ORIGIN: Kenya
PRODUCER: Smallholder producers
REGION: Kericho County | Rift Valley Province
VARIETY: SL28 | Ruiru 11 | Batian
PROCESS: Washed | Raised Bed-Dried
ELEVATION: 2000 MASL
ROASTER: Probat P25
LEVEL: Moderate Medium
NOTES: Ruby Grapefruit | Raw Sugar | Plum | Nutmeg | Round Full-Bodied
STORY
Kenya Kericho AA is a vibrant and expressive high-elevation coffee produced in Kericho County within Kenya's Rift Valley. Grown at approximately 2,000 meters above sea level, the region's cool climate, elevation, and fertile soils provide excellent conditions for slow cherry maturation and complex flavor development.
Produced by Hela Coffee, this AA-grade selection brings together SL28, Ruiru 11, and Batian varieties. Careful washed processing and raised-bed drying preserve the coffee's clarity and structured acidity while developing a layered sweetness.
In the cup, expect ruby grapefruit, raw sugar, ripe plum, and subtle nutmeg, carried by a round, full-bodied mouthfeel and a clean, vibrant finish.
ORIGIN | KENYA
Kenya is internationally recognized for coffees with exceptional clarity, vibrant acidity, concentrated fruit character, and complex sweetness. High elevations, fertile soils, and careful processing have helped establish the country as one of the world's most distinctive specialty-coffee origins.
Kenyan coffees are also classified by physical bean size, with AA referring to one of the country's largest screen-size grades. While size alone does not determine cup quality, carefully selected AA lots are prized for their density, structure, and potential for expressive flavor.
Kericho County's high elevations and cool growing conditions encourage slower cherry development, helping build sweetness, acidity, and complexity within the coffee.
PRODUCER | HELA COFFEE
Hela Coffee works within Kenya's coffee supply chain to source and prepare coffees that represent the character of their producing regions.
For this Kericho selection, careful lot preparation and processing help preserve the qualities we look for in Kenyan coffee: clarity, vibrant fruit, structured acidity, sweetness, and a clean finish.
VARIETIES | SL28, RUIRU 11 & BATIAN
SL28 is one of Kenya's most celebrated coffee varieties, recognized for exceptional cup quality, vibrant acidity, concentrated sweetness, and complex fruit character.
Ruiru 11 was developed in Kenya with an emphasis on disease resistance and productivity while maintaining strong cup quality.
Batian is another modern Kenyan variety selected for productivity, disease resistance, and excellent flavor potential.
Together, these varieties create a layered cup combining bright fruit, structured acidity, sweetness, and body.
PROCESS | WASHED
Ripe coffee cherries are depulped to remove the outer fruit before undergoing controlled fermentation to break down the remaining mucilage surrounding the seed.
The coffee is then thoroughly washed with clean water before being prepared for drying.
This washed process emphasizes clarity, acidity, sweetness, and flavor separation, allowing the coffee's ruby grapefruit and plum characteristics to remain clean and expressive.
DRYING | RAISED-BED DRIED
Following washing, the coffee is dried on raised beds where airflow can circulate around the beans.
The coffee is regularly turned throughout drying to encourage even moisture reduction and protected when necessary from excessive sun, rain, and humidity.
Careful raised-bed drying helps stabilize the coffee while preserving its clean acidity, sweetness, aromatic complexity, and cup clarity.
HARVEST | OCTOBER – JANUARY
Coffee cherries are harvested during Kenya's primary production season, with ripe cherries selectively picked as they reach optimal maturity.
Selective harvesting helps ensure that only properly developed fruit enters processing, supporting greater sweetness, consistency, and clarity in the finished cup.
ROASTING | PROBAT P25
Every batch of Kenya Kericho AA is roasted on our Probat P25 and monitored through Cropster to maintain consistency from batch to batch.
Our roast profile is designed to develop sufficient sweetness and body while protecting the vibrant acidity and fruit character that make Kenyan coffees distinctive.
The result is a structured and expressive cup with ruby grapefruit brightness, raw sugar sweetness, ripe plum, subtle nutmeg, and a round body.
ROAST LEVEL | MODERATE LIGHT
Agtron Gourmet Scale
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Whole Bean: #75-80
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Roast: Moderate Light
Our Moderate Light roast is designed to preserve the coffee's origin character while developing enough sweetness and body for a balanced cup.
Rather than pushing roast development toward heavier caramelization, we aim to maintain fruit clarity, structured acidity, sweetness, and aromatic complexity.
PREFERRED EXTRACTION
Filter | Espresso
Kenya Kericho AA performs beautifully across both filter and espresso preparations.
Filter brewing emphasizes its clarity, ruby grapefruit acidity, plum-like fruit character, raw sugar sweetness, and aromatic complexity.
Espresso produces a more concentrated expression with pronounced fruit, structured acidity, increased sweetness, and a round, full-bodied finish.
For the best expression, aim for a balanced extraction that preserves the coffee's natural acidity and sweetness without introducing excessive bitterness or dryness.
BREW GUIDE | ORIGAMI & CONE FILTER
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METHOD: Origami & Hario Carafe
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FILTER: Origami Cone Filter
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COFFEE: 25g
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WATER: 400g @ 200°F (93°C)
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RATIO: 1:16
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GRIND: 600 µm (Microns) Medium
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TIME: 3:20
ADJUSTMENT GUIDE
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Sharp / sour / under-extracted → grind slightly finer (-10–15 µm)
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Bitter / dry / heavy / over-extracted → grind slightly coarser (+10–15 µm)
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Drawdown faster than 3:20 → grind slightly finer
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Drawdown slower than 3:20 → grind slightly coarser
GRIND
| GRINDER SETTING |
|
| Mahlkönig EK43 |
7 |
| Fellow Ode Gen 2 |
4 |
| Comandante C40 |
18 |
| Baratza Encore |
14 |
RECIPE
0:00 — Bloom to 50g
Pour evenly and gently swirl to fully saturate the coffee bed. Rest for 30 seconds.
0:30 — Spiral Pour to 160g
0:45 — Spiral Pour to 220g
1:05 — Spiral Pour to 280g
1:30 — Spiral Pour to 340g
2:00 — Final Spiral Pour to 400g
3:20 — Finish Draining
TOTAL BREW TIME: 3:20
Swirl the carafe, serve, and enjoy.
Expect ruby grapefruit brightness, raw sugar sweetness, ripe plum, subtle nutmeg, and a round, full-bodied finish.
EXTRACT & ENJOY.
