Kenya - Karatina AB

This coffee is roasted for filter. It is suitable for all types of filter coffee preparation, such as V60, Solo Dripper, Aeropress, Chemex, French press or Clever Dripper.

This lot comes from Karatina, in Nyeri County, Kenya, produced by smallholder farmers in the Barichu area of Mathira, close to Karatina town. The area sits on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya, one of Kenya’s most recognised coffee‍-‍growing regions, known for its red volcanic soils, high elevations, and conditions well suited to bright, structured profiles.

The coffee is produced by approximately 1,450 small‍-‍scale farmers associated with the Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society. Farmers deliver ripe cherry to the washing station, where it is fully washed using fresh water from the Ragati River before being dried slowly on raised beds.

The cooperative supports its members through farmer education, agricultural training, and access to resources that help improve coffee quality and long‍-‍term farm productivity. Training focuses on crop husbandry, sustainable production practices, and Good Agricultural Practices, including intercropping for shade and responsible water use during processing. Wastewater from the washing process is also managed for use in watering the soil.

Funds set aside from the previous harvest allow cooperative members to access financing for school fees, farm inputs, and emergency needs. The factory also receives support from Coffee Management Services, a Kenyan field partner working with the cooperative on farmer training, access to inputs, seminars, and printed guidance on sustainable farming. By helping producers achieve strong returns for their coffee, the cooperative aims to make continued investment in quality and productivity more achievable.

After delivery, the cherries are depulped and fermented for approximately 12 to 24 hours, usually overnight, to break down the remaining mucilage. The coffee then moves through washing channels into soaking tanks, where it is cleaned and soaked before being transferred to raised drying tables.

During drying, the coffee beans, still enclosed in a thin parchment layer, are regularly turned by hand and continuously sorted. Drying time varies depending on weather conditions, ambient temperature, and the total volume being processed, typically taking between 7 and 15 days.

This coffee is a blend of SL28, SL34 and Ruiru 11. SL28 is one of Africa’s best‍-‍known Arabica varieties, with drought tolerance and very good cup‍-‍quality potential. SL34 is found mostly in Kenya, is adapted to high‍-‍altitude areas with good rainfall and has exceptional cup‍-‍quality potential. Ruiru 11 is a compact, high‍-‍yielding Kenyan hybrid developed for resistance to Coffee Berry Disease and tolerance to coffee leaf rust.