Description
Country
Kenya
Region
Ngairiama
Producer
Kii farm
Arabica variety
SL28 & 34
Altitude
1700 – 1900 masl
Process
washed
Tasting notes
black currant – tangerine – cardamon
Suggested for
filter
The Kii factory is located in Ngairiama in the Gichugu division of Kirinyaga district in Central Province. It is one of 3 factories, along with Kiangoi and Karimikui, which make up the Rungeto Farmers Coop Society.
This coop was established in 1953 and now has around 3507 members. Each smallholder member has around a hectare of land for growing coffee alongside vegetables for the family. The area has rich and fertile red volcanic soil at altitudes of 1700 to 1900 metres above sea level and receives between 1600 and 1900mm of rainfall annually.
The coffee is handpicked by the smallholder members and delivered to the Kii factory where it is pulped. This initially separates the dense beans from the immature ‘mbuni’s (floaters) using water floatation which means the denser beans will sink and be sent through channels to the fermentation tank.
This first stage of fermentation will last for around 24 hours, after which the beans are washed and sent to the secondary fermentation tank for another 12-24 hours. Once the fermentation process is completed, the beans enter the washing channels.
The beans are then transferred to the initial drying tables; this first stage of drying can last around 6 hours before the beans are gathered and laid in thicker layers for the remaining 5-10 days of the drying period.
