Celebrating 15 Years of Craft: Etago Es (Koji Processed)

Additional Information

Sourced from the high-altitude slopes of Kericho County, this isn’t your typical Kenyan profile. While it retains that iconic East African vibrance, the Koji Process adds an entirely new dimension of texture. By introducing Aspergillus oryzae the same natural culture used for centuries in sake and miso to the fermentation stage, the coffee's starches are broken down into fermentable sugars.

The result? A cup that is incredibly plush, deeply sweet, and layered with a complexity that feels like a fitting tribute to our journey since 2011.

Upon arrival to the washing station, the cherries are meticulously sorted and floated to ensure that only the best make it onto the next stage.

Once sorted, the cherries are filled into fermentation barrels, where, in an oxygen-free environment, nature takes its course.

The natural yeasts present on the cherries are enhanced with Ava, a mould (related to Koji) that is used to enhance a coffee’s natural fruit flavours.

Under carefully monitored anaerobic conditions, the cherries are fermented for four days. To ensure uniformity, the barrels are persistently agitated, creating the perfect environment for flavourful microbes to flourish.

In the next stage, cherries are moved to raised African beds, where they are dried until they reach a moisture content of 13.5%. At this point, they are transferred into breathable bags and stored for ageing, allowing them to dry to 13%. This slightly higher moisture content in the skin helps prevent cracking during the vigorous hulling process, preserving the beans' integrity.