Just another testpiece of what Kenyan coffees have to offer. Plenty of acidity, complexity and deep citrusy flavours.
The Kainamui Coffee Factory is situated in the Ngariama region, in the Gichugu division of the Kirinyaga County. Established in 1963 near Mount Kenya, this cooperative has about 2000 smallholders, each owning and harvesting an average of only 200 coffee trees.
Recently, the Kainamui organisation (which is affiliated with New Ngariama FCS) has partnered with Coffee Management Services (CMS) to implement several processing systems, education protocols and incentives such as pre-financing loans. The goal is to offer higher economic stability for farmers alongside the tools to reach better harvest quality and, therefore, more profitable market dividends.
Despite these efforts, the production volume has only dwindled almost every year. The reason? Amongst many others, less and less young population is interested in working with coffee. According to Trabocca, a European coffee importer that works a lot in Kenya, “most farmers within Kiringyaga and the surrounding counties age 50+ or even 60+ and have no successors. This is because most youths who grow up within coffee-growing families move on to more profitable markets, like taxi driving.”
However, the quality is on the rise, and this coffee is an outstanding example of the potential of Kenyan coffee and particularly in Kirinyaga. The volcanic soil here is rich in minerals, which, combined with the high altitude (1,650 masl), voluminous rainfall (1800mm/year) and mild temperatures (16-26°C), create perfect conditions for growing cherries packed with deep flavours.
This lot is a traditional washed process that features the familiar Kenyan varieties SL 28, Batian and Ruiru 11.
First, the coffee is handpicked and delivered to the wet mill for pulping. Here, by the method of flotation, the immature mbuni’s (floaters) are separated from the dense, ripe cherries, which sink to the bottom of the container and are later sent to the fermentation tank.
Then, the cherries are left to ferment in water for about 24 hours, washed, and once again fermented again for 12-24 hours.
Later, the beans enter the washing channels where floaters are separated again and the mucilage is removed from the good beans. These enter the soaking tanks, sitting under clean water for another 24 hours, allowing amino acids and proteins in the cellular structure of each bean to develop, resulting in more acidity and complex fruit flavour—a quality that distinctively identifies Kenyan coffee.
Finally, the beans are laid on the initial drying tables, forming a thin layer and achieving a moisture level of ~50%; this first drying stage can last 6 hours. Afterwards, the beans are gathered and laid in thicker layers for 5-10 additional days, then bagged and left in dry storage until hitting the port.
Summing up: a super nice Kenyan that shows everything about the status of coffee over there. Deep flavours and clean profile, which we must help preserve by paying higher prices so farmers keep their interest in growing this good while securing a fair living.
All images and information about this coffee and producers have been kindly shared by its importer, Condesa CoLab, and edited by us, Sample Coffee (unless linked to or credited otherwise).
Our new recommended brewing window for peak flavour is within days ~10-50 post-roast date.
We’ve recently changed into a Loring Kestrel S35 coffee roaster, which uses a different roasting technology from our previous one. Aside from reaching more nuanced and transparent flavours, we’ve noticed a change in our beans’ aging behaviour. Brewing between days ~10-50 post-roast seems to bring out the best of each coffee, but it may taste fine if you do it earlier or even a few days later. Test, try and adjust to find what works for you!
PS. Please note our packaging still shows our old recommendation. This will change in our next printed batch!
Need any brewing tips?
Head to our brew guides and find your favourite filter method—or head straight to our single origin espresso recipe. If you have further questions, send us an email. We’re always keen to help.
