Washed vs Natural Kenyan Coffee Beans: How to Enjoy Different Processing Methods

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Kenya Coffee Bean Hania Estate French Mission Bourbon Natural Process

Natural Process Introduction

This Kenya coffee bean is processed using the natural method. During the refined natural processing, the already rich and varied acidic Bourbon coffee gains body and sweetness. This natural batch is limited in quantity and is a coffee that completely depends on natural climate conditions.

Natural Kenya Coffee Bean Roasting Analysis

The bean density is medium. Roast with medium heat, climbing gradually. The beans heat up quickly during roasting, so we need to reduce the heat at 150°C, 160°C, and 170°C to extend the Maillard reaction time while avoiding the beans heating up too rapidly. First crack starts around 8 minutes 15 seconds at 186°C. Simultaneously reduce heat and open the air damper fully to develop flavors. Drop the beans at 194°C after 2 minutes.

Roaster: Yangjia 600g semi-direct flame (roasting amount 300g).

Preheat the roaster to 170°C before loading, air damper set to 3. Start firing after 30 seconds, heat adjusted to 140, air damper unchanged. Return temperature point at 1'28'', maintain heat, reduce heat to 110 at 140°C, air damper opened to 4. Yellowing at 4'20', grassy smell disappears, entering dehydration phase, heat reduced to 90, air damper maintained at 4. Heat reduced again to 90, 70, and 50 at 150°C, 160°C, and 170°C respectively.

Dehydration completed at 7'50, wrinkles and black spots appear on bean surface, toast aroma turns to coffee aroma, signaling the prelude to first crack. Pay attention to listen for first crack sounds. First crack begins at 8'13'', air damper fully opened to 5, heat adjusted to 30 simultaneously. Development time after first crack is 2 minutes, dropping at 194°C.

This coffee has good flavor, but the defect rate is relatively high. Please sort carefully before roasting. The dry aroma has natural fermentation, dried fruit, and vanilla notes. When cupping, you can taste caramel, vanilla, mixed fruits, with a substantial juicy mouthfeel. The aftertaste has berries, rich jackfruit, and coffee flower notes. The overall expression shows wild African regional flavors, suitable for small sips to slowly savor. The complex aroma is hard to resist!

Natural Kenya Coffee Bean Brewing Data

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Grind size: 3.5 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 90-91°C

V60 dripper, 15g coffee, grind 3.5, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15.

30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s.

Pouring stages: Pour to 120ml, pause, then slowly pour to 225ml.

That is 30-120-75, total extraction time around 2 minutes.

Other drip-style extraction suggestions:

French press: recommended grind 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C.

AeroPress: recommended grind 2.5, water temperature 90°C.

Pour-over: grind 3.5, water temperature 91°C.

Grind 3.5 - 90°C water temperature.

Washed Kenya Coffee Bean AA Karogoto

Kenya Coffee Bean Washed Processing Method

The "Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed processing method" originated in Kenya and adopts a cyclic repeated processing method of fermentation followed by washing. Processing begins on the harvest day, selecting the highest quality cherries for pulping and fermentation, with fermentation time of 24 hours, then washing with clean river water after 24 hours.

Next, ferment again with clean river water for 24 hours, then wash again. After repeating this cycle 3 times to reach 72 hours, it's called the Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, abbreviated as "K72."

Kenya coffee bean washing tanks have two levels, high and low. The process is: in the evening, first sort the harvested coffee cherries to remove defects, remove the pulp, then put the sticky parchment beans with most mucilage removed into the lower clean water tank for secondary fermentation. Then refresh the circulating water every few hours to prevent mold growth. Then transfer to washing channels to remove remaining mucilage.

No wonder Kenya coffee beans taste so refined and delicate with such labor-intensive and water-consuming processing.

Washed Kenya Coffee Bean Green Bean Analysis

Kenya coffee grades are divided into seven levels based on bean size, and six grades based on taste quality from top to bottom. The best Kenya coffee grade is Peaberry (PB), followed by AA++, AA+, AA, AB, etc., in sequence. Premium coffee has bright gloss, delicious taste with a slight wine aroma. "Kenya AA" is particularly well-regarded for its flavor.

Kenya's green bean grading is also based on bean size:

The best Kenya coffee grade is Peaberry (PB), followed by AA, AB, etc., in sequence.

PB (Peaberry): This grade is for small round beans. This refers to coffee cherries that grow only one bean instead of the usual two beans.

E: "Elephant beans," oversized with relatively small production.

