{"product_id":"450-kenya-karatu-aa","title":"450 Kenya Karatu AA","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMandarin orange, Red cherry, Brown sugar, Cassis, Juicy, Sweet aftertaste\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeans\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProducer : David Kanya\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWS : Karatu Coffee Factory\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArea: \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eGatundu, Kiambu County\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAltitude: 1,883m\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVarietal: SL28,SL34,Ruiru11\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProcessing: Washed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRoast Level\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight roast\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e------------------------------\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e＜\u003cspan\u003eKaratu Coffee Factory\u003c\/span\u003e＞\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis coffee comes from Karatu Coffee Factory, located in the Gatundu area of Kiambu County, north of Nairobi, Kenya's capital.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKaratu 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eApproximately 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSL28 and SL34 are well known for producing coffees with rich fruitiness and complex flavors that are characteristic of Kenyan coffee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeanwhile, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhile 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterestingly, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause washed processing requires water, environmental responsibility is particularly important.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSince 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen we first cupped this coffee as a sample, we were particularly impressed by its elegant sweetness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor this release, we chose a light roast.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough we set a relatively low final roast temperature, we maintained a development time of approximately 1 minute and 10 seconds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis allowed us to preserve the vibrant fruitiness of a light roast while developing a rich sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the cup, the first impression is a bright, juicy fruitiness reminiscent of mandarin oranges, followed by delicate notes of cherries and apricots.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe finish is long and sweet, with a pleasant brown sugar-like sweetness that lingers on the palate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the coffee cools, the red fruit character becomes more pronounced, revealing flavors reminiscent of blackcurrants.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe hope you enjoy not only the vibrant acidity that Kenyan coffees are known for, but also the generous sweetness that lies beneath it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Philocoffea","offers":[{"title":"Whole Beans \/ 100g","offer_id":50823972192431,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true},{"title":"Whole Beans \/ 200g (20% OFF)","offer_id":50823972225199,"sku":null,"price":2400.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true},{"title":"Whole Beans \/ 1000g (30% OFF)","offer_id":50823972257967,"sku":null,"price":10500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0517\/7825\/7071\/files\/2026-11-0520.28.02.png?v=1793878441","url":"https:\/\/en.philocoffea.com\/products\/450-kenya-karatu-aa","provider":"Philocoffea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}