KIAGUTHU AA

Origin: Kenya

Washing Station: Kiaguthu Washing Station

Cooperative: Othaya Farmers Cooperative

Region: Nyeri

Altitude: 1800 masl

Varietals: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11

Process: Traditional Natural. Harvested and dried in cherry. Dried on African beds for approximately 15 days.

Harvest: December 2024

Flavor Profile: Cocoa, red fruits, berries.

Kiaguthu Factory is a washing station located on the slopes of the Aberdare mountain range in Nyeri County, Kenya. The mill sits at about 1,800 meters above sea level and operates as a collection center for farmers from the surrounding hills, who deliver their coffee for processing and export.

These “factories” function essentially as cooperatives, managed by a committee elected by their members. The region mainly grows the SL-28 and SL-34 varieties, with small proportions of Ruiru 11, and the farms reach altitudes of up to 2,000 meters.

Managed by James Nderitu, Kiaguthu is one of several stations that form part of the Othaya Farmer’s Cooperative Society (FCS), a long-standing cooperative with 18 active wet mills operating since the late 1950s.

The coffee is processed and kept separate by day or week of delivery, allowing the quality of each lot to be identified. Later, the lots are sorted by bean size using screens, the most common being AA (17–19), AB (15–17), and Peaberry.