AA: This is a more common grade, with larger coffee beans, particle size above 18 mesh or 7.22mm. These beans usually command the highest prices.

AB: This grade combines A (particle size 16 mesh or 6.80mm) and B (particle size 15 mesh or 6.20mm); accounts for about 30% of Kenya's annual coffee production.

C: This grade is below AB, rarely seen in high-quality coffee.

TT: Lower grade, mostly containing small beans removed from AA, AB, and E grades. If screened by density, the lightest beans are usually TT grade.

T: The lowest grade, usually consisting of coffee fragments and broken beans.

MH|ML: These abbreviations represent Mbuni Heavy and Mbuni Light. Mbuni means naturally processed coffee beans. These beans are considered lower quality, usually containing immature or overripe coffee beans, and sell at quite low prices. This grade accounts for about 7% of Kenya's annual coffee production.

Varieties

Kenya coffee bean varieties: Two varieties in Kenya particularly attract specialty coffee industry attention: SL-28 and SL-34. These are two of 40 experimental varieties from a research program led by Guy Gibson at Scott Laboratories, though these varieties are susceptible to leaf rust.

Bourbon variants (SL-28) and (SL-34) have always been consistent winners at expert cuppings and Nairobi auctions. It's expert consensus that Kenya's berry aroma comes from these two beans—especially (SL-28). But while their flavor is excellent, their productivity and disease resistance are poor.

Kenya has made great efforts in developing varieties resistant to leaf rust.

Ruiru11 was the first variety recognized as successful by the Kenya Coffee Committee, even though specialty coffee buyers have been lukewarm toward this variety. In recent years, the Coffee Committee introduced another variety called Batian. Quality seems to have improved, and many are optimistic about its future cupping performance.

Washed Kenya Coffee Bean Roasting Analysis

The one on the left is Kenya SL28.

The first one is from the Nyeri region, washed processing, varieties SL28 and SL34.

Grade is AA:

AA refers to green bean particle size: generally not passing through an 18 sieve (sieve holes are 7.22mm).

Roasting process as follows:

Roaster: Yangjia 600g semi-direct flame.

Bean amount: 300g.

Return temperature point: 1 minute 28 seconds, 101.8°C.

Yellowing point: 5 minutes 46 seconds, 151.2°C.

First crack: 8 minutes 21 seconds, 175.3°C.

Drop: 9 minutes 51 seconds, 186.7°C.

Dropped during intense first crack.

Roast degree: Medium-light roast.

Cupping 12 hours after roasting: Clean and fresh black plum entrance, nectarine acidity, good transparency. When temperature drops, acidity carries corn sweetness, overall very refreshing.

This green bean's hardness is not very high, so I also chose medium-low loading temperature. After return temperature point, increased heat and opened air damper to maximum to enhance its transparency. The chosen roast degree is also on the lighter side.

From the green bean appearance, you can easily see the difference between AA and PB. PB (peaberry): what we commonly call small round beans. Generally, one coffee cherry consists of two coffee beans, while round beans have only one bean in one cherry.

Roasting process as follows:

Roaster: Yangjia 600g semi-direct flame.

Bean amount: 550g.

Return temperature point: 1 minute 38 seconds, 102.0°C.

Yellowing point: 5 minutes 11 seconds, 151.6°C.

First crack: 8 minutes 00 seconds, 179.9°C.

Drop: 10 minutes 10 seconds, 189.3°C.

Dropped at the end of first crack.

Roast degree: Light-medium roast.

Cupping 12 hours after roasting: Strong, round cherry fruit acidity entrance, rich sweet and juicy sensation, brown sugar sweetness in aftertaste.

Washed Kenya Coffee Bean Brewing Analysis

Recommended brewing methods: Siphon, pour-over

Grind size: 3.5 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 91°C

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

30g water for bloom, bloom time 30s.

Pouring stages: Pour to 110ml, pause, then slowly pour to 225ml.

That is 30-110-85.

Specific pour-over for [Kenya AA] Karogoto: 15g coffee, medium-fine grind (small Fuji ghost tooth grinder 3.5), V60 dripper, 90-91°C water temperature. First pour 30g water, bloom for 30s, pour to 110g then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half before pouring again. Slowly pour until 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:12.

Other drip-style extraction suggestions:

French press: recommended grind 3.5-4, water temperature 90°C.

AeroPress: recommended grind 2.5, water temperature 88°C.

Siphon: grind 4, water temperature 91°C.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473