FARM : Priory Farm C
REGION : Nandi County
ALTITUDE : 1400 MASL
VARIETAL : Ruiru 11, Batian
PROCESS : Washed
This lot was grown, harvested, and processed by Great Rift Coffee of Nandi County, Kenya. After picking, cherries are hand sorted and floated in washing channels before being pulped and washed again to remove mucilage.
The drying process begins with a short stint on skin drying tables immediately after washing. Here, the parchment coffee is spread in a thin layer for about 4 to 6 hours, allowing surface moisture to evaporate quickly. This crucial pre-drying step helps prevent over-fermentation and minimises the risk of mould formation by removing excess water before the beans move to the main drying phase.
After skin drying, the coffee is transferred to standard raised drying beds. In December, when the weather is generally hot and sunny with occasional rain, the coffee is dried on these beds for approximately 10 to 14 days. The parchment is spread in thin layers, around 1.5 to 2 cm thick, and turned regularly—typically once every hour—to ensure uniform drying. During intense midday sun or unexpected rain, the beds are covered to protect the parchment from cracking or reabsorbing moisture. The goal is to gradually reduce the moisture content from about 50–55% down to 10.5–11.5%, ensuring the coffee is stable for storage and maintains its quality during transport and roasting.
Once fully dried on raised African beds, the parchment coffee is delivered to Great Rift’s mill, where it is hulled to remove the parchment layer and reveal the green coffee beans.
Following hulling, the beans pass through density and size grading equipment to separate them by weight and screen size. What sets our process apart is the final stage—each batch is meticulously hand-picked by trained professionals to remove any defects that machines may miss. This step ensures that only the highest-quality beans proceed to export or roasting. Managing the milling in-house gives us full control over quality, consistency, and accountability from farm to final cup.
Kenya’s history with coffee stretches back to the turn of the 19th century when German missionaries first arrived bringing Bourbon trees with them, and planted in the colonial era. The coffee industry boomed in Kenya under British rule, and the famed Kenya AA became synonymous with coffee quality.
Often referred to as the ‘best coffee in the world’ Kenya coffee has a strong following from the speciality (3rd wave) market, and rightly so. Its high grown coffees in iron rich, red volcanic soils, temperate climate and proximity to the equator create the perfect growing environment. Blackcurrants, berry fruits, bright acidity and with a solid body and creamy mouthfeel makes Kenya the go-to coffee to add a little zing to your blend – or to enjoy as a single origin, pour over, black coffee to savour.
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