Kenya AA Murue Kianyangi

A fully washed lot produced at the Kianyangi factory in Embu County. You can find redcurrant-like fruitiness and a bit of an herbal note, like thyme, toward the finish. Great for filter, and it also makes a juicy iced coffee.

The Kianyangi Coffee Factory is part of the Murue Farmers Cooperative Society, which also oversees the Kavutiri, Ngurueri, and Gituara factories. It serves approximately 950 active smallholder members. The factory is equipped with modern Pinhalense pulpers, which are more efficient and require less water than older systems. This upgrade supports the cooperative’s broader efforts toward environmental sustainability and water conservation.

Harvest

The Kianyangi factory is located at an altitude of 1700–1900 meters above sea level in Embu County. The area experiences an average annual rainfall of 1400 mm and average temperatures around 20.5°C. The main coffee varieties cultivated by farmers here are SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11. Clay loam soils dominate the landscape, providing a fertile base for coffee farming. Flowering typically occurs from February to April, with harvesting between October and December.

Processing

Upon delivery to the factory, farmers hand-sort their cherries to remove underripe or damaged fruit. Only the ripe cherries are pulped. After pulping, the coffee is fermented overnight, then washed and graded in channels into P1, P2, P3, and P lights. The beans are then dried on raised beds for 9 to 15 days, ensuring consistent drying and quality. The coffee is now milled at the Embu Coffee Mill, located close to the Murue headquarters.