Kenya Mweiga Factory Washed AACoffee Bean Intro:

Kenya Mweiga Factory Washed AA

Coffee region: Embu region

Elevation: 1700 meters

Coffee variety: SL28 and SL34

Processing method: washed process

Grade: AA

Harvest year: 2019 year

Coffee region

Mweiga Factory (cooperative), affiliated with Gikanda FCS Cooperative, located in Embu County, Kenya ( Embu County） Coffee region , at an elevation of about 1690-1750 meters, the cooperative has approximately 1080 members.

The main coffee cherries of Mweiga Cooperative come from Kirigi、Kiini、Mukangu and Kathangari these four villages. The factory requires its members to grow coffee year-round and not to switch to other crops arbitrarily. Almost all members accept the cooperative’s policies and show high cohesion.

On average, each farmer in the cooperative plants about 350 coffee trees, covering an area of about 1 hectares, and also grows other cash crops including passion fruit, bananas, cabbages, carrots, and tea.

During the peak season, the factory employs three management staff and thirty temporary workers to handle the busy harvesting and processing period.

Processing method

Weilia Factory has 9 wastewater pits to collect and treat wastewater generated during the washing and fermentation processes, located away from rivers to prevent pollution.

After ripe cherries are harvested, they are transported to the factory’s receiving area. The ripe cherries are first soaked and undergo a process to separate unripe and impurity particles, then processed to remove the pulp and mucilage—this is the famous Kenyan wet processing method. The wastewater produced throughout this process is first collected in soaking pits before being recycled and reused.

Weilia Factory has multiple monitoring and processing stages, such as separating the pulp and initially removing the mucilage layer, using a pulper with three sets of discs to remove the outer skin of the coffee cherry and the pulp beneath the hard shell.

After the pulp is removed, the coffee undergoes an overnight fermentation process to break down sugars and the mucilage layer. Then, depending on the completeness of the peeling, a washing process is carried out, followed by soaking, and then another wash. The coffee is then evenly spread on raised drying beds. The entire process takes about 48-72 hours.

The drying time on the beds depends on climate, ambient temperature, and processing volume, and generally takes about 15 days.

Coffee variety

Kenya Simba Factory Washed AA The coffee varieties are SL28 and SL34, and the classic flavors of Kenyan coffee are inseparable from these two varieties.

SL, representing Scott Labs，Scott Laboratories Scott Laboratories. In the 1930s, Scott Laboratories was commissioned by the Kenyan government to conduct research on coffee breeding and classification, aiming to find varieties that could adapt to Kenya’s terroir, be suitable for large-scale planting, and have commercial value.

This organization was active from the 1930s to the 1960s and is now renamed “ Kenya National Agricultural Laboratories ”, abbreviated as “NARL”。

SL-28，SL-34 Two of the many research outcomes are SL34 and SL28, which share similar flavors, complex and varied acidity, and excellent sweet aftertastes.

Among them, SL34 has a SL28 heavier, richer taste and is also cleaner. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. The coffee bean appearance is also similar to SL28, but it is better able to withstand sudden heavy rain.

These two important varieties are what introduced us to the unique Kenyan style: intense and rich fruit acidity, bold body, and beautiful balance.

Roasting curve