GATHUGU WET MILL

 

County: Nyeri
Society: Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited
No. of Farmers: Total: 460
Men: 263
Women: 197
Acreage Farmed: 89 Acres
Altitude: 1700m above sea level
Harvest Season: October, November, December & January
Annual Rainfall Amount: 1500 mm
Annual Temperature  Amount: 12-27°C
Coffee Type: Arabica, mainly SL28, SL34 and some few Ruiru 11 and Batian varieties
Farming Method: Inorganic
Certification Type: F.L.O certification in progress
Average Annual Cherry Production: 5-10 KGs per tree
Soil Type: Red volcanic soils that are rich in phosphorus and are well drained
Art of Production: The coffee is wet processed, where the fully ripe cherries are;

  • Pulped,
  • Fermented,
  • Washed,
  • Dried slowly over 2- 3 weeks where the moisture content is reduced to 10-12%.

The coffee is then delivered to the dry mill.

Grower’s Cultural History/ Profile: Most of the coffees from Nyeri develop and mature slowly producing extra hard beans. This quality is also evident in the cup. This is why Nyeri is traditionally known as the heart of Kenya’s black gold coffee.The main harvesting season is one which runs from October to December.
Tourist Attractions/ Natural Features: Nyeri County has cool temperatures and fertile central highlands, lying between the Eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) Range, which forms part of the Eastern end of the Great Rift Valley, and the Western slopes of Mt. Kenya. Nyeri town (county headquarters) acts as a destination for those visiting Aberdare National Park and Mt. Kenya.It is in Nyeri County, at the Treetops Hotel, (a rustic tree house hotel) where the young Elizabeth went up a princess and came down in the morning as queen of England. Her father, King George VI, died on 5th February 1952, the night she spent at Treetops while on honeymoon.
Grade: AA/AB/C:  AA
Processing Method: Wet processing
Drying Process: Dry milling after the parchment has dried
Milling Location: Sagana Coffee Mills
Moisture Level: 10.5%
Cup Report: At medium roast the sharp acidity characteristic of Kenya’s coffee is still evident in the cup (citrus acidity). A full smooth body and well interacting tones of black currant, vanilla and nutty hints are evident.
Availability: Available from January- May every year
F.O.B Location: Mombasa
Ex-Warehouse Location: Nairobi