Kibugo, Embu, Kenya
ABOUT
Kamavindi Estate
Kamavindi is one of our favourite farms anywhere. At the end of last year Jackie suggested a slow drying indoor dark room so the coffee could dry more gently and hold on to its clarity, sweetness and structure, and we started that project together. We went back this year, checked the room and carried on. It is also where we found what may be the first Geisha ever cultivated in Kenya.
SL28
SL28 is one of the most celebrated coffee varieties in the world and a cornerstone of Kenya's reputation. It was selected in the 1930s by Scott Laboratories, the research house the initials SL stand for, from drought hardy material, and went on to become the benchmark for Kenyan quality. The plants are tall, tough, and remarkably long lived, with some original trees still bearing fruit after many decades. In return growers accept a variety with little natural defence against leaf rust and coffee berry disease, so keeping it healthy takes real care. That effort pays off in the cup, where SL28 delivers the intense blackcurrant and citrus, deep sweetness, and firm structured acidity that define classic Kenyan coffee.
SL34
SL34 is the close companion to SL28, selected from the same Scott Laboratories work in Kenya during the 1930s. Where SL28 leans towards drier ground, SL34 thrives at higher altitudes and copes better with heavier rainfall, which is why the two are so often planted side by side on the same farms. It shares much of the celebrated Kenyan character, rich, sweet, and complex, while carrying the same vulnerability to leaf rust and coffee berry disease. Grown together, the two varieties give the Kenyan highlands much of their signature depth and structure.
Washed
The washed process is the cleanest and most precise way to prepare coffee, and the one that lets a single origin and variety speak most clearly. Every trace of fruit and sticky mucilage is stripped away before the bean is dried, usually by fermenting it loose in tanks and rinsing it off with water, or by scrubbing it away mechanically. Because no fruit is left touching the bean as it dries, nothing masks the raw character of the coffee itself. That is why the washed method is trusted for the finest lots, showing off clarity, bright lively acidity, and the clear stamp of where the coffee was grown.
Brewing recipes
Simple ways to brew with SOLO & SOLO SPIN
SOLO
This is the classic pour-over style.
You control the brew through your pouring technique, water temperature, and flow speed.
Each pour helps guide the extraction, from soaking the coffee evenly at the beginning to building sweetness in the middle and finishing clean at the end.
This method is best when you want a clean, balanced cup with direct control over the pour.
Best for a clean, balanced cup with direct control over the pour.
SOLO SPIN
This is a hybrid brewing style.
SOLO SPIN uses a valve to control when the coffee is soaking and when it is draining.
When the valve is closed, the coffee stays in contact with the water, like immersion brewing.When the valve is open, the water flows through the coffee, like percolation brewing.
This method gives you more control over contact time, sweetness, body, and clarity.It is best when you want a consistent, balanced cup with both the roundness of immersion and the clean finish of pour-over.
Best for a consistent, balanced cup — the roundness of immersion with the clean finish of pour-over.
SOLO
SOLO POUR OVER METHOD
A simple, clean, repeatable pour over. Coffee extracts in stages, so each pour has a job.
- First pourHelps water reach all the coffee evenly.
- Middle poursBuild sweetness, body, and balance.
- Final pourKeep it gentle to avoid bitterness, dryness, and heavy flavors.
The goal is not to push extraction harder. It is to keep the cup sweet, clean, and structured.
3 POUR EXTRACTION
Best for a clean, sweet, and balanced cup.
- 0:00Pour 80 g93°CWet all the grounds evenly. No dry spots.
- 0:40Pour 80 g93°CBuilds sweetness and balance.
- 1:20Pour 80 g85°CPour gently and let the brew finish naturally.
4 POUR EXTRACTION
Best when you want more body and structure.
- 0:00Pour 60 g93°CFully soak all the coffee.
- 0:30Pour 60 g93°CHelps build sweetness.
- 1:00Pour 60 g93°CDevelops body and structure.
- 1:30Pour 60 g85°CKeep this pour gentle and centered.
8G DOSE EXTRACTION
For rare, expensive, or limited coffees. A smaller cup, same idea.
- 0:00Pour 40 g93°C
- 0:40Pour 40 g93°C
- 1:20Pour 40 g85°C
- 0:00Pour 30 g93°C
- 0:30Pour 30 g93°C
- 1:00Pour 30 g93°C
- 1:30Pour 30 g85°C
SOLO SPIN
SOLO SPIN BREW METHOD
SOLO SPIN gives you more control, combining immersion and percolation in one brewer.
- Valve closedThe coffee is soaking. Immersion helps water reach the coffee evenly.
- Valve openThe coffee is draining. Percolation keeps the cup clean and clear.
The result is a sweet, balanced, and consistent brew.
TWO PHASE MOISTURE EXTRACTION
Jackie's competition recipe. Simple, consistent, and forgiving. Two identical phases — penetration, then development.
- 0:00Close valve · 100 ml94°CSoak so water reaches every particle.
- 1:00Open valveLet it fully drain.
- 1:20Close valveClose between 1:20–1:25, then start Phase 2.
- 0:00Close valve · 100 ml80°CSoak again. Builds sweetness, texture, and clarity.
- 1:00Open valveLet it fully drain.
- 1:20Close valveClose between 1:20–1:25. Done.
The most forgiving SOLO SPIN recipe — perfect for daily brewing.
PIP EXTRACTION
Percolation · Immersion · Percolation. A clean, sweet, expressive cup.
- 0:00Valve open · 50 ml80°CFirst percolation opens the coffee for aroma and clarity.
- 0:30Close valve · 100 ml94°CImmersion. Builds sweetness, body, and balance.
- 1:00Open valveLet it begin to drain.
- 1:30Add 50 ml80°CFinal percolation. Drain fully for a clean finish.