Regular price ¥1,500
Unit price per
Flavor Notes
Mandarin orange, Red cherry, Brown sugar, Cassis, Juicy, Sweet aftertaste
Beans
Producer : David Kanya
WS : Karatu Coffee Factory
Area: Gatundu, Kiambu County
Altitude: 1,883m
Varietal: SL28,SL34,Ruiru11
Processing: Washed
Roast Level
Light roast
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＜Karatu Coffee Factory＞
This coffee comes from Karatu Coffee Factory, located in the Gatundu area of Kiambu County, north of Nairobi, Kenya's capital.
Karatu Coffee Factory was established in 1965 to process coffee cherries harvested from four villages: Karatu, Gitwe, Kibiru, and Kigaa. With a history spanning more than half a century, the factory now belongs to the Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society, which has approximately 700 member farmers.
The factory also serves as the cooperative's headquarters. Under the leadership of factory manager David Kanya, the team carries out daily processing operations and quality control to maintain the quality of their coffee.
The factory is located at an altitude of 1,883 meters above sea level. The surrounding farms benefit from nutrient-rich red soil, annual rainfall of approximately 1,500 mm, and average temperatures ranging from 13°C to 24°C, creating ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. The region has two rainy seasons each year, with the main harvest periods occurring around April and October.
Approximately 99% of the coffee grown in this area consists of SL28 and SL34, two of Kenya's most representative coffee varieties. The remaining 1% is Ruiru 11.
SL28 and SL34 are well known for producing coffees with rich fruitiness and complex flavors that are characteristic of Kenyan coffee.
Meanwhile, Karatu Factory is also considering replacing some of its aging coffee trees with a variety called Batian. Batian is a relatively new variety developed in Kenya, bred with characteristics such as improved disease resistance in mind.
While preserving the traditional varieties that have long been valued in the region, the factory is also taking steps to ensure sustainable coffee production in the future.
Interestingly, this region is also known for tea cultivation. In higher-altitude areas, it is not uncommon for both coffee and tea to be grown on the same farmland.
This coffee is processed using the Washed Process. Smallholder farmers in the surrounding villages harvest ripe coffee cherries and deliver them to the factory, where the fruit is removed and the beans are processed using water.
Because washed processing requires water, environmental responsibility is particularly important.
At Karatu Factory, five soaking pits have been installed to prevent wastewater from flowing directly into nearby water sources. The water used during depulping contains a large amount of organic matter, so these facilities help manage wastewater and reduce the risk of water pollution.
Since its establishment in 1965, Karatu Coffee Factory has supported coffee production in the local community for decades. While respecting traditional coffee varieties, the factory continues to work toward improving quality, introducing new varieties, and protecting the surrounding environment.
When we first cupped this coffee as a sample, we were particularly impressed by its elegant sweetness.
For this release, we chose a light roast.
During roasting, we focused on applying consistent energy from the early stages to bring out not only the coffee's sweetness but also the juicy, bright acidity that makes Kenyan coffee so distinctive.
Although we set a relatively low final roast temperature, we maintained a development time of approximately 1 minute and 10 seconds.
This allowed us to preserve the vibrant fruitiness of a light roast while developing a rich sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar.
In the cup, the first impression is a bright, juicy fruitiness reminiscent of mandarin oranges, followed by delicate notes of cherries and apricots.
The finish is long and sweet, with a pleasant brown sugar-like sweetness that lingers on the palate.
As the coffee cools, the red fruit character becomes more pronounced, revealing flavors reminiscent of blackcurrants.
We hope you enjoy not only the vibrant acidity that Kenyan coffees are known for, but also the generous sweetness that lies beneath it.