KENYA KARIMIKUI AA
General Information
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Origin: Kenya
County: Kirinyaga Cooperative: Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society Washing Station: Karimikui Coffee Factory Farmers: 1200 active members (480 female, 720 male) Cultivar: Mainly SL28 & SL34 Altitude: 1900 masl Process: Fully washed with double fermentation Harvest: November 2023 - January 2024 Cherry Price | FOB Price: 6,35 USD/kg | 10,58 USD/Kg Screen | Moisture | Density: 17-18 | 11.2% | 0.695 g/ml Packaging: 30 Kg VP box Score: 87.3 Notes: Grapes, honey, mango, tree tomato |
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TRACEABILITYKarimikui is a well-known coffee factory that has been a part of the specialty coffee scene since its early days. Located in Ngairiama in the Gichugu division of Kirinyaga district, Central Province, Karimikui is one of three factories that make up the Rungeto Farmers Coop Society, along with Kiangoi and Kii. Established in 1953, the coop now has approximately 3507 members, each of whom usually have about a hectare of land for growing coffee and vegetables for their families.
The region where Karimikui is situated has rich and fertile red volcanic soil at altitudes of 1700 to 1900 meters above sea level and receives between 1600 and 1900mm of rainfall annually. The coffee is meticulously handpicked by the smallholder members and then delivered to the Karimikui factory for processing. The processing at the factory involves several stages. Initially, the coffee beans are pulped to separate the dense beans from the immature ‘mbuni’s (floaters) using a water floatation method. The denser beans settle and are sent through channels to the fermentation tank where they undergo the first stage of fermentation for about 24 hours. After this initial stage, the beans are washed and transferred to the secondary fermentation tank for another 12-24 hours. Following completion of the fermentation process, the beans are taken through washing channels where floaters are further separated, and the dense beans are cleaned of mucilage. The washed beans then enter soaking tanks, where they can sit under clean water for as long as another 24 hours. This soaking process allows amino acids and proteins in the cellular structure of each bean to develop, resulting in higher levels of acidity and complex fruit flavours in the cup. Once the soaking process is complete, the beans are spread out on drying tables in a thin layer to allow about 50% of the moisture to be quickly removed. This first stage of drying can take approximately 6 hours. The beans are then gathered and laid in thicker layers for the remaining 5-10 days of the drying period. Once dry, the parchment coffee is transferred to a private mill and placed into ‘bodegas’ to rest. HOW DO WE SOURCE OUR COFFEES?We have lost count of the number of cupping sessions involved in the coffee selection process in Kenya. This process lasts several months and includes a series of quality control measures. In simple terms, the coffees we select undergo five main selection procedures before reaching your roastery.
Journey to Origin: This process begins with a visit to cooperatives and a meeting with coffee producers and exporters at origin. Two trips are made; one during the harvest, where no cupping takes place, and another approximately a month when the harvest ends. During this last trip, we cupped around 500 samples per week, which is a pretty intense process. Here the pre-selection is carried out. Offer Samples: Producers, cooperatives or exporters send us samples of the lots that we have pre-selected at origin. This is beneficial because it allows us to analyze a smaller number of samples in the comfort of our laboratory in Budapest. Once we have made our final selection and are satisfied with it, we proceed to sign the contract. PSS stands for pre-shipment samples. After signing the contract, the coffee producer processes each lot and sends a sample to our laboratory for quality control confirmation before shipping. Arrival samples. Once the coffee arrives at our warehouse in Barcelona and passes all the necessary customs and phytosanitary regulations, we will take representative samples from each of the lots and analyze them again. This is to ensure that the coffee has arrived in perfect condition. We will test and examine the samples carefully to ensure that they meet our quality standards. The final stage of our selection process involves sending coffee samples to your roastery. This stage culminates with your cupping and selection of the coffee. Our aim is to provide you and your customers with the opportunity to enjoy the richness of our selection. We hope that you will appreciate the quality of our coffee and that it will enhance your business. THE MYTHS OF KENYAN COFFEE1.- There is a misconception that Kenyan coffees are too acidic and unsuitable for use in espresso or milk-based drinks. However, this is simply not true. The acidity level of a coffee can be controlled by adjusting the roast profile. Although some coffees have a higher natural acidity, this can always be reduced by roasting if necessary.
2.- It's common to hear that Kenyan coffees have a specific flavour profile that includes red fruits, blackcurrants, and winey notes. However, this is just a myth. In reality, there is a wide range of flavours that can be discovered in Kenyan coffees, including floral, chocolate and elegant notes that are influenced by the variety of the coffee and the location where it's grown, rather than the origin in general. 3.- There is a popular myth about the new Ruiru 11 coffee variety. The truth is that Ruiru 11 is not as good as the SL varieties. However, most of the Ruiru coffee grown in Kenya is now grafted with SL28 roots. This is because the SL28 roots are longer than those of the original Ruiru, which has a Catimor genetic component. Grafting the Ruiru plant with SL28 roots allows it to access more nutrients from deep in the volcanic soil of Kenya, which ultimately improves its quality. 4.- Finally, there is a common myth that farmers do not drink coffee, but prefer tea. While there is some truth in this statement, it is mainly due to British colonial influence. Today, Kenyan farmers actively enjoy coffee and even cup it. |
WHY FARMERS ARE ABANDONING COFFEE?
KARIMIKUI FACTORY LOCATION
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WHERE WE ARE
Barcelona, Spain Santiago, Chile Budapest, Hungary |