Ruarai - Kenya - Light

We found a pretty special coffee from Kenya this year. This Ruarai AA from Nyeri has some serious juice.

Raspberry candy, crisp grapefruit, and a rich brown sugar sweetness make up the first impression, but give this one a few minutes to cool and things really start to come together. The acidity gets sweeter and more integrated as the temperature drops, turning the whole cup into something bright, juicy, and ridiculously balanced.

10/10. Would drink again.

Kenya has a reputation for being a favorite growing region among coffee professionals. Why? One word: acidity.

And to be clear, acidity in coffee does not refer to that feeling in your gut when you've had your eighth cup. No. That's something else.

Acidity is the crisp, zingy quality you find most often in lighter-roasted coffees. If that still doesn't quite clear it up, think about a fresh strawberry versus one that's been cooked, or one that's been sitting around long enough to become a little sadder and wiser. That bright little zing? That's acidity.

Kenya's traditional coffee varieties, combined with its growing conditions, produce an especially distinctive version of that acidity. It's one of the reasons Kenyan coffees are so recognizable — and why this Ruarai AA has so much juice.

Roast Level: Light

Process: Washed

Variety: Batian, SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11

Origin: Ruthaka Farmers Cooperative, Nyeri

Recipe | Ratio:

• Stagg X - 15:1

  • 17g coffee, 3× 85g pours of water, 35s bloom

• v60 - 16:1

  • 25g coffee, 400g water

  • 70g, 45s bloom

  • 330g pour over 45s,

  • 2:15 spin