee, before sluicing away the dissolving fruit mucilage layers.

Once squeaky clean the coffee is moved to a soaking tank to sit in fresh water for another 24 hours before it goes out to dry on raised beds. This can take between 12 and 20 days, depending on the weather conditions. The water used in processing is treated in two large soak pits before it makes its way back into the local water table, to break down the sugars, acids and particulates that accumulate during coffee processing.

The Farmers’ Co-operative society

The Karimikui Coffee Washing Station (CWS) is run by the Rungeto FCS. They also oversee Kii CWS and Kiangoi CWS, from whom we’ve cupped many delicious coffees over the years. The region, Ngariama, was previously home to one of the largest FCS in Kenya, called Ngiriama FCS. It was liquidated in 1996 which allowed smaller FCS to snap up their assets, like Rungeto taking over Karimikui, Kii and Kiangoi.

As well as processing coffee cherries the FCS has created job opportunities and improved the local community’s infrastructure by opening a fuel station and a dairy cooling facility. Some of the smallholder coffee farmers who deliver coffee cherries also have cattle, and so can sell their milk to the dairy.

Impeccable processing and drying conditions, coupled with predominantly SL28 & SL34 varieties grown in volcanic soils in a cool climate makes for an excellent expression of Kenya’s Kirinyaga county, with lots of tart red fruits and sweetness in the cup.

 
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Karimikui AA

Ngariama, Kirinyaga, Kenya

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Tasting notes:

Very balanced & juicy. A refreshing acidity like rhubarb compote & cranberry complements flavours of raspberry ripple ice cream and chestnut honey.

Collections: All Products , Coffee

Category: Single Origin Filter

Type: Filter

Coffee Information

Producer Rungeto Farmers’ Co-op Society

Harvest January, 2023

Process Traditionally depulped, 24hrs dry fermented, multiple washing stages, soaked & dried on raised beds.

Variety Predominantly SL28 & SL34, some Ruiru 11

Region Ngariama, Kirinyaga, Kenya

Country Kenya

Altitude 1,650 to 1,900 metres

Arrival June, 2023

More on Pre-Ground

From finest to coarsest, the filter grind settings we are offering are as follows:

  • Fairly Fine (1 Cup Pourover/AeroPress/SteepShot)
  • Fine-Medium (2 Cup Pourover/Clever Dripper)
  • Medium (French Press)
  • Coarse (Moccamaster/Autobrewer/Chemex)
  • Our pre-ground options are designed to map to a particular dose of coffee as much as the brewers mentioned. If you’re brewing just 15g in a 2 Cup V60 brew cone as it is the only cone you have, you should opt for the 1 Cup V60 grind size. Similarly, if you are just brewing 30g in a MoccaMaster, you should opt for a finer grind setting, like the 2 Cup V60.

    We would advise using these as starting points:
  • 12-18g: Fairly fine
  • 19-28g: Fine-medium
  • 29-55g: Medium
  • 56-80g: Coarse
  • Please note that pre-ground coffee will be delivered in a different bag to its whole bean counterpart. This is to ensure easy access when it comes to measuring our your dose. You will also find a ‘Ground on’ date on the bag in place of a ‘Roasted on’ date – we advise brewing your pre-ground coffee within 2 weeks of the ‘Ground on’ date.

    For more information on our approach to pre-ground coffee, visit our learn section here.

    Shipping

    • All our whole bean coffee is packed in 250g, nitrogen flushed and valved bags
    • Available as whole bean or pre-ground.
    • All orders are packed and shipped each working day
    • For more information on shipping, see our 'Shipping' page

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