Some of our favourite coffees in recent memory have been washed Kenyan coffees, and of those we’ve had some brilliant offerings from our friends at Quaffee. Kenyan coffee producers are famous for their expertise, as well as their rigorous processing and quality-control practices. The upshot is that you can generally be sure that the Kenyan specialty coffee that actually makes it into your cup is of the highest quality.

This is thanks in no small part to Kenya’s cooperative and auction systems. The former entails that small-scale producers register as coffee farmer collectives, enabling them to pool and share both material and educational resources, and thereby raising the quality and efficiency of Kenyan coffee production generally. Additionally, Kenya’s auction system helps maintain the high quality of Kenyan coffee, as well as ensure fair pricing and representation for Kenyan coffee producers in both the local and international market.

This coffee was produced by the Kabngetuny farmer cooperative, which consists of several farms responsible for around 360 000 coffee trees found in the scenic Kericho highlands, in eastern Kenya. Kabngetuny is an ethically conscious and forward thinking cooperative that provides resources to elevate both the quality of its crop and the socioeconomic conditions of its members.

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste profile: Good complexity, lemonade, black currant, blood orange and a sweet finish.
• Roast used: Gentle soak to TP, and accelerate into browning and then into first, where the roast is slowed to extract fruit flavours.
• Roast degree: Light
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.2
• AeroPress: 17g:200g
• Plunger: 48g:800g
• Pour-over/filter: 18g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

“The Keyan Coffee industry goes back to colonial days. The British bought coffee from Brazil originally to plant there but eventually started developing their own varieties. The country’s geography, especially around Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro, naturally produces great coffees.

“This Kenyan Kabngetuny is a washed AB-grade coffee sourced from Flacon Specialty via Coffee Collaborative. Kabngetuny (or Kapng’etuny, as it is spelt in Kenya) Co-operative Society has processed and markets coffee for small-scale farmers in the Kericho Highlands, Kenya, since 1985. It is surrounded by Nandi Hills and Mau Forest at 2000m altitude, ideal for coffee varieties like K7 and SL28.

“The society manages 360,000 coffee trees, exporting high-quality Arabica coffee grades like AA and PB. It aims to lead in quality Kenyan coffee production, empower its members, and improve their living standards.”

• Producer: Kabngetuny Farmers Cooperative
• Farmers: The Cooperative has 1688 farmers with an average farm size of 0.5 hectares.
• Region: Kericho County, Rift Valley
• Country: Kenya
• Altitude: 2,000 masl
• Processing: Fully washed, cleaned and sun-dried on raised beds
• Species/Variety: 100% Arabica SL28, SL34 and Ruiru 11.
• Packaging: Hessian with Grain Pro inside

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Flacon Specialty via Coffee Collaborative
• FOB price: US$ 7.50/kg USD.
• Cupping score: 86.5 (Quaffee’s)
• Lot size bought: 2 x 30KG bags
• Relationship: This is Quaffee’s first coffee from this co-operative.