Kenya
Karatu Pb

Washed process SL28

Flavour: plum jam, rosehip, raspberry

Body: Acidity:

Background

Karatu Coffee Factory is located in Central Province, Thika District in Ndarugu location of Gatundu Division near Gatundu town. It was established in 1965 and rests on a 11 acres piece of land serving Karatu, Gitwe, Kibiru and Kigaa Villages.

Currently it is affiliated to Gitwe Farmer Co-operative Society Ltd. Its membership currently stands at 800 which 700 are active farmers while 100 are inactive farmers. The most unique aspect of this factory is that it’s houses the society head office.

Processing

After harvesting all the coffee is delivered to the factory and undergoes the wet processing method. Water is pumped from River Rwabura to the reservoir tanks for pulping and recirculation. After pulping the coffee is stored overnight, washed, soaked and spread on the drying tables.

The parchment is then frequently turned on the drying tables, sorted and stored awaiting delivery to the millers who are also the marketing agent- KPCU

To ensure that the processing is carried out efficiently the factory has invested in a pulper, a recirculation system and about 20 conditioning bins.

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

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Our packaging

Farm/Coop: Karatu Coffee Factory
Country: Kenya
Region: Kiambu County
Altitude: 1850m above sea level
Variety: SL28
Process: washed
Importer: Condesa
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Plum jam, rosehip, raspberry
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Variety

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

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.

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.