Episode 530: Kenya Kieni AA Washed

The Kieni wet mill is located in Nyeri in the central highlands of Kenya, at an altitude of 1,700 metres above sea level. It's run by the Mugaga Farmers' Cooperative Society.

Nyeri county has cool temperatures and fertile central highlands; it lies between the eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) mountain range, which forms part of the eastern end of the Great Rift valley and the western slopes of Mt. Kenya. Nyeri town (county headquarters) acts as a destination for those visiting Aberdare National Park and Mt. Kenya. It is in Nyeri county, at the Treetops hotel, (a rustic treehouse hotel) where the young Elizabeth went upstairs a princess and came down in the morning as Queen of England. Her father, King George VI, died on 5 February 1952, the night she spent at Treetops while on honeymoon.

Most of the coffee beans from Nyeri develop and mature slowly, producing extra hard beans. This quality is also evident in the cup. As a result, Nyeri is traditionally known as the heart of Kenya’s black gold coffee.

The coffee is mainly grown on the slopes and the upper plateau where most of the farmers' homes are located. The farms are demarcated into small family plots where each individual family looks after their own coffee.

The mill has recently installed an electronic weighing system, that not only weighs the farmer's cherries when they deliver them - it also prints out a receipt for them, including a running total of how much they have delivered so far.

Kieni is one of a number of mills owned by the Mugaga Farmers' Cooperative, and currently has around 1,000 members, although this constantly varies and not all members will always deliver their cherry to Kieni.

This coffee is wet processed. It's pulped, fermented (soaked for 8-16 hours (with fresh water at 8 hours) and then fermented for 8 - 16 hours) before being washed and then dried slowly over 2–3 weeks, while the moisture content is reduced to 10–12%. Random interesting fact, the depulper at Kieni can manage up to 5,000kg per hour.

In the cup this is about the acidity. Think a lime and tonic, with a little orange zest on the side. There's a little fruit sweetness to balance it but the finish is still crisp and clean. In the aftertaste you get a little hint of redcurrant, super interesting.

• Country: Kenya
• County: Nyeri
• Mill: Kieni
• Society: Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited
• Farmers: 905
• Acreage farmed: 202 acres 
• Altitude: 1,700 m.a.s.l.
• Varietal: SL28
• Coffee grade: AA
• Average annual rainfall: 1,680mm
• Average annual temperature: 12–27°C
• Soil type: red volcanic soils that are rich in phosphorus, and which are drained well
• Processing method: Wet processing (Washed)
• Drying process: Dry, milling after the parchment has dried

CUPPING NOTES

Lime & tonic, orange zest, redcurrant.

Clean cup: (1–8): 7
Sweetness: (1–8): 6
Acidity: (1–8): 7
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6
Flavour: (1–8): 6
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 7
Correction: (+36): +36

Total: (max. 100): 88

Roasting Information
Medium - push this through first crack, into the gap and drop just before you reach second crack.

"Quick Look" Guide
Lime & tonic, orange zest, redcurrant.