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Kenyan Coffee Grade Classification How to Drink Kenyan Coffee? Characteristics of Kenyan AA Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) Coffee, as a crop from the mountains to the beverage in our hands, roughly goes through five major steps: cultivation, harvesting, processing, roasting, and extraction. All the classifications we see today are basically based on different factors/methods in these steps.

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For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

The Journey of Coffee

Coffee's journey from a mountain crop to the beverage in our hands can be broadly divided into five major steps: planting, harvesting, processing, roasting, and extraction. All the classifications we see today are basically based on different factors/methods in these steps.

Kenyan Coffee: A Model Producer

Kenya is a model country for producing excellent coffee beans. Coffee was introduced from Britain in 1900, and coffee varieties were limited to traditional Arabica until 1950 when the SL28 and SL34 Bourbon varieties—now Kenya's finest—were introduced. All coffee is processed using the washed method and graded using the AA PLUS, AA, AB system, which only differentiates bean size uniformity and does not represent quality differences. Premium altitudes range from 4,200 to 6,800 feet. In 2009-2010, due to global warming and disease effects, production decreased, causing prices to rise. Since then, the continued rise of specialty coffee and Kenya's irreplaceable blackberry flavor has kept premium Kenyan beans at high prices. Kenyan coffee beans are relatively large with high wine-like blackberry acidity. Harvest can occur twice a year, with April-June being the secondary season and October-December being the main harvest season.

Kenya's Coffee Auction System

Most coffee beans are graded and inspected by the Kenya Coffee Board and then sold at auction. The public auction system dates back to before 1934. The auction method employs an agent system, with Kenya having 50 licensed agents who send sample beans to their respective clients for cupping. Clients can bid on their favorite coffees through agents at the auction. However, this approach seems to encourage middle agents to erode farmers' income. Therefore, in 2006, Kenya opened up 32 independent sales agents who could directly contact foreign coffee buyers without going through auctions. However, all these must meet the Kenya Coffee Board's standards for quality, storage, and bank guarantees to be sold. Both systems operate in parallel, and after years of development, it has become the most transparent auction distribution system. Better quality coffee can achieve better prices through cupping, encouraging more cooperatives and farms to join. However, I feel the latter method allows direct contact with farmers to obtain first-hand information.

Kenyan Coffee Grade Classification

E (Elephant)

E refers to "Elephant," but not to the Elephant bean variety. Generally, one coffee fruit contains two seeds that grow face-to-face, creating one flat side, called flat beans, mother beans, or twin beans. E occurs when two seeds fuse together during growth, becoming oversized beans. They are rare and occur as natural mutations.

AA

The sieve hole size is approximately 7.20 millimeters, and this grade commands a better price.

AB

A's filter hole size is 6.80 millimeters, while B's is 6.20 millimeters. These two are mixed together for sale, hence called AB. Most coffee beans from a single harvest will concentrate in this grade.

PB (Peaberry)

In English called Peaberry, in Taiwan mostly called small round beans, or male beans, single瓣 beans, relative to ordinary flat beans. Very rare because only one seed develops fully inside the fruit, resulting in small, round beans. There is no consensus on the impact on flavor, but some people particularly like them, so PB beans are sorted out for sale.

C

Hole size between 4.8–5.6 millimeters, considered small-sized beans.

TT

Usually defective beans fall into this grade. Sad face.

T

At this grade, usually only fragments, defective beans, and small beans below 4.8 millimeters remain.

MH/ML

Overripe beans that fell on the ground and other very poor quality beans are not exported.

Additional Grade Classifications

Commonly seen AA+, AA++, AA Top, AB+ are classifications by traders themselves, not within Kenya's official system. Different traders have different definitions, so these are just for reference.

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenyan AA Selection

FrontStreet Coffee also has Kenyan AA beans, including Kenya Asali and Karogoto, both of which are Kenyan AA. The recommended pour-over parameters are 90-92°C water temperature, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, and a brewing time of two minutes and twenty seconds. The entry offers bright cherry tomato acidity and honey-like sweetness.

About FrontStreet Coffee

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