A bright Kenyan with earthy flavours and hints of sweet berries.
The rainy region of Kirinyaga is located in Central Kenya. Many rivers run through its rich volcanic soil, making it a paradise for producing washed process, fruit-forward coffee lots.
The Kiamugumo Factory was founded in the 70s and it is operated by the New Ngariama Farmers Cooperative Society. The cooperative counts with the harvest of ~1,500 contributing members, each owning a parcel of land between 1/8 and ¼ hectares where they grow coffee and other crops.
When the cherries are ripe and harvested, they bring them to the factory for sorting and processing. In most cases, the contributions get blended into lots labeled with the day of delivery—hence coffees like this take the name of the cooperative/factory.
The washed process in Kenya may vary slightly from place to place, but it generally contains a soaking step that is unique to this growing country. First the coffee is picked ripe and depulped the same day, then it is normally fermented in open-air tanks made of concrete or cement for 24–48 hours. It’s then washed thoroughly using water channels before being soaked underwater for 12–72 hours. Finally, the coffee is spread on raised beds to dry.
This lot of Kiamugumo fits within our idea of a traditional Kenyan profile: high in acidity and big on deep, fruity flavours.
All images and information about this coffee and producers have been kindly shared by its importer, Cafe Imports, and edited by us, Sample Coffee (unless linked to or credited otherwise). Learn more at here.
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.
