Sasini Estate PB, KenyaCoffee Bean Intro:

Kenya’s climate and geography provide ideal conditions for growing high-quality coffee beans. It is located in East Africa, with the equator running through the central part and the East African Rift Valley stretching from north to south.

It borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and Sudan to the north, with the Indian Ocean to the southeast and a coastline of 536 kilometers. The country is mostly plateau, with an average elevation of 1500 meters.

The central Mount Kenya (Kenya Mountain) stands at 5199 meters above sea level, with snow-capped peaks, making it the second-highest mountain in Africa.

The entire region lies within the tropical monsoon zone, but due to its high elevation, it has a tropical savanna climate with distinct seasonal rainfall differences. The coastal areas are hot and humid, while the plateau enjoys a mild climate, with annual temperatures ranging from a maximum of 22-26°C to a minimum of 10-14°C.

Kenyan coffee beans are a pillar industry locally. Most Kenyan coffee is grown at altitudes of 1500–2100 meters and is harvested twice a year.

Kenyan coffee features multi-layered flavors and juicy acidity, with perfect notes of grapefruit and wine, medium body, and is a favorite single-origin among many coffee professionals.

Sasini Estate is located in the Kiambu region, at an altitude of 1500 to 2000 meters. The area boasts beautiful scenery, a pleasant climate, abundant sunlight, and fertile, superior soil—acidic red soil that is loose, deep, and well-drained, with water pH levels between 5.5 and 6.5.

As early as the 1930s, the Kenyan government commissioned the newly established Scott Labs to screen varieties suitable for the country. After numbering and selecting 42 initial candidates, SL-28 and SL-34 were ultimately chosen. The former originates from Bourbon, while SL-34 comes from Typica; the two are not part of the same series.

The original goal of selecting SL28 was to produce coffee beans in large quantities that combined high quality with resistance to pests and diseases. In some regions, the focus was mainly on high yield and disease resistance, without considering pest resistance.

Thanks to its Bourbon lineage, although SL28’s yield did not meet expectations, its copper-colored leaves and bean shape resembling broad beans deliver excellent sweetness, balance, complex and varied flavors, along with notable citrus and dark plum characteristics.

SL34 shares similar flavors with SL28. In addition to complex acidity and a great sweet finish, it has a softer mouthfeel and is cleaner than SL28. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28’s and it adapts better to rainforest growth.

Ruiru 11

Ruiru 11 is a high-yield, low-quality hybrid variety developed in Kenya. Ruiru 11 is a compact, high-yielding variety cultivated in Kenya, allowing for denser planting and reducing losses caused by pests and diseases.

In 1968, an outbreak of coffee berry disease in Kenya halved production. In the 1970s, the Ruiru Coffee Research Station initiated an intensive breeding program targeting CBD-resistant varieties, naming it Ruiru 11, which was released in 1985.

Grade

Coffee beans usually consist of two pea-shaped beans (commonly called mother beans), while PB peaberry beans are shaped like long rice grains or ovals (commonly called male beans). This Kenyan Sasini Estate washed coffee bean is of the PB grade.

Due to developmental reasons, PB peaberry beans are slightly denser and vary in size, so we extend the drying phase during roasting to ensure the bean cores are thoroughly heated. This prevents under-roasting during the roasting process.

Processing Method

The processing method for these coffee beans is washed process.

The Kenyan-style washed process involves a repeated cycle of fermentation and washing. The highest-quality coffee cherries are selected on the day of harvest, depulped, and fermented for 24 hours, then washed with clean river water after fermentation.

Next, they are fermented again in clean river water for 24 hours and washed, repeating this cycle three times for a total of 72 hours, hence the name Kenyan 72-hour fermented washed process, abbreviated as K72.

This processing method allows the coffee beans to ferment at low temperatures for an extended period, resulting in brighter, cleaner, yet fuller flavors.

Roasting Curve