Kenya, Gathaithi AB

Gathaithi comes to us from Nyeri, a region we return to season after season for the clarity and structure it consistently produces. The factory sits on the red volcanic soil characteristic of the area, at 1,800 meters, where cool temperatures and consistent rainfall allow the cherry to mature slowly and develop real depth before harvest.

Smallholder farmers deliver ripe cherry to Gathaithi the same day it's picked, where it's hand-sorted and pulped quickly to preserve quality. From there, the coffee undergoes the traditional Kenyan double wash: an initial fermentation and rinse, followed by a second soak that removes any remaining mucilage. The parchment is then dried slowly on raised beds, turned regularly to ensure even moisture loss. This two-stage wash is labor-intensive, but it's the reason Kenyan coffees achieve the clarity they're known for. The "AB" designation refers to bean size — the second largest screen grade in Kenya's classification system, generally having a bit more bright acidity than the AA bean size.

Sourced from the Nyeri region of Kenya, the Gathaithi AB lot represents the meticulous standards often associated with this renowned coffee-growing area. This selection is brought to us by Lineage Roasting and has undergone a washed process, a method typically employed to highlight the inherent acidity and clean, vibrant profiles characteristic of high-quality Kenyan beans.

While washed coffees are frequently celebrated for their crisp clarity and bright, sparkling acidity, this specific offering presents a distinct profile of grape juice and kiwi. To better understand how these specific descriptors fit into the broader spectrum of coffee characteristics, you can explore the flavor wheel. By focusing on the interplay between regional terroir and careful post-harvest processing, this coffee serves as a refined example of the complexity that Nyeri continues to offer to the global specialty market.