Gakuyu-ini

The Gakuyu-ini washing station is run by the Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative Society since 1997 and is located south of Mount Kenya, in the eastern part of Kirinyaga Province. Kirinyaga lies in central Kenya, south of Mount Kenya, along with the neighbouring Nyeri Province it is the home of Kenya’s most complex coffees. During the harvest period, approximately 1,500 small producers deliver their crops to Gakuyu-ini, where the coffee cherries are immediately sorted and separated according to various criteria. Upon reception, cherries are de-pulped and then fermented the following night. Fermentation is a microbial process, during which various wild yeasts and bacteria help to break down the slimy, sugary layer attached to the seeds of the fruit. This is followed by repeated washing and drying for 9-13 days.