Kenya Embu County Kasawa Processing Station How Should Kenyan Coffee Be Brewed by Pour-Over?

Kenya's 2017 Production Crisis

In 2017, Kenya saw a continuous decline in production and soaring green bean prices. The 2017 season had almost no winners.

Kasarani Processing Station

The Kasarani Processing Station is located in Embu County and was established in 1964. It is a small-scale primary processing station and village cooperative under the Kibugu Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS). The farmers of Kasarani come from two villages: Kibugu and Nguviu. The current manager is John Njue Kamwengu. During the main harvest season, John hires several temporary workers to help with the busy quality-control and processing operations.

Climatic Conditions

The Kasarani region receives approximately 1500mm of annual rainfall. The main rainy season runs from March to May, while October to December is the secondary rainy season—which happens to divide the two main production seasons. November to January is the main harvest, and May to June the secondary harvest. The average annual temperature ranges from 12 to 25°C.

Coffee Varieties

Farmers own an average of 200 coffee trees each, most planted with the SL28 variety. Ruiru 11 is used to boost yields and as a replacement variety during disease outbreaks.

Harvesting and Processing

Kasarani's harvesting and processing proceed as follows:

After the cherries have their pulp removed, they undergo overnight fermentation to break down the sugars in the mucilage layer. They are then washed clean and soaked for approximately 24 hours. Afterward, the coffee is spread evenly on drying tables. Time on the tables depends on conditions such as climate, ambient temperature, and processing volume, and may require 7 to 15 days in total. The parchment coffee is then stored in cool, dry warehouses.

Quality Excellence and the CMS Program

Since the 1990s, Kasarani has been known for providing specialty coffee. Despite low annual production, the cooperative remains eager to learn and participates in the Coffee Management Services (CMS) program. The program's long-term goal is to increase coffee production through farmer education and training, agricultural loans, Good Agricultural Practices seminars, and annually updated and distributed Sustainable Agriculture Handbooks.

As one example, farmers suggested the cooperative provide fertilizers to expand fruit production. It's hard to believe, but Kenyan coffee farmers wait an average of 5 months to be paid after delivering their cherries. The cooperative's finances and cash flow therefore determine the cohesion of its farmers and their ability to improve quality. "To achieve good quality, first solve the lengthy payment mechanism"—introducing CMS was a major leap forward.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests brewing Kenyan coffee with 90°C water using a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, producing delicate berry acidity, excellent clarity, honey and currant notes, and a very persistent aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Kenya's bright, juicy, washed coffees are what make the region so beloved. FrontStreet Coffee suggests these.

FrontStreet Kenya Small Tomato

A washed Kenyan single-origin from the Sika region, grown at 1550-1750 meters from the classic SL28 and SL34 varieties and given a 72-hour double washed fermentation to draw out the fruit while keeping the cup clean. Grown light, it delivers crisp cherry tomato and smoked plum acidity with a full, juicy body, snow pear and black plum in the middle, and a clean finish of yellow sugar and green tea.

FrontStreet Gotiti Cooperative

A washed single-terroir coffee from Gotiti village in the Worka area, showing vivid citrus, berry, and floral notes with a green-tea finish. Its acidity is soft and bright, more like the natural tang of fruit than anything sharp.

FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui

A natural Ethiopian lot with a striking tropical fruit aroma—strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, even lychee—sweet and smooth with very little bitterness and a full, juicy body.