Many of our most expressive coffees hail from the African continent. Very few stand out quite like a Kenyan coffee does. The distinctive rich flavor of Kenyan coffee has us consistently striving to bring you, our Vigilante Familia, coffees from this region of the world.
Despite having a relatively late start to growing coffee relative to other African countries, Kenya is one of the most well-regarded and consistent producing countries in the world. With deep volcanic soils and high elevation growing regions, the terroir is ripe for specialty coffee. Add the famed varietals developed in Kenya such as those developed by Scott Laboratories (SL28, SL34) and the newer Ruiru 11 and Batian, the long tradition of meticulous sorting and processing using the washed method, and the proud producers who grow them, and you’ve got a recipe for some of the best and most dependable coffees available. Similar to Ethiopia, the majority of coffee produced in Kenya is grown by small-holder farmers, often organized into collectives. This lot of coffee comes from the Kianjuki processing factory in Embu, eastern Kenya, with 800 small-holder farmers contributing their prized coffee cherries. The Kianjuki factory is owned and operated by the Kirurumwe Farmers Cooperative Society, which was founded in 1963 and now operates 3 different processing factories. In the cup, this coffee has a warm, graham cracker aroma with notes of pecan and caramel, a lovely caramel/brown sugar sweetness, a little bit of hazelnut with smooth dark chocolate, and a vibrant blood orange acidity with a juicy mouthfeel.
How to Brew It:
For a fuller flavor, try brewing this coffee using an immersion method; for a cleaner and more distinct flavor experience, brew using the pour-over method, each at 200-205 degrees, with a brew ratio of 1:15.
