Kenya
Kiamugumo

This farm hails from the rainy region of Kirinyaga which has many rivers running through its rich volcanic soil, making it a paradise for fruit-forward coffee. We’re getting notes of pinot noir, raspberry, and panela sugar.

Washed process SL28, SL34

Flavour: pinot noir, raspberry and panela

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

A bright Kenyan with earthy flavours and hints of sweet berries.

The rainy region of Kirinyaga is located in Central Kenya. Many rivers run through its rich volcanic soil, making it a paradise for producing washed process, fruit-forward coffee lots.

The Kiamugumo Factory was founded in the 70s and it is operated by the New Ngariama Farmers Cooperative Society. The cooperative counts with the harvest of ~1,500 contributing members, each owning a parcel of land between 1/8 and ¼ hectares where they grow coffee and other crops.

When the cherries are ripe and harvested, they bring them to the factory for sorting and processing. In most cases, the contributions get blended into lots labeled with the day of delivery—hence coffees like this take the name of the cooperative/factory.

The washed process in Kenya may vary slightly from place to place, but it generally contains a soaking step that is unique to this growing country. First the coffee is picked ripe and depulped the same day, then it is normally fermented in open-air tanks made of concrete or cement for 24–48 hours. It’s then washed thoroughly using water channels before being soaked underwater for 12–72 hours. Finally, the coffee is spread on raised beds to dry.

This lot of Kiamugumo fits within our idea of a traditional Kenyan profile: high in acidity and big on deep, fruity flavours.

All images and information about this coffee and producers have been kindly shared by its importer, Cafe Imports, and edited by us, Sample Coffee (unless linked to or credited otherwise). Learn more at here.

Our new recommended brewing window for peak flavour is within days ~10-50 post-roast date.

We’ve recently changed into a Loring Kestrel S35 coffee roaster, which uses a different roasting technology from our previous one. Aside from reaching more nuanced and transparent flavours, we’ve noticed a change in our beans’ aging behaviour. Brewing between days ~10-50 post-roast seems to bring out the best of each coffee, but it may taste fine if you do it earlier or even a few days later. Test, try and adjust to find what works for you!

PS. Please note our packaging still shows our old recommendation. This will change in our next printed batch!

Need any brewing tips?

Head to our brew guides and find your favourite filter method—or head straight to our single origin espresso recipe. If you have further questions, send us an email. We’re always keen to help.

Learn everything about this coffee:

Ethical, traceable sourcing

This page has all the sourcing information (variety, process, region, story, importer, and more) that our importers share with us, and give us permission to use.

The transparency helps us talk confidently about the quality and background of our product, and it helps you know exactly what you’re buying.

Learn more:
Coffee page transparency legend
Our coffee philosophy
Our business approach

Fresh harvest coffee

We only source and roast coffee from each country’s latest harvest season (so the green coffee is never older than 1 year from the time of picking, processing and packing). This ensures the sensory qualities are always at their peak and unaffected by excessive ageing.

Roasted for espresso and filter (best enjoyed black)

Roast style: omni. Omni roasts are designed to brew and taste great both as espresso and filter. Our omni single origins generally sit on Agtron values in the ~70-60 value range. So, technically, they are somewhere in the lighter side of the medium spectrum.

Designed for espresso and filter brewing. Best enjoyed black.

Learn more:
Our Loring Kestrel S35 roaster
Our roasting style and approach

Best brewed within days 15-49 post-roast

The ‘fresh is best’ saying doesn’t apply to coffee (contrary to popular belief). Waiting before opening and brewing your bag of whole coffee beans helps develop peak flavour and acidity.

But heads up: if you buy pre-ground coffee, brew it as soon as possible.

Learn more:
Our recommended brewing window

Try our custom brewing recipes

Our recipes and ratios are tailored to our coffee sourcing and roasting styles, bringing the best flavour and feel out of each coffee.

For pour over, immersion, and other filter brewing styles, check our brew guides.
For our espresso single origins, we recommend a coffee:yield ratio of 1:3:

Dose: 20g ground coffee
Yield: 60g espresso
Total brew time: ~24-28 seconds

This is just a starting point! We encourage you to experiment, taste, and adjust to find the recipe that you enjoy the most.

Learn more:
Our espresso brew guide (single origin)
Brewing ratio calculator

Packaging and sustainability

Bags: ABA-certified home compostable (AS 5810-2010)
Labels: recyclable
Valves (only on +250g bags): general waste
Box and tape (online orders): recyclable

Learn more:
Our packaging

Producer: ~1,500 Cooperative Members
Country: Kenya
Region: Gariama, Manyatta, Kirinyaga
Altitude: 1550m above sea level
Varieties: SL28, SL34
Process: washed
Importer: Cafe Imports
Body: Medium
Acidity: Bright
Tasting notes: Pinot noir, raspberry and panela
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varieties

SL28 variety

SL28 was developed in 1931 by Scott Laboratories to suit the growing conditions in Kenya. The varietal is known for its exceptional cup quality

SL34 variety

Developed by Scott Laboratories in Kenya, the SL34 varietal was designed to be high yielding with good cup quality.

The location

Coffee from Kenya

Alongside Ethiopia and Colombia, Kenya is one of the origins we get most excited about at the roastery. It exports some of the most vibrant, bright, and unique coffees in the world.

The Kirinyaga region of Kenya

This region is located east of Nyeri, and has similarly rich volcanic soils and a high percentage of smallholder producers.

Farm processes

Washed process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.