Kenya Karatu Pb

Variety: SL28
Process: washed

Flavour: plum jam, rosehip, raspberry

Body: Acidity:

Roast: Omni (filter + espresso)

Farm / Cooperative: Karatu Coffee Factory

Region: Kiambu County, Kenya

Altitude: 1850m above sea level

Background

Karatu Coffee Factory is located in Central Province, Thika District in Ndarugu location of Gatundu Division near Gatundu town. It was established in 1965 and rests on a 11 acres piece of land serving Karatu, Gitwe, Kibiru and Kigaa Villages.

Currently it is affiliated to Gitwe Farmer Co-operative Society Ltd. Its membership currently stands at 800 which 700 are active farmers while 100 are inactive farmers. The most unique aspect of this factory is that it’s houses the society head office.

Processing

After harvesting all the coffee is delivered to the factory and undergoes the wet processing method. Water is pumped from River Rwabura to the reservoir tanks for pulping and recirculation. After pulping the coffee is stored overnight, washed, soaked and spread on the drying tables.

The parchment is then frequently turned on the drying tables, sorted and stored awaiting delivery to the millers who are also the marketing agent- KPCU

To ensure that the processing is carried out efficiently the factory has invested in a pulper, a recirculation system and about 20 conditioning bins.

SL28 variety

SL28 was developed in 1931 by Scott Laboratories to suit the growing conditions in Kenya. The varietal is known for its exceptional cup quality

100% SL28 coffee beans, provided by Condesa and roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Espresso

To brew this coffee on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

V60, Chemex

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer, plunger

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

All our brewguides and brewing ratio calculator

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

FAQs

Do you ship Australia-wide?

Yes! We deliver freshly roasted coffee beans anywhere in Australia, with fast dispatch and eco-friendly packaging.

Do you ship internationally?

We ship beans to select international countries.

Can I buy pre-ground coffee?

Yes. You’ll see our pre-ground options during checkout.

We offer pre-ground options for different methods:
- Ground for domestic espresso (home espresso machine)
- Ground for stovetop (Bialetti)
- Ground for AeroPress / Kalita / Cold Brew / Moccamaster / Plunger / French Press (immersion style)
- Ground for V60/Chemex (pour over style)

How is your coffee ethically sourced?

We source our coffee from small producers through responsible importing companies. 95% of our green coffee beans are supplied by Caravela Coffee, Cafe Imports, and Melbourne Coffee Merchants (certified B Corporations) plus Condesa Co Lab and more.

We transparently share all the information about each coffee lot (territory of origin, producer, variety, processing method, importer, quality grade) on each coffee page. This includes blend components for our espresso blends.

We take quality sourcing very seriously, so being fully transparent about our coffee is a way to honour everyone’s efforts along the production and gain the trust of ethical-minded consumers.

Learn more about our coffee and business philosophy.

Do you roast dark or light?

We roast our single origins using omni medium/light profiles. (This means you can use it for pour over and espresso brewing, no need to buy different bean bags with specific roast styles.)

We roast our espresso blends using darker profiles.

What is “specialty coffee”?

The definitions and references to specialty coffee are changing.

Historically, and as most people think of it these days, specialty coffee is Arabica beans that score over 80 in the old Specialty Coffee Association point scale. Today, the SCA refers to specialty coffee as “a coffee or coffee experience that is recognized for its distinctive attributes, resulting in a higher value within the marketplace.”

Can I subscribe?

Absolutely. Our coffee subscription lets you get your favourite beans (for filter and espresso, black or milk drinks) delivered regularly for free and with no lock-in periods.

With love, from Sample

We’re an independent coffee roasting company based in Gadigal land / Sydney, Australia

We’ve been sharing exceptional coffees since 2011, with a particular focus on rotating single origins, ethical sourcing, and homebrewing accessibility.

Our daily work is driven by quality, consistency, transparency, and fun. This approach has slowly and organically connected us with a community of homebrewers and professionals who value how we do business and, above all, love delicious coffee beyond the hype.

Learn about us