Farmers in Othaya planted their first coffee trees in 1956. The Coop has 19 wet mills. The Coop is located in Nyeri County, Othaya district, Eastern slopes of Aberdare ranges.
Farmers selectively hand pick ripe cherries that are delivered for wet milling the same day. The parchment is then fermented, washed and sun dried . Dry parchment is milled and bagged at Othaya coffee mills and then transported to warehouses. The Coffee is then sold either through the Nairobi auction or direct to overseas buyers.
The Coop is managed by an elected board of 13 members, elected from all catchment areas. Each member represents an electoral zone in the larger Othaya District . Currently the Coop has 120 permanent members of staff who are headed by a Secretary Manager. The Secretary Manager oversees the day to day running of the Coop under the supervision of the board.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping the Kenya Gatuyaini AB, from Passion House Coffee Roasters in Chicago, Illinois. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THE BASICS:
region: Othaya District, Iriani Division, Kenya
farm: N/A
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society
elevation: 1890 meters above sea level
cultivars: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
certifications: standard
THE BREW:
method: Kalita Wave
grind: 18, Preciso
coffee: 32 g
water: 500 mL
bloom: 1:00
pour: 2:00 pour, 1:00 drop
THE COFFEE:
The aroma of the Kenya Gatuyaini bursts out of the cup, immediately sweet and a little bit bright and lively—semisweet chocolate chips, caramel, brown sugar, and tropical fruits.
Mmm… These first few sips of the coffee are very pleasant, indeed. Sweet and lightly creamy, with flavors of bittersweet dark chocolate, salted caramel, and brown sugar gently spreading over the palate, completely enveloping it, leaving behind a finish of pistachio and a lingering oolong tea.
As the cups cools off, it explodes to life with incredibly bright, tart, juicy, and effervescent tropical fruit flavors. This coffee has gone a sugary confection to a veritable fruit cocktail in a matter of a few sips; from a coffee that you slowly sip to savor the sweetness to a coffee that you slowly sip because your taste buds simply can’t handle the tropical deluge. But, boy oh boy, is it tasty; notes of pineapple, guava, golden kiwi, persimmon, and a ruby red grapefruit acidity that simply dazzles and snaps at the end with a crisp, clean finish, leaving behind nothing but a refreshing satisfaction.
Medium body; juicy mouthfeel; grapefruit acidity; clean finish.
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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.