Kenya
Kamwangi
Ab

Washed process SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11

Flavour: ribena, blood orange, plum skin

Body: Acidity:

It’s exciting to be sharing another Kenyan origin this week – the second from the harvest which arrived last month.

Kamwangi is one of two factories run by New Ngariama Cooperative Society in the county. Kirinyaga is located on the slopes of Mount Kenya, and is world renowned for its amazing coffees and the delicious flavour profiles we look forward to each year.

The Kamwangi factory was established in 1983 and its 800 member farmers grow SL28 and SL34 varietals alongside Ruiru 11 – a typical mix for a high quality coffee from Kenya.

Farms near Mount Kenya are blessed with red-volcanic soils, which give it all the mineral and organic nutrients required for optimum coffee production. Together with the cool temperatures provided by the relatively high elevation (1600-1800m above sea level) Kirinyaga’s got a big head-start on what it takes to produce delicious coffee.

In addition to coffee, common crops grown are banana and maize. Grevillea or macadamia trees are also planted to provide shade to the growing coffee trees.

Kamwangi Coffee factory is run Edwin Gichuki, the factory manager. As well as running the factory, his team together with Coffee Management Services, helps farmers by offering farm supplies on credit and pre-financing for school fees, supplies, and emergencies.

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: New Ngariama Cooperative Society
Country: Kenya
Region: Kirinyaga
Altitude: 1600-1800m above sea level
Varieties: SL28, SL34, and Ruiru 11
Process: washed
Harvested: December 2017
Country grade: AB (Kenya)
Importer: Condesa Co.Lab
Body: Medium
Acidity: Vibrant
Tasting notes: Ribena, blood orange, plum skin
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varieties

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 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.