Kenya Kirimahiga AA
KENYA
KIRIMAHIGA AA
DARK BERRY, BLACKCURRANT, PINK GRAPEFRUIT + WHIPPED HONEY
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Mathioya, Murang'a, Kenya
PRODUCER: Kirimahiga Coffee Factory
ELEVATION: 1700 masl
PROCESS: Wet
TASTING NOTES: Dark berry, blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, and whipped honey.
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Location & History
Kirimahiga Coffee Factory is located in the upper midland zone, approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi. Although officially registered in 1998, coffee cultivation in this region dates back to the 1960s. Currently, 781 producers supply coffee to the factory.
Environmental Conditions
- Altitude: 1,700 masl
- Climate: Temperatures ranging between 18-25°C
- Soil: Rich, red volcanic soil
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Rainfall Pattern:
- Longer rains: April-June (supporting main crop)
- Shorter rains: October-November (supporting fly crop)
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Harvest Seasons:
- Main crop: October-February
- Fly crop (lighter): April-May
Processing Methods
The coffee processing follows a careful protocol:
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Harvesting:
- Selective hand-picking of ripe red cherries
- Secondary post-harvest sorting to remove underripe/overripe cherries and foreign matter
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Processing:
- Same-day delivery to wet mill
- Wet processing using fresh water from nearby Kananahu stream
- Water recirculation before disposal into evaporation and seepage pits (to prevent water acidification)
- Fermentation for 16-18 hours for mucilage removal
- Washing and grading of beans
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Drying & Packaging:
- Sun-drying of parchment with moisture meter monitoring
- Hulling, grading, sorting, and bagging of dried parchment
Socioeconomic Factors
- Farm Size: Typically small (1-2 hectares)
- Labor Division: Adults work farms while children attend school when affordable
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Challenges:
- Limited access to education due to costs
- Youth migration to urban areas seeking better opportunities
- Farm abandonment as families relocate
- Growing concerns about agricultural sustainability
General Brewing Instructions
- Filtered water. Spring water is ideal. Removing chloride, sulfur, and iron is essential.
- A burr grinder. The more even the coffee particles, the better the coffee. Burr grinders, whether manual or electric, will do a better job than "whirly-blade" grinders. Invest in a burr grinder. Your taste buds (and coffee roaster) will thank you.
- A scale. I know using a scale can seem a bit like you're doing something you shouldn't be. Trust me, you can only brew consistently great coffee with a scale. Water and coffee are hard to measure without one.
- Clean equipment. Properly cleaning your equipment is the only way to avoid stale and rancid coffee flavors entering your cup. Please keep your equipment clean. The sooner and more often you clean your gear, the easier it will be in the long run. Add it to your ritual and thank us later.
- Delicious and freshly roasted Color Coffee
- Hario V60 02. Check out Scott Rao's video on how to brew a better pourover than your local cafe does.
- French Press. Check out James Hoffman's video on how to brew a next level cup.
- Aeropress. Check out Tim Wendelboe's video on how to brew an exceptionally easy and delicious cup.
Coffee Faq
IS YOUR COFFEE ORGANIC OR FAIR TRADE?
In many cases, yes. However, our first priority is quality and flavor. Sometimes these priorities align and our producers are certified organic and/or fair trade. We always pay well above fair trade rates (which are quite low and don’t guarantee sustainability or quality).
Often times, the producers we work with are too small to gain certifications. It’s expensive and laborious. Many of our producers are certified organic and fair trade, including many of our producers in Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME-FRAME TO DRINK MY COFFEE?
We recommend drinking our coffee within one month of the roast date. Most of our coffees taste best however within 2 - 14 days of roast date.
For espresso, we recommend using coffee that has rested at least 7 days after roast date. This is because coffee gives off CO2 after roasting that can interfere with extraction. One way to get around this is to let your ground espresso dose sit for 30-120 minutes before pulling the shot. Email info@colorroasters.com for more questions about this.
If you are pre-grinding the coffee, we recommend drinking the coffee within one week of grinding.
CAN YOU GRIND MY COFFEE ON WEB ORDERS?
Yes, we can. Please select how you want your coffee to be ground at the time you place your order. Simply click on the arrow beside "Grind" and make your selection. If you need help choosing let us know the brewing method you will be using to prepare the coffee, in the notes of the order. And we will be happy to grind the coffee for you on our commercial grinder.
DO YOU HAVE BREW RECIPES?
These are in the works! We are compiling a bunch and even shooting some video, to help you brew like us at home.
In the meantime...go here: Pour Overs | Aeropress to get some expert advice.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?