Description
Region: Nyeri County, Central Region
Elevation: 1800 m.a.s.l.
Arabica Varietal: SL28 & SL34
Process: Washed
Producer: Othaya Farmer’s Co-Operative Society
Farm: Rukira Wet Mill
In the cup: Peach, Lemonade, Cherry, Floral, Honey and Creamy
The Rukira wet mill was built in 1979 in the heart of Nyeri County in Central Kenya. It is positioned in the Rukira village, between the River Mumwe and the River Thuti, both of which originate from the Aberdare Range. The wet mill processes cherries from more than 670 smallholder farmers in the surrounding Nyeri highlands, who combine their cherries at the mill to create the classic taste of Kenya.
This mill is part of the Othaya Farmer’s Co-operative Society, an organisation of 19 small wet mills known as ‘factories’ with over 11,000 members. It has a nursery and farm store to supply members with inputs, equipment and seedlings, and offer farm management workshops for best processing practices. The society also has its own dry mill, located less than 5km from Rukira in the neighbouring town of Gatuyaini where society staff can cup samples of every lot delivered during the harvest season using the roasting and cupping facilities.
Rukira coffee won first prize in the EAFCA Taste of Harvest Kenya Chapter. They predominately produce washed coffees and selected natural lots, but are now also collaborating with Project Origin to implement the equipment and training required to begin carbonic maceration processed coffees.
Processing Details
o Picking of only ripe cherries
o Cherries are floated as part of the pulping process to separate low density cherries
o Cherries are wet-pulped and wet fermented for 12-18 hours in concrete tanks under shade
o After fermentation is complete coffee is thoroughly washed in concrete channels to remove any remaining mucilage
o Coffee is then laid on raised beds until moisture reaches 10-12%
o Drying typically takes 12-21 days
o Beans are transported to the dry mill and stored in parchment until milled for export
o During dry milling beans are separated by machine based on size with a specific category assigned to peaberries
o Volume of peaberry production is always very small but they are well known for vibrancy and intense flavour and sweetness
(Info courtesy of Project Origin)
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