Located about 100 miles from Nairobi in the Nyeri district, Karogoto Factory is a washing station at the foothills of the volcanic Mount Kenya and the Aberdare mountain range. In 2005, Karogoto Factory merged with Ngunguru Factory and Tegu Factory to form the Tekangu Farmer Cooperative Society, or FCS. The 2900-member strong Karogoto Factory cultivates SL28 and SL34 varieties in rich volcanic soil. Their clean and careful processing makes for a dimensional and complex cup.
In Kenya, farmers deliver their coffee cherry to a member-run washing station, known as a factory, where the coffee is processed. This region, often referred to as the “home of Kenyan coffee,” is known for its abundant rainfall and fertile soils which are rich in organic matter and provide good drainage and aeration. SL28 and SL34 are the predominant varieties grown by farmers in the area.*
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping the Kenya Karogoto PB, from Duck-Rabbit Coffee in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THEDETAILS
region: North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
farm: Karogoto Factory
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Tekangu Farmer Cooperative Society
elevation: 1700 – 1900 meters above sea level
cultivars: SL-28, SL-34
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
CUPPINGNOTES
The aroma coming off the Kenya Karogoto PB is really setting the tone for this cupping. The coffee is intensely fruity—cranberry, pear, lemon—but also features some interesting spice and black tea nuances and sweet scents of caramel and molasses.
Karogoto’s overall profile screams Kenya; bursting fresh fruit flavors, delicate citrus-like florals, and pristine acidic brightness. The cup is syrupy, with many layers of fruit—black currant, orange, pink grapefruit, and tart cherry accent come to mind. Flavor notes seem to unfold as the coffee comes down in temperature, clover honey sweetness, Earl Grey tea, apricot nectar, and lemon bar. Acidity is up there too, lemon-like and bracing.
*content courtesy of Stumptown Coffee Roasters
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Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.