Kenya
Giakanja
Aa

Washed process SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Flavour: strawberries, passionfruit, guava

Body: Acidity:

Kenyan coffees show so many great flavours when they are very fresh, we can’t help but think sometimes it’s just too much. With some origins, flavours were muddled and a little over the top, with high and unbalanced acidy.

After some testing, we’ve found that we most enjoy our Kenyans not fresh, but after nine months of resting. It’s hard to resist the urge to dive straight in when new harvests land – especially when you’ve been hanging out for that fruit-bomb to arrive.

This was one of those coffees.

We visited Giakanja’s processing station in 2018 and were astonished by how clean and well run it was. When the harvest arrived at our roastery, we got straight in there like kids at Christmas.

But we decided to set aside a few boxes for an (impatient) wait. Nine months on, and you won’t be disappointed.

That thick fruit, intense body and mind-blowing acidity are gone, leaving us with a refined acidity, delicate strawberries and nice toffee. Enjoy this great example of a delicious Kenyan, aged to perfection.

More about Giakanja Farmers Cooperative

Giakanja Farmers Cooperative

Giakanja is a cooperative and wetmill, collecting and processing coffee from the farms in the area, who are all smallholders rather than large estates.

Nyeri County is between the eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) Range and the western slopes of Mt Kenya.

The cool temperatures and red volcanic soils combined with the altitude (around 1,700m above sea level) mean coffee develops slowly, producing relatively small crops of intensely flavoured beans.

Most of the coffee is grown as small family plots alongside the homes, located on the slopes and upper plateau. The main harvest months are from October to January.

Coffee drying on raised beds

Smallholders deliver coffee cherry to the factory, where it is depulped, dry-fermented, washed and soaked. Parchment is then dried slowly on raised tables during which time it is frequently turned and constantly sorted by hand to remove any defects.

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: Giakanja Farmers Cooperative
Country: Kenya
Region: Nyeri
Altitude: 1450m above sea level
Varieties: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian
Process: washed
Body: Medium
Acidity: Bright
Tasting notes: Strawberries, passionfruit, guava
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varieties

Batian variety

Batian is the latest variety to be developed in Kenya, it is named after the peak of Mount Kenya

Ruiru 11 variety

Released in 1985, Ruiru 11 is a disease resistant varietal developed in Kenya

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 Nyeri region of Kenya

Central region home to Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano that produces rich, red soil. Most commonly smallholder cooperatives. Coffee trees in this region produce two crops (the main harvest producing the higher quality lots)

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.