HAYB - Kenia Inoi Kaguyu Washed Filter 250 g

Whole-bean specialty coffee from Kenya, roasted by HAYB roastery from Poland. Light roast, perfect for filter coffee machines, drippers, Chemex, AeroPress, French Press, and other pour-over brewing methods. You can expect hints of blueberry, black currant and hibiscus.

Country: Kenya

Region: Inoi north, Kirinyaga

Varietal:  SL-28, SL-34, Batian, Ruiru 11

Processing: Washed

Cupping score: 87 / 100

Altitude: 1400-1600 m a.s.l.

Smallholder Farmers

Most of the coffee produced in Kenya comes from "smallholders" – small-scale farmers. This doesn't mean they are "small," but rather that they grow coffee on small plots of land (usually less than 2 hectares) and do not process it themselves. The harvested coffee cherries are sent to cooperatives that handle further processing at local washing stations. This is where the cherries are turned into "washed coffee."

In this case, the coffee cherries are collected by the Inoi Farmers Cooperative Society, and their processing takes place at the Kaguyu factory, managed by Wilson Wanjohi. The coffee is processed using the washed method. Once delivered, the cherries are pulped to extract the seeds, fermented overnight, then washed, soaked, and dried on raised tables. The mineral-rich, red volcanic soil and the varieties used (SL-34, Ruiru 11, SL-28, Batian) give it a distinctive flavor profile: intense sweetness, high acidity, and blueberry notes.

Historical Fact: Coffee arrived in Kenya only at the end of the 19th century, during the colonial era when the British began establishing plantations. Interestingly, for a long time, local farmers were not allowed to grow coffee legally. It wasn't until the 1930s that they were permitted to produce it for themselves, which today forms the foundation of Kenya's specialty coffee scene and remains a major contribution to the country's budget.