Kenya Karogoto

The first Kenyans of the year have landed!! This one is an absolute gem from the Karogoto Factory. Made up of smallholders with an average farm size of half a hectare, it has over 1,700 members supplying cherry. Karogoto is located in the Karatina region in Nyeri County, between the elegant Mount Kenya and the Aberdare range.

In addition to coffee, common crops grown here are banana, maize, Grevillea, and macadamia trees, all of which are intercropped. Farms in this region are surrounded by forests of native trees where wild animals such as elephants and buffalos live. Local coffee producers use fences strategically along their farm perimeters to protect their crops and minimize contact with potentially dangerous fauna. The Kenyan government has prohibited logging and hunting in the area and producers are very respectful of these rules. The predominant population are the Kikuyu, the oldest native population in the area which contains several tribes. The farms here are mostly very small (1-2 hectares) and adults work the farms while children attend school all day. 

These coffees are meticulously washed and are of a variety of varieties: Ruiru 11, SL 28, SL 34 and Batian. 

In the cup, the sweetness reminds us of honey, and it's tart like grapefruit juice and green grapes.  The fruit is layered and juicy, we get hints of lime, cherry, dark berry and mango.