Kenyan Coffee Bean Flavors | Kenyan Coffee Grade Classification System | Kenyan Coffee

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Kenya, located in East Africa near the equator, grows high-quality Arabica coffee beans. The coffee beans are thick and round in flesh, graded into seven levels based on size, with taste divided into six grade specifications from top to bottom. Among the coffee tasting recommendations, "Kenya AA" is highly acclaimed and respected, with a slightly acidic and rich flavor, very popular among Europeans, especially in the UK, where Kenyan coffee has surpassed Costa Rican coffee to become one of the most popular coffees.

Kenyan Coffee Varieties

In the professional coffee field, when mentioning Kenya, SL34 and SL28 cannot be overlooked. This is Kenya's unique naming system. Since the 1930s, the Kenyan government has collaborated with the internationally renowned Scott Laboratory (abbreviated as SL) to develop a series of variety improvement programs, improving varieties from the French Mission Bourbon from Tanzania and Mocha from Yemen, hoping to cultivate drought-resistant, high-yield varieties. Although varieties #28 and #34 had minimal yields, they were particularly adapted to Kenya's special high-altitude climate (low temperatures, long droughts, heavy rains) and developed strong, rich special flavors, eventually becoming the Kenyan coffee known to the world.

Kenyan Coffee Production System

Kenya's specialty coffee industry differs from the norm, mostly combining small farmers, wet processing mills, and cooperatives. Farmers deliver harvested coffee cherries to nearby processing mills or cooperatives in the shortest possible time. Meanwhile, cooperatives also regularly dispatch personnel to guide local farmers, ensuring that each producer has professional cultivation techniques to maintain coffee quality.

Kenyan Coffee Grading System

Kenya's green coffee bean grading system was established by the government to coordinate quality management and guide coffee farmers. Based on standards of particle size, weight, and shape appearance, it's divided into: AA, AB, PB, C, TT, T, E, MH, ML, among which AA and PB are specialty coffee green beans with low defect ratios and unique flavors.

Kenyan Coffee Grade Classifications

E - Refers to "Elephant," but not to the elephant bean variety in the species. Generally, one fruit contains two seeds, facing each other, so one side is flat, called flat beans, female beans, or double-halved beans. E refers to two seeds that merge and stick together during growth, becoming extra-large beans. Rare quantity, a naturally occurring mutation.

AA - The sieve mesh holes are approximately 7.20 millimeters. This grade has a better price.

AB - The filter hole size for A is 6.80 millimeters, while B is 6.20 millimeters. These two are mixed together for sale, hence called AB. In a single harvest, most coffee beans concentrate in this grade.

PB - Called Peaberry in English, mostly referred to as small round beans in Taiwan, or male beans, single-petal beans, as opposed to regular flat beans. Very rare because only one seed develops completely inside the fruit, resulting in small, round beans. There's no consensus on the impact on flavor, but some people particularly like it, so PB beans are selected and sold separately.

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

TT - Usually defective beans fall into this grade. Sad face.

T - By this grade, usually only fragments, defective beans, and small particle beans below 4.8 millimeters remain.

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

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

FrontStreet Coffee also has Kenya AA beans, Kenya Asali and Karogoto are both Kenya AA. Recommended pour-over parameters are 90-92°C, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, and brewing time of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. The first sip reveals bright cherry tomato acidity with honey-like sweetness.

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

Important Notice :

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