LCC Roastery

Juicy fruit flavors accented by aromatic spices, mulled grape juice, cranberry, spiced holiday punch, gooseberry, acidity that twists at your tongue, but is tamed by the strong sweetness.

Kainamui is a “factory,” a coffee mill in Kenya terminology, from the Kirinyaga growing district. This is where the farmers bring the coffee cherry they harvest in the local area for pulping, fermenting, and sun-drying. It is a cooperative coffee, one of two mills in the New Ngariama Farmers Cooperative Society, in the town of Kianyaga.

In a coop, each member is tending to only 200-500 trees on less than a hectare, as opposed to a huge estate that uses agribusiness growing methods. On its face, you might suspect that blending different coffees from hundreds of farms (sometimes more than a thousand!) might compromise quality in some way. But in many parts of East Africa where this model is prevalent (Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, for example), the exact opposite is true, and they happen to churn out some of the most amazing coffees

The dry fragrance has a potent spiced orange juice note, red berry accents, sugar cane juice that’s a little floral, and stone fruit. Adding hot water, the fruited notes are a bit more pronounced, and take the shape of blackberry and peach, with intense sugar browning sweetness. The cup is boldly bright, a piquant and high-toned coffee in light City roasts. The flavors that come up at City roast level have amazing fruit aspects that are juicy and accented by aromatic spices, mulled grape juice, sweetened cranberry juice, and spiced holiday punch. The light roasts really accentuate the fruited acidity too, and fills out a note of tart gooseberry. Seductive sweetness provides a great backdrop for these high tones.

• Origin: Kenya
• Region: Kianyaga, Kirinyaga
• Washing Station: Kainamui factory
• Co-op: Ngariama Farmers Cooperative Society
• Altitude: 1300-1900m
• Cultivar: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru-11
• Processing: Wet Process (Washed)
• Drying: Raised Bed Sun-Dried