Kenya Gachatha Coffee Factory rests on a 391-acre piece of land between the villages of Muthuaini, Thiriku, Gachenge, and Kianjau. It was placed here in 1963 to form the Gachatha Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd. Co-op membership currently stands at 1,057, of whom 900 are active farmers. The factory itself supports nine permanent staff, with seasonal additions of roughly 25 people to help with cherry reception, depulping, and drying. The permanent staff are split between the key roles of coffee weighing and grading at reception, ensuring farmer payment, and addressing farmers’ complaints.
The areas surrounding Gachatha are densely populated, so every effort is made to minimize impact. The factory treats all water in soak pits to ensure no contaminates run into the local waterways, which are a source for drinking water. The community also places great importance on protecting the indigenous trees that remain in the area, so that the local bird life can be sustained.*
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping the Kenya Gachatha AB, from PERC Coffee in Savannah, Georgia. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THEDETAILS
origin: Nyeri, Kenya
farm: Kenya Gachatha Coffee Factory
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Kenya Gachatha Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd.
elevation: 1800 – 2100 meters above sea level
cultivars: SL28, Ruiru-11
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
certifications: standard
CUPPINGNOTES
My oh my. As soon as I tear open the packaging, the aroma of the Kenya Gachatha explodes out of the bag, pervading the space between it and my nose. There are two things happening, here: sweet sugars and lively fruits—brown sugar, caramel, berries, and citrus.
My very first sip from the cup showcases a coffee that—just like its aroma suggested it would be—is already exploding with flavor. Wow! There are a ton of heavy sugary flavors that spread over the palate as a base—salted caramel, toffee, cane sugar, molasses, and cola (reminiscent of Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke)—allowing the bright, juicy, and lively fruit flavors to really, really shine. Pomegranate, black cherry, prune, and plum… I’m also tasting zesty lemon rind in the acidity. The finish is a clean one, but I’m detecting the presence of savory clove and anise.
Medium body; supple mouthfeel; tartaric acidity; clean finish.
FINALTHOUGHTS
Stunning. Incredible. Complex. Explosive.
These are all words that don’t even come close to adequately summarizing PERC Coffee’s Kenya Gachatha AB. From the very first sip, this coffee is—in scientific terms—cukoo bananas. Tart, piquant, juicy, savory, fruity, sugary, zesty… The Kenya Gachatha really does have it all, and may well be one of the best Kenyan coffees I’ve ever had.
*content provided by Cafe Imports
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Feel free to enter a comment below. Also remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
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.