Kenya | Inoi Kerugoya AA

Tasting Notes: 

• Blood orange 
• Cane sugar
• Red currant
• Raspberry leaves
• Toffee
• Fresh acidity, tea-like body

Origin & Processing:

• Producers: Small producers
• Origin: Kenya 
  
• Region: Kirinyaga
• Varietal: Batian, SL-34, Ruiru 11, SL-28
• Process: Washed
• Fermentation: 8 to 12 hours overnight
• Altitude: 1650-1800 MASL
• Harvest: 2025, 2026

The Story Behind the Coffee:

The importer of this delicious coffee — Apex Coffee Imports — provides the following information:

Kirinyaga County is positioned approximately 192 kilometres northeast of Nairobi, sharing borders with the Nyeri and Embu Counties. The region offers favourable conditions for coffee cultivation, featuring mineral-rich red volcanic loam soils and the elevated altitudes characteristic of the area. 

The harvest months are between December and February. Every cherry is handpicked with care by smallholder farmers, ensuring only the ripest fruit is harvested. Upon delivery to the factory, farmers meticulously sort their cherries, removing over- and under-ripe ones to meet the factory’s strict quality standards. From there, the cherries are pulped, sorted, and slowly dried, an artisanal process that preserves the integrity and vibrant character of each bean.

Kenya’s dry mills are highly efficient and professional, ensuring that coffees are carefully stored, milled, and graded before export. Using the country’s standard system, beans are sorted by screen size: AA (17/18), AB (16/17), and PB (peaberry), helping preserve quality and showcase each coffee’s unique character.

At the factory, processing begins with a disc pulping machine that carefully removes the skin and pulp from freshly harvested cherries. The coffee is then separated by density into three distinct grades. Only the highest qualities (Grades 1 and 2) continue on to fermentation, while Grade 3 is set aside as a lower grade. The selected coffees undergo a traditional fermentation process lasting 8 to 12 hours overnight, a crucial stage that helps develop their bright acidity and refined sweetness. Once fermentation is complete, the parchment coffee is thoroughly washed and passed through grading channels, where it is once again sorted by density to ensure precision in quality. Finally, the beans are soaked for an additional 16 to 18 hours in fresh, clean water sourced from nearby streams. The parchment is then sun dried for 8 to 14 days on raised drying beds. To protect the quality during drying, the coffees are carefully covered with plastic sheets during the heat of midday and throughout the night, shielding them from harsh sun and moisture.

The Story Behind the Producer:

Inoi Farmers’ Cooperative Society is located in Kirinyaga County, in Central Kenya, and was officially registered in 1954 under the Ministry of Cooperative Development and Marketing. The cooperative manages several factories, including Kaguyu, Thaita, Kianderi, Kerugoya, Ndimi, and Karia. Coffee is cultivated at altitudes of 1,650–1,800 masl in rich red volcanic soils. Around 500 hectares of coffee farmland contribute to the cooperative’s annual production. The cooperative is Rainforest Alliance & Fairtrade certified.

Whole Bean:
This coffee is shipped as whole bean to preserve flavour and aroma, letting you grind it just the way you like.  

Note:
No grinder? No problem! If you're unsure about the ideal grind size for your machine, come see us in-store. Our team is always happy to give personalized grind size recommendations and can grind your beans for you.