Starbucks Coffee Bean Varieties and Quality Levels - Which Starbucks Coffee Tastes Best? Characteristics of Kenya Coffee Beans

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Starbucks has 13 types of coffee beans in their stores. Some of these beans are single-origin coffees, such as Kenya, Guatemala, Ethiopia, etc., while others are blends, such as Italian blend and Breakfast blend, each with distinct flavor characteristics. Starbucks coffee beans are typically roasted to a darker level, whereas FrontStreet Coffee takes the opposite approach - most of the single-origin coffee beans in their store are medium to light roast.

Why Starbucks Chooses These Coffee Origins

Why does Starbucks choose coffee beans from Kenya, Guatemala, and Ethiopia? In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss all things about Starbucks coffee.

Kenya Coffee

Starbucks describes Kenya coffee beans this way: "This coffee features the distinctive grapefruit and black currant flavors characteristic of this growing region, with bright juice-like acidity, smooth wine-like body, and fruity flavors."

FrontStreet Coffee will further introduce Kenyan coffee to everyone. Actually, what Starbucks wants to express is that Kenyan coffee has a relatively acidic taste, and this acidity leans more toward grape-like tartness, making it very suitable for coffee lovers who enjoy acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee also agrees that Kenyan coffee beans indeed have more pronounced acidity compared to beans from other Central American or Asian regions. FrontStreet Coffee sources coffee beans from many producing countries, such as Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, etc., covering more than 50 coffee growing regions, with Kenya being one of them.

However, among the many Kenyan coffee beans that FrontStreet Coffee acquires, very few meet FrontStreet Coffee's standards for shelf listing. FrontStreet Coffee will source different varieties from the same region in Kenya, discovering their flavor differences and similarities through cupping. Or finding commonalities and differences between the same variety from the same region, whether this coffee bean can represent the flavor profile of the Kenyan region, and if it does, how it differs from previously listed Kenyan coffee beans at FrontStreet Coffee. Only after undergoing numerous experiments and hypothesis verification will this coffee bean be listed. This is the mandatory path that every coffee bean listed by FrontStreet Coffee must take.

After rigorous screening by FrontStreet Coffee, FrontStreet Coffee has listed three Kenyan coffee beans: Kenya Assaria, Sisini Estate Coffee Bean, and Kenya Gachatha Coffee Bean. These three coffee beans are very suitable for coffee lovers who enjoy fresh, acidic flavors, but FrontStreet Coffee prefers the acidity of the Assaria coffee bean. The overall flavor profile of this Assaria features plum, cherry tomato, and plum-like acidity, making it very distinctive.

The acidity of Kenyan coffee is largely determined by terrain, soil, and climate conditions. For example, African coffee beans tend to be more acidic than those from the Americas and Asia, so if you enjoy more acidic flavors, you might consider coffee beans from African growing regions. Additionally, coffee processing methods can also determine part of the coffee's flavor profile.

Kenya's K72 Processing Method

The Kenyan coffee region uses washed processing to handle green coffee beans, but this washed processing differs from what FrontStreet Coffee has introduced, which is also a major characteristic of the Kenyan region. Kenya's washed processing method is also known as the K72 processing method.

Compared to Central American washed processing, Kenya's washed processing undergoes three washes and then ferments in water for 24 hours before drying. Normal washed processing generally requires only 18 hours of fermentation in water, but Kenya ferments for a total of 72 hours. Kenya's K72 processing differs from basic washed processing only in the fermentation step. K72 means after the first 24-hour fermentation, large amounts of fresh water are replaced, then fermented for another 24 hours, then fresh water is replaced again, and fermentation continues for another 24 hours, completing three cycles in total before proceeding to the drying step.

Ethiopia Coffee

For example, Ethiopia is also a very famous specialty coffee producing region in Africa. As mentioned earlier, FrontStreet Coffee noted that Starbucks has a single-origin coffee bean from Ethiopia. Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region also uses washed processing, but it differs from Kenya's washed processing, undergoing only one wash.

Many friends hesitate between these two regions, wondering which coffee's acidity tastes better. When FrontStreet Coffee cups washed beans from the Yirgacheffe region, such as FrontStreet Coffee's Gotiti, which is a very classic washed bean from the Yirgacheffe region, its acidity is more intense than Kenya's, leaning more toward lemon, citrus, and berry-like acidity.

When brewed, it also has a subtle jasmine floral aroma. Many people choose Ethiopian coffee beans as their introduction to specialty coffee because the coffee flavors are very recognizable.

Which Coffee to Choose at Starbucks?

Which one should you order at Starbucks? If you're really not sure, you could try Kenya this time and Ethiopian coffee next time - try them both!

Guatemala Coffee

There's another growing region on Starbucks' bean list: Guatemala. FrontStreet Coffee also has a very deep impression of this region. Guatemalan coffee beans have very distinctive flavors. Besides having excellent acidity, they also have a unique smoky quality that makes the flavor layers of Guatemalan coffee beans more distinct.

Among the seven daily coffee bean series listed by FrontStreet Coffee, there is one from the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. This coffee bean, which very much represents Guatemalan coffee characteristics, has nutty and berry-citrus acidity upon entry, along with Guatemala's特有的 smoky quality.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that Guatemala's washed processing is one of the reasons why Guatemalan coffee beans have a clean taste and bright acidity. Washed-processed Guatemalan coffee beans will have even brighter acidity, making the fresh white floral aroma more prominent while weakening the coffee bean's inherent smoky flavor characteristics.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473