Kenya - Karumandi AA #023 [25/26]

Tasting notes

In the roaster’s words

One of our favourite Kenyans of the 24/25 season returns in fine form, with a slightly different presentation this year - the old-school Kenya currant-tomato axis as a backbone but with a super bright, electrifying acidity and complex herbal/citrus notes. Brew Guide: Best Brewed with: Filter Lightest Roaster Influence: Super dense well sorted AA beans, with the potential for electric acidity? it can only mean one thing: a ripping hot and fast roast, absolutely yeeting them - because they can take it Best Rested: 4+ weeks Filter: 62g/L, 96°C. when fresh, can go down to 93°C with rest. Also great updosed with 66g/L for a more jammy cup Espresso: Classic 18g in, 45g out, 23-26s, Also works as 50g+ 15s turbo/soup We're tasting: Bright & fresh aromatics - tomato leaf, orange zest and lemon verbena. In the cup it's super juicy and bright with classic Kenyan currant notes - we find whitecurrant as the prominent character alongside blackcurrant leaf, white grapefruit & a juicy gooseberry & poached rhubarb backbone. As it cools the acidity and aromatics remind us of a high energy zippy riesling. Traceability Country of Origin: Kenya Region: Karumandi, Gichugu, Kirinyaga Producer: 1600 smallholder farmers, Baragwi Farmers' Cooperative Society Farm: Karumandi Factory Variety: Primarily SL-28 & SL-34, with some Ruiru 11 & Batian Elevation: 1600 - 1800 MASL Process: Traditional Washed: Ripe cherries delivered to Karumandi and hand-sorted on arrival. Cherries are pulped using an Agaarde disc pulper, which simultaneously density-sorts into 3 separate output channels into holding tanks. Grade 1 coffees are dry fermented under shade for 16-24 hours before washing via serpentine washing channels, which further sort by density. The final lot is soaked again in fresh water for 16-18 hours (the traditional Kenyan double soak) before drying on raised beds over 14-21 days, with shade and temperature management throughout. Import Partner: Nordic Approach Harvest: Crop 25/26 - Arrived UK: 07 Jul 2026. Second season buying from Karumandi. The Story Karumandi is one of twelve wet mills operated by Baragwi Farmers' Cooperative Society, which was registered in 1953 and remains among the larger societies in Kenya by membership. Consistency across Baragwi's sites is managed in part by rotating factory managers between wet mills every two years or so, which spreads working knowledge through the society rather than concentrating it at whichever station happens to be performing, and it goe

Notes

AA grade; traditional Kenyan double soak; import partner Nordic Approach; harvest Crop 25/26; arrived UK 07 Jul 2026; best rested 4+ weeks.