Producer: Kirura Factory
Farm: Komothai Farmers Cooperative Society
Region: Kiambu
Variety: SL28, SL34, Ruiru
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1.950
Kirura Factory is located in Kiambu County in Kenya’s Central Highlands and was established in 1988 under the Komothai Farmers Cooperative Society. It works with around 800 smallholder farmers cultivating approximately 400 hectares of coffee at elevations between 1,800 and 1,950 meters. The region’s red volcanic soils, reliable rainfall, and cool climate support slow cherry maturation and high cup quality.
The factory produces fully washed coffees from SL28, SL34, and Ruiru 11 varieties, using clean water from the Gatamaiyu River. For the Kirura Washed, farmers handpick only fully ripe cherries early in the morning, then deliver them to the wet mill for sorting, where underripes, overripes, and foreign matter are removed. Clean water from River Gatamaiyu is used for washing. Cherries pass through a chute into the pulping house. In water channels, floaters are skimmed off while heavier beans sink and move into fermentation tanks to rest overnight. The next day, workers wash off the mucilage and transfer the beans to sloped tiled channels. Using wooden shunts, they push the beans upstream—lighter ones flow down quickly, while denser beans move more slowly. The beans are then sun-dried on raised beds, closely monitored and covered during rain or intense sun. Once they reach 10–12% moisture, they are bagged and sent to the dry mill.
Tasting Notes: hibiscus, gooseberry, dates
