Kenya Kiamugumo AA

Kiamugumo is a community washing station operated by the New Ngariama Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kirinyaga, on the fertile slopes of Mount Kenya. Smallholder members hand-pick their ripest cherries before delivering them to the factory, where they are carefully sorted, fermented, washed and slowly dried on raised beds. By bringing together the work of many small farms and maintaining strict processing standards, the co-operative produces coffees with the clarity, structure and distinctive character for which Kirinyaga is renowned.

KENYA WASHED PROCESS:
After the coffee cherries have been picked, the cherries are depulped (skin removed) or demucilaged (skin and pulp removed).
The coffees are typically then held in “fermentation tanks” for 24 hours, allowing for a gentle controlled fermentation to cause any remaining pulp to separate from the beans. Fermentation may occur from the moment of harvest until the seeds reach an inhospitable moisture content for them (11% moisture).
After 24-hours, coffee is agitated thoroughly, then fermented a second 24-hours.
After this second day, the fermented water and remaining coffee pulp on the bean are washed off with clean water and soaked again overnight. This step is thought to encourage the coffee bean to germinate again, which contributes to extra sweetness and complexity.
The beans are finally dried for up to 21 days on raised beds until the ideal moisture content is reached.
Typically washed coffees have clean, articulate flavors; caramel or sugary sweetness; a wide spectrum of fruit acidity depending on other factors; capable of bright, crisp notes.

This lot brings together four of Kenya’s most important coffee varieties: SL28 and SL34, prized for their clarity, sweetness and vibrant acidity, alongside Ruiru 11 and Batian, newer varieties developed for improved disease resistance and reliable yields. Together, they balance classic Kenyan cup character with the resilience needed for modern coffee farming.

For filter brewing, a good starting point that we use:

V60 / flat-bottom filter

Coffee: 15 g
Water: 250 g
Ratio: 1:16.7
Water: 92–94°C
Grind: medium-fine
Total brew time: 2:45–3:30

For this coffee, avoid under-extracting. Kenyan washed lots can taste thin and aggressively sour if the grind is too coarse or the brew is too fast. A slightly finer grind, good pre-wet, and steady pours usually bring out the blackcurrant sweetness.