Kenya Kirinyaga Kibirigwi Thunguri AA -11KN0005

 Kibirigwi is a producer organization that has been around since before Kenya's independence from Britain, since 1953. It is robust in membership and exemplary in quality. This washed lot from the Thunguri factory is a quintessential Kirinyaga coffee: citric and jammy with red currant, tangerine, and lime.  

 Kenya is of course known for some of the most meticulous at-scale processing that can be found anywhere in the world. Bright white parchment, nearly perfectly sorted by density and bulk conditioned at high elevations is the norm, and a matter of pride, even for generations of Kenyan processing managers who prefer drinking Kenya’s tea (abundantly farmed in nearby Murang’a county) to its coffee. Ample water supply in the central growing regions has historically allowed factories to wash, and wash, and soak, and wash their coffees again entirely with fresh, cold river water.   

 Thunguri typically ferments for 16-18 hours depending on ambient conditions (the changing mountain climate, as for many processors, tends to dictate fermentation temperatures, and processing staff are required to check fermentation progress every three hours). After fermentation, the parchment is washed in fresh water and brought to the factory’s raised tables to dry, typically for two weeks. After drying is complete the coffee is conditioned in large perforated bins on site to allow moisture to stabilize, preparing the coffees for transit and a long shelf life. The established milling and sorting by grade, or bean size, is a longstanding tradition and positions Kenya coffees well for roasters, by tightly controlling the physical preparation and creating a diversity of profiles from a single processing batch.   

The unique microlot code, also known as an "outturn" number, for this coffee is "11KN0005". It is used to track its journey from factory to export in Kenya's microlot export system to ensure complete traceability. It is composed of a 2-digit "coffee week" number, a 2-letter mill code, and a 3 or 4-digit intake number.

 Our interpretation of this wonderful coffee boasts a robust, flavor profile with prominent fruit notes and a medium body.

 We recommend a pour-over method such as Chemex, V60 or Kalita Wave to filly enjoy the complexity and aromas this coffee has to offer.

• Roast Level: City Roast (Medium)
• Cup Profile:  Blackberry, Bright, candied ginger, candied orange, Caramel, floral, sweet basil, Mandarin, stone fruit, Sweet-tart balance
• Varietals: SL-28, SL-34 and Ruiru 11
• Region: Kirinyaga County, Kenya
• Altitude: 1,500 masl
• Process: Fully washed and dried on raised beds