Wash Station: Mihuti

Origin: Nyeri, Kenya

Process-type: Washed

Varietals: SL28, SL34, Ruiru-11, Batian

Cup: Panela, Manuka Honey, Pomelo, Yuzu, Kaffir Lime, Candied Ginger

Mihuti is wash station, or “factory” as they are called them in Kenya, in the town of Mihuti. It is in a highland area between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare mountain range. The area is a rural agricultural zone made up of mostly coffee and diary farms. The area’s high altitudes and rich, deep, well-draining volcanic soils are ideal for high quality coffee productions. Farms in the region are small, typically 1 hectare or less.

Kenya coffees are vibrant and boast the highest cup clarity of any origin in the world. This is due to the general adoption of thorough and careful processing techniques. There is lots of sorting going on throughout processing but the most significant step taken is the post fermentation soak whereby the coffee is soaked in clean water after the initial fermentation. This step leaves the coffee super clean before it hits the drying tables as it helps remove any remaining mucilage that might be clinging to the coffee. Other things that could be happening during this stage are the homogenization of the microbiome and temperature of the coffee, the leaching of various compounds from within the coffee, and hormonal reactions in the coffee.

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