Tasting Notes: Rhubarb, Honey, Lemonade. Region / Farm: Ngairiama, KirinyagaAltitude: 1700-1900Process: WashedRoast Level: LightVarietal: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11Best for: Espresso, Filter Weight: 200g About: Kii Factory is located in Ngairiama in the Gichugu area of Kirinyaga, Kenya. It is one of three factories operated by the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, alongside Kiangoi and Karimikui. Established in 1953, the cooperative represents thousands of smallholder members, each typically farming around one hectare of land, where coffee is often grown alongside crops for household use. The area is known for its rich red volcanic soils, high altitudes of 1,700 to 1,900 metres above sea level, and favourable rainfall, all of which contribute to excellent conditions for coffee production. Ripe coffee cherries are hand-picked by smallholder farmers and delivered to Kii for processing. After arrival, the cherries are pulped and graded by density using water, with the denser beans separated from lower-density floaters. The coffee is then fermented, washed, and cleaned to remove the remaining mucilage. Following washing, the parchment is soaked in clean water before being transferred to raised drying tables. The coffee is first spread in thin layers to remove excess moisture, then dried more slowly over several days, with careful monitoring throughout the process. Once drying is complete, the parchment is rested before milling and export. This careful processing, combined with the region’s altitude and fertile soils, helps produce the bright acidity, structured sweetness, and complex fruit character for which coffees from Kirinyaga are well known.
