Kenya - Mutharu AB

Mutharu AB coffee is a reflection of Kenya’s rich coffee tradition — a blend of precision, passion, and terroir, brought together through the dedication of farmers, millers, and cuppers who ensure every bean meets the highest standards.

The coffee is grown in Kenya's Central Highlands by a mix of smallholder farmers and estates, with individual farmers typically managing around 200 coffee trees. Annual rainfall of 1,100mm to 1,400mm support healthy flowering and fruit development. Cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness in the early morning and the farmers deliver them to the mill the same day. On arrival att the cooperative wet mills – Wanjegi  Washing Station in Murang’a and Kiamwangi in Nyeri –the cherries are spread out for sorting and any under-ripe or over-ripe cherries are removed.

The selected red cherries are then funnelled into a hopper and floated in clean water to remove the floaters. Inside the pulper, the outer fruit is removed, and the beans are separated by density. Denser beans sink and are directed into fermentation tanks until the following morning, when the wet mill manager checks the beans by feel—once the mucilage has broken down.

At that point, the coffee flows into tiled washing channels, where it is repeatedly pushed uphill by hand using wooden shunts. This traditional method helps separate the highest quality beans, which move slowly down the channel, from the lighter ones that rush ahead. The washed beans are then transferred to raised drying beds, where they are sun-dried. Moisture levels are monitored until they reach 10-12%. Once dried, the coffee if bagged at transported to the dry mill.

At the dry mill, the parchment is hulled and the coffee is graded. The AB grade represents beans that are slightly smaller than AA but still deliver excellent cup quality. These lots are then brought to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, where Taylor Winch (Coffee) Ltd. sources its selections. The company’s quality team cups between 300 to 500 samples daily, and even more during peak season, to ensure only the finest lots are chosen for export.