Karimiuki

Small-scale producers selectively harvest the ripe cherries by hand and deliver them the same day to the station at Washed. At the receiving area, the manager performs a thorough visual sorting and flotation process, accepting only the densest and ripest cherries.

The cherries are pulped and fermented for 12 to 24 hours. After fermentation, the coffee is washed with clean water and soaked for an additional 24 hours—a step that traditionally helps manage the process during harvest peaks, when space on the drying yards is limited, and that also contributes to greater clarity in the cup and longevity of the green coffee.

After soaking, the parchment is dried on raised beds or in solar dryers. During drying, which lasts between 7 and 21 days, the parchment is stirred frequently to ensure even drying, and is covered during the hottest hours of the day and at night to protect it from moisture.

The Karimikui factory is located in Ngariama, in the Gichugu District of the Kirinyaga Region, on the slopes of Mount Kenya. Founded in 1953, it is one of the oldest Washed stations in the area and belongs to the Rung'eto Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), a cooperative that brings together more than 2,500 smallholder farmers.

The farmers who supply coffee cherries to Karimikui primarily grow the SL-28, SL-34, Batian, and Ruiru-11 varieties on small plots of less than one hectare, with an average of 300 to 500 trees per farmer. The fertile volcanic soils and the altitude—between 1,700 and 1,900 MASL —foster dense, sweet cherries with a distinctive cup profile.

When replicating this recipe, there are various variables that can affect the final result of your cup, such as the roast date, how the beans were stored, the environment, the water, the condition of the equipment, and so on. It’s important to keep in mind that all these factors can have an impact, and you may need to make minor adjustments when replicating this recipe.