Origin: Kirinyaga, Kenya
Producer: Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative
Station: Gakuyu-ini
Altitude: 1600–1700 masl
Varietal: SL28 & SL34
Process: Washed
Tasting Notes: White grapes, pomelo, red currant
Gakuyu-ini is the main processing station of the Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative, with around 1600 smallholders contributing their harvests. The cooperative is known for paying some of the highest prices in the region, rewarding farmers for their commitment to quality.
Situated on the fertile slopes of Mount Kenya, the station benefits from rich volcanic soil and cool altitudes that range between 1600 and 1700 meters. Just 1.5 hours from Nairobi, it highlights how close the heart of Kenyan coffee cultivation lies to the capital city.
Quality is assured through a careful series of steps. Farmers hand sort cherries to remove underripes and overripes before delivery. At the station, a disc pulping machine removes the fruit and separates the parchment by density. The coffee then ferments under water for 16 to 24 hours, followed by double washing and another round of grading in washing channels. Afterward, the beans soak in clean water from the Gatomboya stream for 16 to 18 hours, before being dried slowly on raised African beds for up to 21 days.
This meticulous process results in the vibrant clarity and layered complexity that have made Kenyan coffees some of the most celebrated in the world.
