Kenya Mumwe Mahiga
December 2024
Katelinne H.
Friday, November 22, 2024
Kenya Mumwe Mahiga
Each month, Fresh Roasted Coffee hand-selects a specialty coffee exclusively for Roaster's Choice subscribers. These coffees are chosen for their unique flavor profiles and impactful origin stories. Without further ado, let's jump right into Fresh Roasted Coffee's pick for December 2024:Â Kenya Mumwe Mahiga.
Grower:Â 400 producers organized around the Mahiga Factory
Region: Mumwe, Nyeri, Kenya
Cultivar: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
Harvest: December 2022 - November 2023
Altitude: 1700 - 1890 masl
Process: Double Fermented, Double Washed
Drying: Dried on tables
Roast Level: Light
Roast Body:Â Mild
Cupping Notes: Papaya, Honeycomb, Bergamot
Mount Kenya
Believed to be approximately 3 million years old, Mt. Kenya is the second-tallest mountain in all of Africa. The rocky, ice-capped peaks of this extinct volcano reach a height of 17,057 ft. Vegetation bands and forests adorn the lower slopes, thriving in the red volcanic soil. Much of these forests have been designated as national forest and forest reserve areas, in an effort to conserve biodiversity, protect water sources, and preserve the natural beauty of the region. At its base, that same rich volcanic soil provides nutrients to some of the best coffee in Africa - maybe even the world. Â
This Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons image is from the user Chris 73 and is freely available at //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Batian_Nelion_ and_pt_Slade_in_the_foreground_Mt_Kenya.JPG under the creative commons cc-by-sa 3.0 license.
With average temperatures between 55°F and 79°F and average rainfall of about 52 inches per year, the climate in this area is perfect for growing high-quality Arabica coffee. Approximately 122 acres in the Nyeri region is set aside for coffee production and actively farmed by 400 producers in this area. The villages and farms here rely on Mt. Kenya, which serves as the main water source for the local communities, as well as Tana, Kenya's largest river, and the multitude of streams and perennial rivers in the region.Â
The Mahiga Factory
Once ripe coffee cherries have been picked, farmers take them to the Mahiga Factory, or washing station, in Rukira for processing. The Mahiga Factory has been operating as a wet mill since 1962 and is made up of 391 male and 101 female producers.Â
Wet cherries are washed and fermented twice, using water drawn from the local sources fed by Mt. Kenya. Double fermentation is a rare practice in Kenya but one that directly correlates with the excellent cleanliness and clarity for which Mahiga coffee is known. The coffee is then dried on tables for about two weeks. Once dry, the beans begin their journey to the Othaya dry mill in Gatuyaini.
The Othaya Farmer's Cooperative Society
The Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society was founded in 1956 with only 250 members, making it one of Kenya's oldest specialty coffee cooperatives. Today, over 15,000 small farmers and 19 different wet mills are members, making it one of the largest as well. Processed coffee arrives at Othaya for final milling, screening, sorting, cupping, and grading - preparing the green coffee for commercial sale. This Fair Trade-certified society assists local farmers in everything from marketing to financing and has been instrumental in increasing the earning potential of the local producers.Â
They also operate a large nursery that can hold up to 120,000 coffee seedlings. Certified coffee seeds are sourced from Coffee Research Foundation in Ruiru, Kenya. After being germinated at the nursery, each of the four main varieties of coffee this region offers—SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian—is made available to farmers and interested buyers at a reasonable price. This ensures that the Mahiga region and other local coffee growing areas have a healthy supply of new coffee plants.Â
The Othaya Dry Mill is meticulous in its milling and grading, a time-honored tradition in Kenya that guarantees purchasers high-quality beans and a wide range of profiles to choose from in a single processing batch. Coffee from the Mahiga region is known for its sharp acidity and smooth body, with tasting notes of citrus and dried fruit. It is intense, yet balanced, with a thick, velvety mouthfeel.Â
How Do I Get This Coffee?
Snagging a bag of December's Roaster's Choice selection is easy! Just click the button below and sign up for a Roaster's Choice subscription before December 10th, 2024, to receive a bag of Kenya Mumwe Mahiga.
Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC offers Roaster's Choice coffees in bagged coffee as well as classic pods. Subscribers can choose from a 3-, 6- or 12- month subscription plans.
Fresh Roasted Coffee's Roasted Choice selection sitting on top of burlap bags.