Kenya Karimikui AA

At elevations between 1,600 and 1,700 meters above sea level, the coffee cherries ripen slowly, developing large, sweet cherries with exceptional flavor concentration. Carefully fully washed at the Karimikui Factory, they produce an incredibly elegant, juicy, and fruit-forward cup with the unmistakable character of a classic Kenyan coffee. Simply an amazing Kenyan coffee.

The small area of Kirinyaga where Karimikui is located is traditionally known for tea production, so many of the coffee farms are relatively young. Much of the region was planted with coffee just before hybrid varieties were introduced in Kenya, meaning that most of the farmers delivering to Karimikui grow the classic SL28 and SL34 varieties—a hallmark of the elegant, vibrant cup profile that has made Kenyan coffee famous.

Karimikui Factory is operated by the Rung'eto Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), where approximately 2,591 smallholder farmers deliver their freshly harvested coffee cherries. The cup is juicy and light-bodied, with a beautifully balanced sweetness and lively notes of orange and berries. Bright flavors of raspberry, mandarin, grapefruit, and apricot are complemented by rich caramel sweetness, leading to a light, delicate finish.

MORE ABOUT THE COFFEE

The coffee cherries are selectively hand-picked by smallholder farmers, who harvest only fully ripe cherries before delivering them to Karimikui Factory. Upon arrival, the cherries undergo a meticulous quality control process, where they are carefully sorted both visually and by flotation. Only the densest and ripest cherries are selected to continue through processing.

The cherries are then depulped and the coffee is fermented for approximately 12–24 hours. After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed with clean water before being soaked for an additional 24 hours. The parchment coffee is then spread out on raised drying beds, where it dries slowly under the sun.

During drying, the coffee is turned regularly to ensure an even drying process. Throughout the hottest hours of the day, the parchment is covered to slow the drying and preserve quality, and at night it is protected from moisture. Drying typically takes between 7 and 14 days.

MORE ABOUT THE COFFEE CLASSIFICATION OF COFFEE IN KENYA

• Kenya AA – the largest beans, measuring 17/18 (over 7.2 mm). Only AA beans are used in this coffee.

• Kenya AB - slightly smaller beans, 15/16 in size

• Kenya PB (Peaberry) where only one round bean developed in the cherry instead of two flat ones

This meticulous attention to every stage of production—from variety selection to processing—is a key reason why coffees from Kenya, and particularly those produced at factories like Karimikui, are regarded as some of the finest in the world.

COFFEE IN KENYA

Though coffee growing had a relatively late start in Kenya, the industry has gained and maintained a impressive reputation and is now recognised by its very high quality, meticulous preparation and exquisite flavors.

Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory. The remainder of annual production is grown and processed by small, medium and large land estates. Most of the larger estates have their own washing stations.