What Grade is Kenya (Benvar) Benvar Estate Coffee Bean? How to Pour Over [Kenya Benvar]

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What Grade is Kenya (Benvar) Estate Coffee Bean? How to Pour Over Kenya Benvar Washed Bean Without Excessive Acidity?

Located in East Africa below the equator, Kenya cultivates high-quality Arabica coffee beans. The coffee beans have thick, round flesh and are classified into seven grades based on size, with flavors divided into six grade specifications from top to bottom. In tasting evaluations, "Kenya AA" receives high praise and recognition for its slightly acidic, rich aroma, making it very popular among Europeans, especially in Britain where Kenyan coffee surpasses Costa Rican coffee to become one of the most popular coffees.

The government-managed auction system follows a grading system based on "particle size," weight, and shape appearance, which serves as the primary basis for auction pricing.

Kenya Official Green Bean Grading System:

E Grade (Elephant Bean):

This is Kenya's largest coffee bean grade, above 18 screen (18/64"), also known as elephant beans. Their quantity is very rare, and this grade is almost never seen in the Taiwanese market.

AA Grade:

Particle size (Screen Size) between 17-18 screen (7.20mm sieve)

AB Grade:

Particle size (Screen Size) between 15-16 screen (6.8mm-6.2mm sieve), accounting for the majority of production and the most common green bean grade.

PB Grade:

Round green beans, accounting for approximately 10% of all coffee beans.

C Grade:

Particle size (Screen Size) between 12-14 screen (4.8mm-5.6mm sieve)

TT Grade:

Lighter green beans blown out from AA and AB grade beans using air classifiers, indicating soft beans that don't meet hardness standards.

T Grade:

Particle size (Screen Size) below 12 screen (4.8mm sieve). These are lighter beans blown out from C grade beans using air classifiers, indicating soft beans that don't meet hardness standards, are small particles, and contain some broken and defective beans.

MH/ML Grade:

Unwashed beans that haven't been sorted, fallen beans after harvest, accounting for approximately 7% of all coffee beans. This belongs to the lowest grade beans, supplied only to Kenya's domestic market.

In addition to the above Kenyan national official grading system, private companies, Kenyan exporters, or green bean traders have added private special grading (not officially recognized by Kenya) for AA and AB grade coffee beans. Common ones include: AA TOP, AA+ (plus), AA++ (double plus), AB+ (plus), and AA FAQ.

"FAQ" is the abbreviation for "Fair Average Quality," meaning "average fair quality," which is an average standard quality and the basic model of AA grade.

AB+ (plus):

Although this grade has smaller particles than AA grade, it accounts for the highest ratio of a coffee tree. When graded by fruit, the largest particles naturally have the highest price. Slightly smaller than the largest particles, the flavor isn't necessarily worse - conclusions must be based on cupping results. AB grade with plus (+) added: for the same beans, because of human factors, Company A and Company B have different standards, so different results will occur. After all, there's no unified grading standard for this grade, so adding plus (+) would naturally be more attractive.

AA+ (plus) & AA++ (double plus):

The issue of AA grade with plus (+) or ++ (double plus) added: for the same beans, because of human factors, Company A and Company B have different standards, so different results will occur. After all, there's no unified grading standard for this grade. Coffee flavor cupping results have no standard for grading AA+ (plus) or AA++ (double plus), and can only be used as reference. Everything must return to doing your own cupping.

AA TOP:

Like the AA+ (plus) & AA++ (double plus) issue, grading is based on cupping results. This is currently not an official Kenyan national grading standard. Exporters grade and add this themselves, inevitably considering commercial behavior factors, so it can only be used as reference. Everything must return to your own roasting and cupping to be correct and practical.

Kenya is a model country for producing excellent coffee beans. Kenya's high-altitude Arabica washed beans are among the world's top coffee beans. Most coffee beans are uniformly graded and inspected by the Kenya Coffee Board and then sold at auction. The Kenya Coffee Board is strict about coffee research, development, and quality management. Through an excellent auction system, coffee bean prices are increased to help poor coffee farmers. Through agricultural education, farmers' cultivation techniques are continuously updated and improved to further produce better coffee. These coffee bags marked with [AA] indicate top-quality beans. Kenyan coffee bean quality and price are proportional and very stable. High-quality Kenyan coffee with blackberry fruit aroma has very limited production. These coffee beans originate from excellent coffee estates established by foreign companies in Kenya or excellent coffee estates acquired by Kenyan companies, making them targets for many coffee bean merchants.

