Kianjiru - Kenya - Washed

Kenya - Kianjiru - Washed

Dried Apricot - Brown Sugar - Maple Syrup

This coffee is produced at Kianjiru Factory, a wet mill operating under the Baragwi Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), one of the oldest and largest coffee cooperatives in Kenya. Baragwi FCS was registered in 1953 and today manages 12 wet mills across Kirinyaga County, supporting more than 16,800 registered members. Approximately 1,600 smallholder farmers deliver cherries to the Kianjiru Factory.

The cooperative’s primary objectives are to promote the social and economic wellbeing of its members while ensuring access to competitive market prices for their coffee. Baragwi FCS employs a workforce of 137 staff members, with women representing approximately 23% of the team.

Farmers supplying Kianjiru typically cultivate small plots averaging around 300 coffee trees. These farms are located at elevations between 1,600 and 1,750 metres above sea level in the Kirinyaga subregion of Kenya’s Central Region. The main varieties grown include SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11.

Processing at Kianjiru follows a fully washed method, with careful attention to cherry selection and post-harvest handling to preserve clarity and structure in the cup. Harvesting takes place during two main periods: the early crop from May to July and the late crop from October to December.

The Process Unveiled:

1. Harvesting:
Ripe cherries are selectively handpicked by more than 1,600 smallholder farmers delivering to Kianjiru Factory in Kirinyaga, at elevations between 1,600 and 1,750 masl. Farmers typically manage small plots averaging ~300 trees each.

2. Intake & Sorting:
Cherries are received at the wet mill and visually hand-sorted to remove under ripe, overripe, or damaged fruit, ensuring only high-quality cherries proceed to pulping.

3. Pulping & Density Separation:
Cherries are depulped shortly after arrival and undergo density grading in water channels to separate heavier, mature coffee from lower-density material.

4. Fermentation:
Pulped parchment undergoes controlled wet fermentation for approximately 12–24 hours. During this stage, endogenous enzymes break down remaining mucilage, enhancing clarity and acidity typical of fully washed Kenyan coffees.

5. Washing & Soaking:
Following fermentation, the parchment is thoroughly washed through clean water grading channels. It is then soaked in circulating clean water for around 24 hours — a practice that helps manage drying bed availability while contributing to quality, stability, and cup longevity.

6. Drying (Raised Beds):
Washed parchment is transferred to raised drying beds where it is spread in even layers. Throughout the 10–20 day drying period, the coffee is turned regularly and shaded or covered as needed to promote uniform drying and prevent overheating or uneven moisture loss.

7. Drying Management & Final Stabilization:
Drying continues until moisture levels reach a stable range suitable for milling and export. This careful drying process supports structural sweetness, brightness, and the dynamic acidity that Kenyan coffees are known for, while preserving the density and clarity associated with AA grade beans.