Kikai AA

Kikai FCS was registered in 1959 in Bungoma County, on the slopes of Mt Elgon. The cooperative works with around 2,500 active farmers who deliver ripe cherries to the factory for processing. The FCS has experienced tremendous growth and diversified its activities through the Kikai Dairy Society.  

Carefully cultivated in optimal conditions and meticulously processed, this Fully washed AA lot delivers finely structured and nuanced cups. Expect a classic Kenyan profile with crisp acidity, comforting sweetness and delicate floral aroma.  

Farmers delivering to Kikai FCS cultivate SL28, Ruiru 11 and K7 in small coffee gardens, around 200 trees on average. At an altitude of over 1,670 meters above sea level on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, the cool climate allows the cherries to mature more slowly, resulting in sweet, dense beans.  

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. Ruiru 11 is a newer variety known for its disease resistance and high yields, as it starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.

K7 is found mostly in Kenya and Tanzania and is known for its resistance to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and Coffee Berry Disease (CBD). The variety also has high yields and good cup potential at high altitudes. The plant is recognizable by its branch’s wide spread.

K7 was selected from seedlings on Legetet Estate in Muhorohi, an estate owned by a man named R.H. Walker. In Kenya, K7 is less common in high altitude areas, but it remains a popular choice in some lower altitude regions due to its slight resistance to CLR. 

Smallholders selectively handpick ripe cherries and deliver them to Kikai factory. At intake, the Cherry Clerk oversees meticulous sorting, allowing only dense, ripest cherries to go through. Selected cherries are then pulped and fermented for approximately 16 to 18 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and soaked for an additional 24 hours. This soaking stage is a traditional way to structure post-harvest processing during peak season, when there will be limited space available on drying beds. However, studies show that soaking could bring additional benefits, such as enhancing cup clarity and the overall longevity of green beans.

After soaking, parchment is laid to dry on raised beds or in solar driers (covered greenhouses). During this stage, workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. They also cover the drying parchment during the hottest time of the day to ensure slow, even drying and again at night, to protect it from moisture. It takes approximately 14 to 28 days for parchment to dry, depending on the weather. 

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 just 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 due 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.

While SL varieties are still highly sought after today, they’ve become less widely cultivated in Kenya due to their relatively low resistance to coffee leaf rust (CLR). Compared to more recent varieties, SL varieties are more susceptible to diseases and pests and require very specific altitudes and climates to flourish. However, that hasn’t stopped specialty-focused farmers, who, inspired by the flavors and popularity of SL varieties, have have spread the cultivation of SL varieties worldwide.

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

K7 is found mostly in Kenya and Tanzania and is known for its resistance to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and Coffee Berry Disease (CBD). The variety also has high yields and good cup potential at high altitudes. The plant is recognizable by its branch’s widespread.

K7 was selected from seedlings on Legetet Estate in Muhorohi, an estate owned by a man named R.H. Walker. In Kenya, K7 is less common in high-altitude areas, but it remains a popular choice in some lower-altitude regions due to its slight resistance to CLR.