Kenya Nyeri Region | Flavor Profile of Othaya Cooperative Society Tuiyani Processing Plant Washed AA

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Kenya Nyeri Region | Othaya Cooperative Gathuthi Factory Washed AA Flavor Profile

Kenya is a star coffee-producing country in Africa. Although geographically close to Ethiopia, its coffee industry started relatively late. In the past decade, with the booming development of the specialty coffee industry, Kenya has become an important producing country that international coffee enthusiasts compete to purchase from. Although the overall coffee production accounts for less than five percent globally, the local soil's rich phosphorus content, SL series varieties, and Kenya's unique washed processing method are all reasons why Kenyan coffee has gained international recognition today.

In 1930, local Scott Laboratories in Kenya decided to improve the coffee industry by working with local Kenyan varieties. They hoped to cultivate high-yield, disease-resistant varieties with greater adaptability to climate changes and local soil characteristics. Researchers used traditional local Kenyan Bourbon, Mocha, Typica, and other varieties for cross-breeding, creating the two future stars SL28 and SL34. These varieties possess fruit acids that surpass traditional Bourbon, with strong fruit notes of citrus, dried plums, and other distinct fruit flavors.

Kenyan coffee generally comes from two production sources. The first is a very small number of large private estates, and the second is small farmers scattered throughout the mountains. After harvesting and processing, the Kenya Coffee Board holds auctions in the capital Nairobi every Tuesday (NCE bidding conference), where buyers and exporters from various countries compete to purchase their preferred coffee batches.

Gathuthi currently has about 1,100 members, including over 300 women, and belongs to Kenya's largest Othaya Cooperative Society, which operates up to 19 processing factories, such as Gatugi, Kamoini, Ichamama, and others. The Othaya Cooperative is located in the Othaya town of Nyeri and was established in 1956. It currently has about 14,000 members, with male members accounting for about 75% of the total. They also have their own nursery gardens and laboratories, continuously developing new coffee varieties for cultivation trials. The cooperative also has its own cultivation technology and marketing licenses, allowing them to trade directly with international markets. Additionally, they are members of the Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters (KCCE), so they can export coffee directly under the KCCE name without going through NCE bidding. International insider information suggests that the cooperative is currently facing challenges of reorganization and factory independence, largely due to the bureaucratic system of the Kenya Coffee Board reducing farmers' income, making them unable to repay loans from banks and cooperatives on time, leading to more small processing factories seeking independence. It is believed that in the coming years, we will see Gathuthi's active presence on the international stage.

Coffee Details

Region: Nyeri

Producer: Small farmers surrounding the processing factory

Processing Factory: Gathuthi Factory

Processing Method: Kenyan washed processing

Varieties: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11

Altitude: 1,400 – 1,800 meters

Soil: Volcanic soil

Annual Rainfall: 1,400 – 1,800 mm

Flavor Notes: Floral notes, citrus, honey, grapefruit and cranberry fruit acids, passion fruit, lychee texture, bright acidity, clean and clear lines.

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, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water, bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g water, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total water. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

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

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