Is Kenyan AA Coffee Expensive? An Introduction to Kenyan Coffee Processing Methods

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Kenyan Coffee Beans

Kenyan coffee beans have numerous followers in the specialty coffee world, with Kenyan AA coffee beans enjoying exceptional popularity.

Known as the "Connoisseurs' Cup," Kenyan coffee beans are renowned in the coffee world for their rich and abundant aroma, bright and vibrant acidity, full and elegant body, and wine-like flavors. Coffee beans from different regions possess subtle flavor variations due to microclimate differences.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Varieties

Bourbon was initially brought to Kenya for cultivation. In the 1950s, the agricultural research institution Scott Laboratory, through relentless efforts, selected and bred two excellent hybrid varieties: SL-28 and SL-34, overturning the long-standing prejudice that artificially selected varieties couldn't match natural ones. SL-28 and SL-34 helped Kenyan coffee form its unique flavor characteristics, establishing a perfect reputation in the coffee world.

According to botanists at the SL Laboratory, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 possesses mixed lineage from French Mission, 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 yields weren't as high as expected, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped coffee beans offer wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, variable flavors, along with prominent citrus and black plum characteristics. Meanwhile, SL34 has flavors similar to SL28, but besides complex and variable acidity and wonderful sweet finish, it has a heavier, richer, and cleaner body than SL28. SL34 possesses lineage from French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it's better adapted to sudden heavy rainfall. It is these two important varieties that lead us to understand the unique Kenyan coffee bean style: intense and rich fruit acidity, full body, and beautiful balance.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Growing Regions

Kenyan coffee bean growing regions are mainly concentrated in the highland areas represented by Mount Kenya. The tropical climate and acidic red volcanic soil provide a naturally suitable growing environment for coffee. The seven most famous regions include Nyeri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Ruiru, Murang'a, and the western side of Mount Kenya, with major production areas like Nyeri and Ruiru in the central region.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Processing

Large farms typically have independent processing facilities. Numerous small farmers usually hand-pick ripe coffee cherries themselves. Coffee picking is labor-intensive work, requiring the entire family to help during harvest season, sometimes even needing to hire workers. The picked fresh coffee cherries need to be promptly transported to cooperative-owned coffee processing factories for pulping, with transportation possibly being ox carts, pickup trucks, or lorries. After pulping, the parchment coffee is briefly stored at the cooperative's processing plant before being sent to privately owned factories for hulling.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Grades

Kenya is a renowned origin that grades coffee beans by size. Typically divided into nine grades, based on bean shape, there's PB (Peaberry, accounting for about 10% of total production), and additionally by size: E (Elephant), AA, AB, C, T, TT, MH, ML. The best coffee grade is the peaberry coffee PB, followed by AA++, AA+, AA, AB, etc., in descending order.

Typical Kenyan coffee bean classification is as follows:

1) Common Classification:

Hand-picked coffee cherries, after manual selection to remove defects such as unripe and overripe fruits, are pulped, fermented for about 36 hours, then sun-dried on metal mesh racks. After processing at the factory to remove the parchment, they become charming Kenyan green beans with a blue-green appearance.

These beautiful green beans are graded according to size, shape, and weight:

E: Kenya E, Elephant bean, 18 screen or above (including peaberries)

AA: Kenya AA, 17-18 screen

AB: Kenya AB, 15-16 screen, a mix of Grade A and Grade B

TT: Light beans separated from AA and AB by air classifier

PB: Kenya PB, 15 screen and above, peaberries

C: 12-14 screen, and light beans from PB separated by air classifier

T: Below 12 screen, with more defective beans, broken beans, and light beans

HE: Above grades become HE (Hulled Ears)

2) Ungraded:

Green beans not processed through official standard grading are UG (ungraded)

E, AA, AB, PB → UG1

C, TT, T, HE → UG2

(Note: 17 screen (6.8mm) and above is Grade A, 16 screen (6.3mm) and above is Grade B. 18 screen = 18/64 inch, 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters)

Taste Profile

Kenyan coffee beans possess an irresistible aroma. The best Kenyan coffees have intense fruit acidity, reminiscent of ripe blackcurrant, citrus, or cherry. Meanwhile, Kenyan coffee has strong berry aromas, like blueberry, often with rosehip, passion fruit, and floral-like scents. It tastes with blackberry and grapefruit flavors, making it a favorite among many coffee connoisseurs.

This coffee features excellent medium purity with a crisp and refreshing mouthfeel. Its flavor is fresh and most suitable for making iced coffee in summer. When tasting this coffee, pairing it with acidic fruits like grapefruit will surely give you the best coffee experience.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Kenyan coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer exceptional 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 tens of yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473