ILSE COFFEE - Gititu AA | Kenya - Washed - SL34, SL28, Ruiru11, Batian

3

Gititu is a washing station located in Kiambu, roughly 30 miles from Nairobi. Here farmers growing coffee from 1300-1700 MASI deliver their cherries to be processed at this community station. This is a blend of the common Kenya varieties, SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11 and Batian harvested from October - December 2025. The cup is bright and sweet with notes of Hibiscus, Lingonberry jam, Orange, and Amber Honey.

The Gititu station is part of the Gititu Farmers Co-operative Society which operates seven washing stations, making it one of the biggest cooperatives in the country. This coffee comes from smallholder farmers cultivating tiny plots - most between 1-2 hectares. Coffee remains the primary source of income here, supporting education, infrastructure, and everyday livelihoods alongside dairy and subsistence farming. In recent years, stronger coffee prices have begun encouraging younger generations to remain connected to farming traditions, bringing renewed optimism to the region's future

Cherries are picked at peak ripeness and floated to remove defects. The ripe cherries are then depulped, density sorted, and left to ferment underwater for 12-24 hours. Following fermentation the seeds are thoroughly rinsed, soaked and rinsed again to remove all mucilage. They are then moved to drying beds where they dry for 13-15 days.