Kenya
Kathakwa
Aa

Washed process SL28, SL34

Flavour: raspberry, blood orange, pink grapefruit

Acidity:

This coffee comes from Kenya, and the Embu county. It's a region we've always enjoyed, and have shared previously all the way back in 2017.

Kathakwa Coffee Factory lies on the rich volcanic soils near Mt Kenya, at a relatively high 1,600 meters above sea level.

View of Kathakwa Coffee Factory

Around 3,500 different farmers contribute coffee to Kathakwa, and their crops are mostly SL28 and SL34 varietals (Embu is one of the last counties in Kenya to adopt the newer Ruiru and Batian varietals which were developed to increase yield and added defence against pests).

View of Kathakwa Coffee Factory

An example of the tracking and traceability of lots at Kathakwa Coffee Factory

Domonic, Kathakwa’s factory manager, fully documents each lot of coffee received from each farmer, and throughout its processing journey it’s identified and recorded.

Altitude

You may have noticed the almost ubiquitous references to altitude when specialty coffee roasters talk about coffee – it’s on almost every bag of coffee you’ll have enjoyed from us.

At high altitude the temperature is colder and more stable, and greater levels of rainfall and fast drainage down steep mountain slopes give coffee trees very different growing conditions. These combine to slow the fruit’s maturation process and provide time for more complex sugars to develop in the fruit.

High altitudes tend to produce higher acidity and great complexity, with more florals and aromatics present. Coffee from lower altitudes tend to have more muted but sweet earthy flavours often imagined as an intense ‘coffee’ flavour.

Elevation is not the only geographic factor in a coffee’s quality and development. The latitude (its distance from the equator) is just as important as altitude, as it’s also a big factor in temperature and rainfall.

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: Kathakwa
Country: Kenya
Region: Embu
Altitude: 1600m above sea level
Varieties: SL28, SL34
Process: washed
Importer: Cafe Imports
Body: Light-medium
Acidity: Bright
Tasting notes: Raspberry, blood orange, pink grapefruit
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 Embu region of Kenya

Named after the town of Embu, also near Mount Kenya and its fertile growing conditions

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.