Gachatha AA

HEIGHT 1800 MASL

ABOUT ME We cupped a lot of Kenyan coffees this year.

Truthfully, it was an exceptional season and there were plenty of coffees we would have been thrilled to buy. But when the cupping was over and the scores were tallied, this lot from Gachatha came out on top.

From the first cup, there was something unmistakable about it. Sweet blackberry, dried cherry and juicy grapefruit define the cup, while layers of caramel sweetness emerge as it cools. Vibrant, complex and incredibly refined.

The coffee comes from Gachatha Factory in Nyeri County, one of Kenya's most celebrated coffee-growing regions. Here, around 1,000 smallholder farmers cultivate coffee on tiny plots scattered across the fertile foothills of the Aberdare Range at approximately 1,800 metres above sea level. Cool mountain nights, warm sunny days and rich volcanic soils combine to produce coffees with the clarity, intensity and sweetness that have made Nyeri famous among coffee lovers worldwide.

Founded in 1963, Gachatha has built a reputation for producing some of the region's finest coffees. Farmers hand-pick ripe cherries before delivering them to the factory, where they are meticulously sorted, washed and dried on raised beds. It's a process that requires patience and attention to detail, but the resulting cup speaks for itself.

What we love most about this coffee is its balance. It has all the hallmarks of a great Kenyan coffee - vibrant acidity, expressive fruit and exceptional clarity - yet remains incredibly approachable and easy to drink.

As the mornings are cooler and winter settles in, this is exactly the kind of coffee we find ourselves reaching for - sweet, comforting and endlessly satisfying.

BREW GUIDES

We recommend the following recipes as a starting points:

Espresso Dose: 21 grams Brew temperature: 93.5ºC Bar Pressure: 8.0 Brew time: 25 - 32 sec Brew weight: 46 grams Brew Ratio: 1:2.2

Pour Over Brew temperature: 94ºC 20g in 320ml out (1:16 brew ratio)