How to Drink Kenyan Coffee - How is Kenyan Coffee Graded? How to Brew Kenyan Coffee

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Kenya coffee is most famous for its irresistible acidic aroma and taste. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce Kenya coffee to everyone!

Kenya: The Coffee Powerhouse of East Africa

The African region has always been one of the world's finest coffee-producing areas, known globally for its captivating acidity and aroma. Kenya is certainly no exception. Kenya is a coffee powerhouse in East Africa and one of the extremely important and irreplaceable producing countries, located adjacent to the world's coffee birthplace, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Coffee farmers are generally well-educated, learning sophisticated agriculture and cultivating premium coffee. Kenya's coffee producers are mainly divided into two major types: the first type is large estates, and the second type is so-called "small farmers." However, whether they are large coffee estates or small farmers, the coffee beans they produce undergo refined processing, and the vast majority are sent to the official Kenya Coffee Board for unified grading and authentication.

The Coffee Board first sends raw bean samples of collected coffee beans awaiting auction to interested buyers for tasting, and holds competitive bidding auctions every Tuesday at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. Through a transparent auction mechanism, and the parallel system of official sales agents and independent sales agents, foreign buyers can also directly negotiate with producers to purchase coffee without going through the official auction bureau. Therefore, the hard work of producers can receive more fair and equal feedback, without being exploited by middlemen for most of the profits. Because of this, coffee farmers are more willing to work hard to produce high-quality coffee beans in order to sell them at good prices.

The Exceptional Quality of Kenya Coffee

Whenever discussing coffee production, Kenya has always had an excellent reputation for quality. This may be related to its geographical location, after all, it's close to the origin of coffee beans. Since coffee beans traveled from Ethiopia through mountain ranges to Kenya, Kenya has already become one of the leaders in the coffee industry. Coffee beans produced in high-altitude terrain generally have richer body, more outstanding flavor, and pleasant acidity. The aroma also subtly reveals floral fragrance, while the aftertaste contains both lemon-berry and wine-like flavors.

Kenya's Premier Coffee Varieties

Kenya's main varieties are SL28 and SL34, cultivated and named by "Scott Laboratories" in 1930. According to SL laboratory botanists, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 has mixed lineage of French Mission, Mocha, and Yemen Typica. The original goal of cultivating SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with resistance to pests and diseases. Although SL28's later production was not as large as expected, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped beans have wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, varied flavors, as well as significant citrus and dark plum characteristics. Meanwhile, SL34 has similar flavors to SL28, but besides the complex, varied acidity and wonderful sweet finish, its body is heavier and richer than SL28, and cleaner. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it's more adaptable to sudden heavy rains. It is these two important varieties that lead us to understand unique Kenya coffee beans. And these varieties can all be found at FrontStreet Coffee!

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests Kenya coffee brewing parameters:

V60/91-92℃/1:15/Two minutes

Flavor Profile

Rich cherry tomato aroma, sugarcane sweetness

The Evolving Perception of Coffee Acidity

In recent years, the population of coffee lovers has grown, and people have become increasingly discerning about coffee's taste, aroma, and other aspects. In the past, we must have often heard the older generation say things like: "Coffee must never be acidic!" "If coffee is acidic, it's inferior coffee!" Of course, looking back from today's perspective, the notion that "acidic coffee = inferior coffee" has long been unrealistic and incorrect. Instead, more and more coffee enthusiasts have begun to prefer coffee with acidity, even becoming inseparable from acidic coffee, with female groups showing higher acceptance of acidity. Of course, this may also be due to temporal and spatial factors, as early coffee refining techniques were not as advanced as modern ones, sources were not transparent enough, and perhaps coffee with poor flavor and unsorted beans was mixed in and roasted to medium-light levels, making bad flavors easier to taste clearly. In recent years, the prevalence of specialty coffee has begun to drive the simple appreciation of black coffee taste, and there's increasing emphasis on the coffee's inherent sour, fragrant, sweet, and mellow flavors. The term "acidic coffee" has instead begun to represent an understanding of coffee appreciation!

Kenya Coffee Grading System

Kenya's coffee grading system uses AA-Plus (AA+), AA, and AB to distinguish differences. This grading method refers to the uniformity of coffee bean size, rather than the quality of the coffee. High-quality Kenya coffee beans are generally grown at altitudes between 4,200-6,800 feet (approximately 1,300-2,100 meters).

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473