Benvar Estate is a high-mountain farm located in southeastern Kenya. It's a small coffee farm with low production. Coffee grows on volcanic slopes at altitudes exceeding 5,000 feet, with only about 50-70 bags of production per season. After farmers harvest coffee, it's sent to government-built washing stations for unified processing to ensure Kenyan coffee quality. The entire process is strictly monitored by the Kenya Coffee Board. This time, we've introduced Kenya Benvar Estate coffee beans, grade (AA TOP), with defect beans manually selected to approximately 4%. Roasted to light roast (city), the coffee bean weight loss ratio is 13%, with empty shell and defective beans accounting for 8%. When roasted to the drying stage, the berry acidity is low and steady but has obvious berry sweetness. Green beans expand about 2/3 from roasting to completion, showing that the coffee beans are fresh with higher moisture content from the current season (Broger has comparison photos). Therefore, it's necessary to appropriately extend the dehydration and drying time to allow the coffee to heat evenly, then use a lower temperature rise curve to enter first crack to preserve more aroma and sweetness while reducing acidity and astringency.

Benvar Estate beans expand about 2/3 after roasting, which is an ideal expansion ratio representing normal moisture content for this batch of coffee.

Light Roast City (fragrant): After grinding, the dry aroma has spicy condiment heat. When brewed, the citrus acidity isn't strong - it's a low-profile, elegant, and steady acidity. Instead, mature yellow-orange aroma comes forward obviously. The acidity gradually strengthens over time and transforms into fruit sweetness. The mouthfeel is complex and layered with some spiciness in the finish. The aftertaste between the cheeks shows long blackberry flavor followed by cool mint aroma. After drinking a sip of plain water, brown sugar sweetness slowly appears.

Friends who don't like Kenyan light roast acidic coffee must dislike the strong acidity that hits you immediately when drinking coffee. However, when you experience acidic coffee and appreciate the perfect transformation of acidity turning into sweetness in the aftertaste, you have perfectly enriched your coffee journey. This fruit acidity will be your clearest and most beautiful memory.

Medium Roast (General B): When slurping, there's green plum aroma above the nose. The wine-like acidity is soft, not strong or bright, appearing exceptionally comfortable in the coffee. It has a gentle, smooth, emulsified mouthfeel. The aftertaste has grape and berry fruit aromas. For friends just starting with light roast Kenyan beans, this roast level is most comfortable and easiest to brew a cup of quality coffee with personal character. It has some altitude and some distance but won't make people feel intimidated.

Dark Roast (General C): After sufficient caramelization, most blackberry acidity recedes. There's layered hazelnut chocolate aroma that's very smooth. When slurping, the aroma overflows. The malt milk candy sweetness is thick but not stiff, with elasticity. After cooling, the throat aftertaste has blueberry acidity and raisin sweetness.

Roasted to even darker levels (Full-City+ or dark), besides Golden Mandheling, this is one of the most suitable coffee beans for dark roasting. The main reason is that both coffee beans have very rich mouthfeel when dark roasted and don't produce bitterness. Chocolate and cocoa aroma and sweetness are the main flavors of Kenyan beans at this roast level. Brewed with espresso machines to make lattes and cappuccinos is very suitable. Adding only fresh milk without sugar or creamer makes it very sweet.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Filter: V60
Water to Coffee Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Small Fuji 3.5
Water Temperature: 91°C
Brewing Method:
Use 30g water to bloom for 30s, slowly inject water with small flow to 120g for segmentation, then slightly increase flow to slowly brew to 225g.
Total Time: 2'15"

Sweetness: ☆☆
Acidity: ☆☆
Bitterness: ☆
Body: ☆☆
Aftertaste: ☆☆

Other Drip Extraction Suggestions:

French Press: recommended grind size 3.5-4 / water temperature 90°C
AeroPress: recommended grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°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