Kenya

Gikirima

Crisp red apple and redcurrant

A deep stewed apple character is punctuated by a crisp note of redcurrant in this lot by the Kibugu cooperative.

The Kibugu Cooperative also own the Ndunduri station, where we have purchased lots in the past.

Producer
Kibugu FCS
Coffee expression
A fruity & balanced coffee

Regular price: $25.00
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Sale price: $25.00
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The Gikirima station

The Gikirima station is located at 1700 masl in the Embu region, just one of many iconic growing regions lying in a belt across the southern slopes of Mount Kenya. Gikirima is in fact located just across the border from Kirinyaga, just a short drive from Ngariama where our previous Kenyan release from the Karimikui factory is grown and processed. The fertile volcanic soil and high altitude here lead to some of the finest growing conditions in the coffee world, with ripe and well-nourished cherries abound. One of the other factors that lead to the quality and character of Kenyan coffees is their unique and exacting fermentation method. Gikirima is owned by the Kibugu Farmer’s Cooperative Society, who have a focus on the education of their mill managers and through them, the smallholder farmers that supply their stations. Kibugu also own Gikirima, Gicherori, Ngerwe and Ndunduri, where we have previously purchased coffee. This package of support leads to high quality cherries fermented under exacting conditions in clean and well-equipped mills, and in theory, excellent lots.

Double fermentation

This lot was sorted in washing channels for low quality floating cherries on arrival, before being de-pulped and fermented overnight, then soaked one more time for around 12 hours, again through washing channels to allow an extra sorting for floaters. This double fermentation helps to emphasise the fresh fruit character we value in Kenyan coffees, and the extra sorting leads to very uniform and high quality of green coffee. In this lot, we find this leads to a deep character of stewed red apples, punctuated by crisp redcurrant and subtle hibiscus aromas.

Technical Data

Producer
Kibugu FCS
Region
Embu
Altitude
1700 masl
Varietal
SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11
Process
Washed
Harvest
December 2022

Washed Process

The washed process involves completely removing both the cherry and the mucilage from the outside of the parchment with the use of friction, fermentation and water. After being harvested, the coffee cherry is then sliced open by either a metal or a sharp plastic blade.

The two seeds (also known as beans) are pushed out of the cherry, which leaves the seed with mucilage as their outermost layer. It is essential in the washed process that all mucilage is removed from the seed which leaves only the flavour that developed in the cell structure of the seed prior to processing.