Kenyan Coffee Grade Classification & Brand Recommendations - How Much is Kenyan Coffee?

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Kenyan coffee beans are mostly grown at altitudes of 1,500-2,100 meters, with harvests occurring twice a year. Coffee industry professionals universally regard Kenyan coffee beans as one of their favorite products, because Kenyan coffee embodies every sensation we seek from a good cup of coffee. Kenyan coffee beans gained further fame through the Hollywood film "Out of Africa." Coffee entered Kenya in the 19th century, when Ethiopian coffee beverages were imported to Kenya via South Yemen. However, it wasn't until the early 20th century that Bourbon coffee trees were introduced by the St. Austin Mission.

To ensure only ripe berries are picked, people must patrol the forests approximately 7 times. Kenyan coffee is grown by small-scale farmers who, after harvesting, first send fresh coffee beans to cooperative washing stations. These stations then send the washed and dried coffee in "parchment coffee" state (coffee beans covered with the endocarp) to cooperatives. ("Parchment coffee" is the final state before coffee beans are hulled). All coffee is collected together, and growers command an average price based on their actual quality. This trading method generally works well and is fair to both growers and consumers.

Kenyan Coffee Beans - Current Status

The Kenyan government takes the coffee industry extremely seriously, where cutting or destroying coffee trees is illegal. Buyers of Kenyan coffee beans are all world-class premium coffee buyers, and no other country can continuously cultivate, produce, and sell coffee like Kenya.

All coffee beans are first acquired by the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK), where they undergo certification and grading before being sold at weekly auctions, where they are no longer graded. The Coffee Board of Kenya only acts as an agent, collecting coffee samples and distributing them to buyers to help them determine price and quality. The Nairobi auction is held for private exporters, with the Coffee Board of Kenya paying growers below-market prices.

The best coffee grade is Peaberry (PB), followed by AA++, AA+, AA, AB, and so on, in descending order. Premium coffee has a bright luster, delicious taste, and a slight wine-like aroma. The auction organization is also designed to meet the needs of blenders. These auctions typically involve smaller quantities (3-6 tons per lot), with samples marked with grower identification for buyer evaluation. After auction, exporters package the coffee according to different flavors, qualities, and quantities required by blenders. This provides blenders with maximum flexibility. Quality-conscious Germans and Scandinavians are long-term buyers of Kenyan coffee beans.

Some buyers, particularly Japanese merchants, have expressed dissatisfaction with the Kenyan coffee industry system. Others have stated that the country's coffee quality has declined and suggested that purchasing directly from farmers might be a way to improve quality. Regardless, Kenya's detailed regulations and comprehensive procedures serve as a worthwhile model for all coffee-producing countries.

Kenyan Coffee Beans - Flavor Profile

It possesses a wonderfully satisfying aroma, balanced and pleasant acidity, uniform granules, and excellent fruit flavors. The taste is highly distinctive, with few similar coffees. The characteristic of Kenyan coffee beans is their distinct fruit aroma. Try to find this flavor in the coffee and notice how it feels in your mouth. The most common fruit aroma is citrus. Kenyan coffee beans have multi-layered flavors and juice-like acidity, with perfect grapefruit and wine notes, and moderate body.

Premium Kenyan coffee beans are aromatic, rich, and fruit-flavored, with a rich and perfect mouthfeel. Kenyan coffee beans have a wonderful fruit flavor, tasting like blackberry and grapefruit, making them a favorite among many coffee connoisseurs. This coffee features excellent medium purity, with a crisp and refreshing texture. The flavor is fresh and ideal for making iced coffee in summer. When tasting this coffee, pairing it with acidic fruits like grapefruit will surely provide the best coffee experience. "Not quite like coffee, more like fruit tea" is a common description many people have for this light-roast Kenyan coffee.

In addition to having obvious and charming fruit acidity, because Kenyan coffee beans mostly come from small coffee farmers growing in various different environments, encountering different climates and rainfall each year, they bring various distinctive and unique personalities. Take the AA Plus grade "Kenya AA+ Samburu" as an example: the 2001 Samburu had a rich prune aroma, low acidity, and a thick mouthfeel. The 2002 winter newly harvested Samburu presented completely different flavors - mulberry berries and green plums, accompanied by a slight tropical spice (Spicy) taste. After drinking, the aftertaste has the sweet fragrance of green tea, with acidity slightly higher than the previous year, while the mouthfeel remains rich. Generally common Kenyan coffee is not thick, but has fruit-like bright flavors, some with spice notes, some with red wine aroma.

The coffee is aromatic, rich, and fruit-flavored, with a rich and perfect mouthfeel. Kenyan coffee beans have a wonderful fruit flavor, tasting like blackberry and grapefruit, making them a favorite among many coffee connoisseurs. This coffee features excellent medium purity, with a crisp and refreshing texture. The flavor is fresh and ideal for making iced coffee in summer.

When tasting this coffee, pairing it with acidic fruits like grapefruit will surely provide the best coffee experience. "Not quite like coffee, more like fruit tea" is a common description many people have for this light-roast Kenyan coffee. Each year brings different climates and rainfall, creating various distinctive and unique personalities. Kenyan coffee beans are just like this - full of anticipation and surprises for coffee lovers!

Kenyan Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Kenyan coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value - a 227-gram box costs only 95 yuan. Calculating at 15 grams per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to cafés selling coffee for dozens of yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473