About the Coffee
Kenya K72 Washed Process
The K72, or Kenya 72-Hour Fermentation Washed process, is an extended and highly meticulous washed-processing method. Unlike a conventional washed process with one fermentation stage, K72 uses three separate 24-hour fermentation cycles.
After the coffee cherries are carefully sorted and depulped, the beans—still coated in mucilage—are submerged in water and left to ferment for 24 hours. The fermentation water is then drained, and the coffee is thoroughly washed before being placed in fresh, clean water for another 24-hour fermentation period.
This process is repeated three times, creating a total fermentation time of approximately 72 hours. The repeated water changes encourage a clean, controlled fermentation while gradually removing the remaining mucilage. After the final cycle, the coffee is washed thoroughly and dried slowly on raised beds until it reaches the desired moisture content.
Drying generally takes between five and ten days, depending on sunlight, humidity, and airflow. The coffee is covered during rain and at night to prevent moisture reabsorption. Drying continues until the beans reach a stable moisture content of approximately 10–12%.
This extended washed process produces a remarkably clean cup with bright acidity, clarity, and a refined, layered character.
About
Mukuyuni
Mukuyuni Coffee Factory is a cooperative wet mill in Machakos County, part of Kenya’s Eastern Region and the distinct Machakos Coffee Region southeast of Nairobi. The factory serves several hundred to more than a thousand smallholder farmers, cultivating coffee at approximately 1,500–1,800 metres above sea level. The area’s semi-arid highland climate, pronounced day–night temperature variation and red volcanic soils create growing conditions that differ from Kenya’s central regions. Coffee production follows the area’s seasonal rainfall pattern, with the main rains from March to May and the short rains from October to December. SL28 forms the foundation of Mukuyuni’s production, complemented by a small proportion of Batian, expressing the distinctive character of Machakos terroir.
