Washed SL28 SL34 Batian Ruiru, AB Kenya, POMA

Gicherori AA | POMA

Gicherori AB comes from the Gicherori coffee factory in Embu County on the slopes of Mount Kenya, one of five factories of the Kibugu Farmers’ Cooperative Society with about 1,200 smallholder members. The lot comes through POMA Coffee Research, a Copenhagen-based research and roasting company co-founded by Rasmus Madsen. POMA runs trials in a climate-controlled greenhouse and at partner farms, including a research plot in Embu. AB is the size grade just below AA in Kenya’s system. It is graded by bean size only, and the cup difference is often small. It comes from the same factory as Gicherori AA, so the two work well side by side.

The washed process begins with selective picking of ripe cherries, which are then depulped to remove the outer skin. The beans ferment in water or dry for a controlled period to break down the remaining mucilage before being thoroughly washed and moved to drying beds. Drying typically takes one to two weeks, depending on conditions, with the beans turned regularly to ensure even moisture loss. The result is a clean, transparent cup where the character of the bean and the skill of the producer come through without interference from the fruit.

Learn more about the washed process.