KENYA Kiamabara Nyeri PB ESP

The Story Behind the Bean

Kiamabara Factory is located near Karatina, in Nyeri County, on the southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya. The washing station has been operating since 1995 and is managed by the Mugaga Farmers Cooperative Society, formed in 1993 after the large Mathira cooperative split up. Today, more than 2,000 small-scale producers bring their cherries here. On average, each farmer has about 200 coffee trees—which means that what one farmer picks in a day is combined with the harvests of hundreds of others in a single lot. That’s why the selection at intake is so crucial to quality.

Peaberry — One Bean Instead of Two

In a typical coffee cherry, two beans grow with their flat sides pressed together. In about five percent of the harvest, only one seed is fertilized, and that single bean grows round into a peaberry. After drying, they are sorted separately by size and shape. Round beans roll differently in the drum and absorb heat more evenly, which makes them noticeably easier to roast. In the cup, this often yields a slightly sweeter, more concentrated coffee—and that’s exactly what this PB delivers.

Processing & Quality

Only ripe cherries are hand-picked and delivered the same day. They are sorted at intake, then pulped and fermented for 12 to 24 hours. Next, the beans pass through grading channels with clean water and soak for about 24 hours in circulating water—a Kenyan classic that eases pressure on the drying beds while also improving clarity and shelf life. Drying takes place over 10 to 15 days on raised beds or solar dryers, with regular turning to ensure even moisture content.

For espresso, we roast this Kenyan coffee a little further into the Maillard phase, bringing its body and sweetness to the forefront. Expect blood orange and red fruit over a creamy, buttery body, with dark chocolate in the finish—bright and juicy, even with milk. Cupped at 86.5. This coffee came to us through green bean trader Sucafina.