Muhathi is categorized as a ‘small estate’ in Kenya, many farmers of this size in the country do not operate their own processing equipment, but here at Muhathi they do. It’s located in Kiambu County just outside Kenya’s capital city Nairobi. It has an ideal microclimate for growing coffee with warm days and cold nights supporting a sweet and dense coffee growth.
They planted a lot of ‘traditional’ SL28 but also Batian and Ruiru 11 which are relatively new. These new varieties have a good resistance to diseases and quick maturation with possibility to harvest after only 2 years. After being selectively handpicked the cherries are pulped using a disc pulper. The coffee is dry fermented for 16-24 hours and then washed with clean water to remove any remaining mucilage. Parchment is soaked for 12 hours before drying on raised beds. This last soak is a typical step in the Kenya washed processing.
Facts
Country | Kenya
Region | Kiambu
Producer | Muhathi
Variety | SL28 / Batian / Ruiru11
Process | Washed