Kenya Coffee Bean Flavor Characteristics & African Kenya Coffee Extraction Guide with Step-by-Step Visual Instructions

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FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Premium Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya premium coffee beans inherit the exceptional characteristics of Africa's finest representatives—Yirgacheffe—with its captivating aroma of wild lands and scorching sun. However, they display a completely different tone and fragrance from FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe. One can't help but marvel at the rich and diverse faces of African premium coffee.

Geographical and Climatic Conditions

Kenya borders Ethiopia to the north and has a tropical climate. There are two rainy seasons annually, which are also the coffee harvest seasons. The main harvest season runs from October to year-end, while the secondary harvest season is from June to August. The production areas are concentrated in the crescent-shaped fertile land between the capital Nairobi and the leeward side of Mount Kenya, at altitudes of approximately 1600-2100 meters. Representative regions include Nyeri, Karatina, Kirinyaga, and Kagumo.

Quality and Flavor Profile

Despite Kenya's political instability in recent years and the control of coffee cooperative interests, many small farmers continue to insist on high-quality control, producing premium coffee varieties. Coffee enthusiasts remain captivated by its allure. FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee features a unique dark plum acidity and citrus aroma, with wonderful wine-like flavors mixed with the refreshing sweetness of sugarcane. The aroma is intense yet elegant. A sip reveals complex and deep flavors with clear, distinct layers, full of personality and dynamic acidity, declaring to the world the extraordinary nature of FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya premium coffee beans.

Unique Varietal Characteristics

The unique charm of FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee beans is worth exploring in detail. SL-28 and SL-34 are the contributors to the distinctive dark plum acidity. These two Bourbon varieties have adapted to Kenya's phosphorus-rich soil. The scientific community once debated the causes of the unique dark plum acidity in Kenya coffee beans. In 1930, Kenya's unique varieties SL28 and SL34, cultivated and named by "Scott Laboratories," were born in this favorable environment. According to SL laboratory botanists, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 has mixed heritage from French missionaries, Mocha, and Yemeni Typica. The original goal of cultivating SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with disease and pest resistance. Although SL28's later production volume didn't meet expectations, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped coffee beans offer wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex flavors, along with prominent citrus and dark plum characteristics. SL34 is similar in flavor to SL28, but besides complex acidity and wonderful sweet finish, it has a heavier, richer, and cleaner mouthfeel than SL28.

Processing and Grading

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya premium coffee beans are primarily washed processed, resulting in clean and bright flavors with more prominent acidity. Among them, AA Top (AA Estate) shows the best performance, followed in order by AA Plus, AA FAQ (Fair Average Quality), AB Top (AB Estate), AB Plus, AB FAQ, and PB (PeaBerry). All these grades of coffee perform above standard and are worthy of careful tasting.

Roasting and Brewing Characteristics

The equator passing through highland rainforests creates the excellent acidity of FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee beans. At light to medium roast (Agtron 65-58), it displays incredible natural acidity. A sip makes saliva flow freely, most making acid-lovers cheer Bravo! Once entering Agtron 55 or below, the acidity gradually settles and thickens, while rich caramel aroma emerges with roasting. Perfect acidity and sweetness, both intense and harmonious. Espresso with fresh milk bursts with nutty aroma; with hot water, it opens up layers, rich and diverse.

Flavor Description

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee beans feature a unique dark plum wine-like mouthfeel with blackcurrant-like aftertaste. Notes include blackberry, physalis, lemonade, orange honey aroma; lemon tomato, purple grapes, white peach flavors; delicate sweet and sour; smooth mouthfeel.

Brewing Recommendations for FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Coffee Beans

Recommended brewing methods: Siphon, pour-over

Grind size: 3.5 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 91°C

V60 parameters: 15g coffee, water temperature 95°C, grind 3.5, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15

Bloom: 30g water for 30s bloom time

Pouring stages: Pour water to 110ml, stop water, then slowly pour to 225ml

Ratio: 30-110-85

Specific pour-over method for FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya coffee beans: 15g coffee, medium-fine grind (small Fuji ghost tooth grinder 3.5), V60 dripper, 90-91°C water temperature. First pour 30g water for 30s bloom, pour to 110g then stop, wait until the coffee bed drops to half level before continuing to pour, slowly pour until reaching 225g, discard the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:12.

Other Drip Extraction Recommendations:

French press: Recommend grind size 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C

AeroPress: Recommend grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

Siphon: Grind size 4, water temperature 91°C

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473