7th December
Kenya Rui Ruiru Farmers Society
Roastery: A Matter of Concrete
Altitude: 1 280–1 970 m. a. s. l.
Variety: SL28, SL34, Batian, Ruiru 11
Processing: Natural Anaerobic
Taste profile
Raspberry, rosehip, subtle layer of single origin dark chocolate, slight herbal note
Origin
Nyeri County lies on the western slope of the highest mountain in the country – Mt. Kenya (5,199 m). Due to the altitude (farms are located at 1,280 – 1,970 m.a.s.l.), fertile red volcanic soils, and a tropical climate, coffee from Nyeri is considered one of the best in Kenya, and the entire region is called “The Champagne Region of Coffee.” Despite this, for several years in the 21st century, Nyeri’s coffee industry experienced stagnation for economic reasons.
Until 2014, the Rui Ruiru Processing Station, which was part of the Mathira North Cooperative, was renowned for producing high-quality coffee. However, it ceased working and began to decline. In 2020, representatives of the Rui Ruiru Station, headed by the village headman Charles Maina, reached out to Crowd Farm Africa for help in reviving the factory. Through the Ministry of Agriculture and the Nyeri County Government, roastery agreed to assist them.
The Rui Ruiru Station was in a dilapidated condition, including a broken-down coffee pulping machine. In order to help them restart production, the roastery agreed to focus on natural coffee processing, including anaerobic processing. In the first year, the station was able to resume work and collected 24,000 kg of coffee cherries. In 2021, production doubled to 60,000 kg of coffee cherries. With support from the roastery, they involved other partners in the restoration of the coffee station and together managed to build two greenhouses to aid in the drying of the cherries.
Currently, the Rui Ruiru Coffee factory produces natural coffee, which is then processed at the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union station. As a result of this revitalization project, many local households have begun rehabilitating their coffee plantations. The income generated from these plantations will help farmers educate their children, take care of their health, and improve the infrastructure of their homes. Additionally, this project has become a significant source of employment for thousands of individuals involved in the coffee value chain.
Recipe:
Preparation method: Hario Dripper V60
Water temperature: 95 °C
Amount of coffee: 16 g
Brew time: 2:00
0:00 … 45 g bloom (stir)
0:40 – top up to 95 g
1:00 – top up to 145 g
1:30 – top up to 195 g
2:00 – top up to 245 g