KENYA Karinga AA – Filter

Karinga is one of several washing stations operated by Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd in Kenya's Central Highlands. Established in 1983, it receives cherry from around 500 active smallholder members in Kimaruri, Kariungu, Gachuha, and Mugalwa villages. The factory sits at 1840 masl in Kiambu County, where cool temperatures slow cherry maturation and help build the dense structure found in the best washed Kenyan coffees. We have followed Gitwe's sites, including Karatu, over many years. Those visits have helped us build a close relationship with the managers, field staff, and producers behind the coffee, and have given us a clearer view of cherry pricing, farm costs, and the pressure rising inputs place on cooperative members. This AA lot is led by SL28 and SL34, with Ruiru 11 and Batian in the mix. Washed processing keeps the cup focused and bright, with raspberry, rhubarb, and hibiscus in a clean red fruit profile that finishes with the clarity and structure expected from high grown Kenyan coffee.