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Kenya AA Kirimukuyu, Nyeri Region | Ruiru 11 from Matira Kare Wet Mill

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). What are the flavor characteristics of Kenya AA Kirimukuyu from Nyeri Region, Ruiru 11 from Matira Kare Wet Mill? Kenya is a model country for producing excellent coffee beans. Coffee was introduced from Britain in 1900, and coffee varieties were limited to traditional Arabica until 1950 when modern varieties emerged.

For more professional coffee knowledge and coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Kenya AA Nyeri Region Kirimukuyu | Mathira Kariea Washed Processing Station - What's the Flavor of Ruiru 11?

Kenya is a model country for producing excellent coffee beans. Coffee was introduced from Britain in 1900, and coffee varieties were limited to traditional Arabica until 1950 when Kenya's current outstanding SL28 and SL34 Bourbon varieties were developed. All coffee is processed using the fully washed method, with grading following the AA PLUS, AA, AB system based on uniform bean size - though this only indicates size uniformity, not quality differences. Premium altitudes range from 4,200 to 6,800 feet. In 2009-2010, due to global warming and disease impacts, production decreased, leading to price increases. Subsequently, the continued rise in specialty coffee and Kenya coffee's irreplaceable blackberry flavor has kept high-quality Kenyan beans expensive. Therefore, direct-trade coffee buyers prioritize purchasing better quality Kenyan beans. The coffee beans are relatively large with prominent blackberry acidity. Harvest can occur twice yearly: April-June is the secondary season, while October-December is the main harvest season.

Most coffee beans are uniformly graded and inspected by the Kenya Coffee Board before being sold at auction. The public auction system dates back to before 1934, using an agent system. Kenya has 50 licensed agents who send sample beans to their respective clients for cupping. Clients can bid on their favorite coffees through agents at auction. However, this approach seems to encourage intermediate agents to erode farmers' income. Therefore, in 2006, Kenya opened up 32 independent sales agents who could directly deal with foreign coffee buyers without going through auctions. However, these must meet Kenya Coffee Board standards for quality, storage, bank guarantees, etc., to be sold. Both systems operate in parallel. After several years of development, this has become the most transparent auction distribution system, where better quality coffee can obtain better prices through cupping, encouraging more cooperatives and farms to participate. However, I believe the latter allows direct contact with farmers to obtain first-hand information.

Mathira Kariea Processing Station is located in Kenya's western Nyeri region, operating since 1951. In 2011, production was 220,000 kg (about 3,666 bags), with hopes of reaching 350,000 kg (about 5,800 bags) in the next season. It's a small processing station that only selects farmers who hand-pick fully ripe red cherries, delivered to the processing station on the same day of harvest. The pulp and fruit are removed, then fermented for 16-48 hours before washing off surface mucilage. This is a crucial procedure for maintaining rich, robust blackberry acidity and is very important. The price of coffee beans is determined here, so increasingly more Kenyan beans are choosing small processing stations for this important procedure because freshness is key to good quality.

Property Characteristics: Farm Information

Farm: Baragwi Farmers Cooperative Society

Name: Mathira Kariru - Mathira Kariea Processing Station AA Beans

Grade: AA

Country: Kenya

Region: Central Kenya, Mathira West District, Kirimukuyu division, Karie location

Altitude: 1,600-1,700 meters

Farm Size: Small-scale coffee farmers

Soil: Red volcanic loam soils

Harvesting Method: Hand picked

Certification: Fair Trade

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: SL 28, SL 34, Ruiru 11

Processing System: Full Washed - dried on African raised beds

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level is 60 seconds after first crack begins (Cinnamon roast)

Aroma/Flavor: Cinnamon, fennel, plum, osmanthus fragrance, oolong tea, jasmine, lavender, perfume-like notes, honey, sugarcane

Acidity: Blackberry acidity, kumquat acidity, grapefruit - abundant and juicy, massive and powerful, not sharp acidity, but traditional rich-bodied acidity

Complexity and Other: Good complexity, moderate emulsification, obvious fruit sweetness, very sweet, aftertaste with distinct preserved kumquat flavor

Overall Style: Very acidic, very complex, heavy blackberry acidity. The difference between good and bad Kenyan beans lies in which one has massive, complex, robust, unrefined acidity. In recent years, more and more people have been pursuing this special acidity in Kenyan beans - it's a unique taste experience!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g coffee. First pour 25g water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half in the coffee bed, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and faster drainage, pausing during pouring helps extend the extraction time.