ILSE COFFEE - Kapsaos PB | Kenya - Washed - SL28, Ruiru11, Batian

This coffee comes from the Kapsaos washing station located in Nandi County. At 1700–1900 MASL, local small holders deliver their cherries to be processed at this community station. The primary varieties grown are SL-28,  and Batian on small garden plots. This is a PB separation harvested in January 2025. This lot stands out for its flavor intensity and ripe acidity.  When hot we find ripe red fruits like red currant and raspberry, which cool into yellow fruits and citrus along with a long honeyed sweetness.

The Kapsaos Farmers Co-op was founded in 1981 and today there are about 2000 members.  This is our first year tasting coffee from Western Kenya and we are thrilled to explore the country further. This is an incredible coffee; it has the acidity we love from Kenya while maintaining great balance and sweetness.

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 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.