Chema Kirinyaga AA

Registered in 1985, Kibirigwi FCS is the second-largest cooperative in Kirinyaga County with over 7,000 smallholder farmers. Currently, the FCS manages a total of eight factories, namely Ragati, Nguguini, Mukangu, Kiangai, Kibingoti, Thunguri, Kianjege and Chema, where this lot was processed.  

Established in 1987, Chema Factory is now working with over 300 smallholder farmers who deliver their cherries for processing. Located on the slope of Mt. Kenya at an elevation of 1,500 to 1,600 meters above sea level, farmers in the region benefit from fertile volcanic soils, ample rainfall and cool climate. These conditions encourage a slow, even maturation of the cherries, allowing acids and sugars to accumulate, resulting in sweet, dense beans. Grown in an ideal climate and handled with meticulous care, this fully washed AA lot offers an exceptional cup characterized by vibrant fruit‑forward notes, juicy acidity and refined sweetness. 

Farmers contributing to this lot cultivate SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian on small plots, situated between 1,500 and 1,600 meters above sea level. The ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye to sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible.  

Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity, cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.  

Cherries are carefully hand-picked before being delivered to Chema factory. At intake, the cherries are carefully sorted to ensure optimal quality, with only the ripest are selected and pulped. After pulping, the coffee is fermented for 12 to 16 hours, depending on the weather. The parchment is then washed before being soaked in water for an additional 24 hours.  

This step of soaking was once very particular to Kenya coffee production, though in more recent years it’s become used in other specialty productions. Coffee is held under water, preserving its quality and limiting exposure to adulterants, while it awaits space on drying tables (historically during the peak harvest season). Recent research has shown that the step also has added benefit to the coffee’s final quality and longevity, adding clarity to the cup.  

After soaking, parchment is delivered to dry on raised beds, where it will be laid in thin layer and turned regularly to ensure even drying. The parchment is covered with tarps during the hottest hours of the day to protect it from direct sunlight and again at night to shield it from moisture. Depending on the weather, drying typically takes 7 to 15 days.  

Kenyan coffees are classified by size. AA beans are the largest size. AA grade coffees are those that are 17/18 screen size, meaning that they are larger than 7.2 millimeters.

SL28 and SL34 were two of the cultivars released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) during the height of SAL’s research in Kenya in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers thanks to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease resistant. 

Ruiru 11, a hybrid of Catimor and SL cultivars, is both Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistant. Plus, it can be planted at a much higher density than the SL varieties, making optimal use of small plots of land.

Ruiru 11 has slowly ‘taken root’ across most of Kenya’s coffee growing landscape. The only issues were that with a shallower root structure, many farmers found the plant less hardy in drought conditions, and the trees required a more intense feeding program. Over time, farmers have found that by grafting Ruiru-11 to SL varieties they could take advantage of SL trees’ expansive root system and still reap the increased yields and higher immunity to disease of Ruiru-11.

Due to the grafted Ruiru-11’s growing popularity, most farms in Kenya today, both big and small, have a mixture of Ruiru-11 and SL varieties. As SL trees age, many farmers are opting to turn more towards Ruiru-11 (or the grafting solution) thanks to its ease of use and higher resistance to diseases.

Source: https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/ruiru-11 & https://sucafina.com/na/news/think-you-know-kenya-coffee-varieties-think-again

Developed by Kenya's Coffee Research Institute in 2010, Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both coffee berry disease (CBD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR). The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Some challenges (such as vegetative structure) have prevented it from becoming widespread so far, but its popularity is certainly growing.

Kirinyaga County is nestled at the foothills of Mt. Kenya, roughly 112 km from Nairobi. The region is well-known for its exceptional coffee. Sucafina partners with numerous coffee farmers and cooperatives in the region, working with them to improve processing capacity, access to agricultural inputs and agricultural practices.

The locals in this area call Mt. Kenya ‘Kirinyaga’, the namesake of the county, meaning the crest of whiteness due to its famous snow-capped peaks.