How to drink Mission Bourbon coffee? What is Mission Bourbon? Mission Bourbon

Arabica Coffee Varieties

Arabica coffee varieties evolved through repeated mutation and cross-breeding, producing many cultivars such as Typica, Geisha, Bourbon, and Caturra. Bourbon is one of the original old-tree varieties of Arabica and one of the oldest coffee varieties still grown. It has low disease resistance and consequently low yields, cropping only once every two years, yet its flavor is unique and its beans small and round.

Kenyan Coffee Classification

Kenyan coffee is divided into 7 grades, with AA the highest, grown at altitudes above 1,500 meters.

Kenyan Coffee Varieties

When it comes to Kenyan varieties, the three main types are SL28, SL34, and French Mission Bourbon.

SL28 and SL34 Varieties

Kenya's "SL28" and "SL34" are direct descendants of Bourbon, selected and cultivated by French and British missionaries and researchers in Kenya in the early 20th century. Over the past century they have adapted to Kenya's high-phosphate soil, nurturing the characteristic acidic fragrance that defines Kenyan coffee. Kenya's premium coffees come from these two varieties, but when transplanted elsewhere they lose their distinctive character.

French Mission Bourbon

As for why it is called French Mission Bourbon, it is because French missionaries first brought Bourbon coffee beans from the Gulf of Aden in Yemen to East Africa for cultivation. Original Bourbon coffee is therefore still grown in Kenya today.

Most Kenyan varieties today are improved descendants of the original Bourbon SL28 and SL34, while French Mission coffee is the original, unimproved Bourbon. In 1892, French missionaries brought Bourbon coffee to Kenya for cultivation. During the growing process they avoided scientific improvement, preserving the most original flavor of Bourbon.

Kenyan Coffee Grading

Kenyan coffee is graded by bean size, with three common grades: AA, AB, and PB. AA beans are sizes 17 and 18 mesh; AB beans are sizes 15 and 16 mesh; and PB stands for peaberry. Generally a coffee fruit contains two beans, while a peaberry occurs when only one seed develops inside the cherry, resulting in a smaller, rounder bean. Although the grades differ, this says nothing about flavor quality, only about bean size.

Processing Methods

Everyone knows Kenyan coffee is predominantly washed. Natural processing is a completely new attempt in Kenya. Here the overall traditional citrus acidity is subdued by fermented wine notes, which emerge only later, while the rich chocolate mellowness remains, with a silky-smooth mouthfeel.

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenyan Natural

Natural processing is a relatively traditional method, though rarely seen in Kenya. Combining this traditional method with French Mission Bourbon, an ancient Kenyan variety, is quite rare. FrontStreet Coffee's natural-processed Kenya Hania is a French Mission Bourbon from the Hania Estate, named after the river that flows through it. The local soil is deep red, fertile volcanic soil. The Harries family has grown coffee for nearly a century, and their rich cultivation experience, combined with terroir ideally suited to coffee, has consistently produced excellent flavor. Beyond running a sustainable coffee business, the estate owner also gives back to the local community, donating more than 50 mu of land to the Thika Municipal Government and the Wabeni Technical Research Institution to teach practical livelihood skills to children from impoverished families and improve local living conditions.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests the following Hania brewing parameters:

V60 / 1:15 / 90°C / 2 minutes.

Notes: plum, lemon, brown-sugar sweetness, and overall balance.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee is a roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but a diverse lineup of beans, where you can find both famous and lesser-known lots, along with online store services.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The Bourbon family that gave rise to French Mission Bourbon, SL28, and SL34 is one branch of a much wider Arabica lineage, and exploring that lineage side by side is one of the great pleasures of coffee. For a variety comparison that shows how dramatically genetics shape flavor, FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Boquete Geisha is a fine entry point: grown in Panama's most representative specialty region and washed processed, it clearly delivers Geisha's signature orange-blossom honey with a delicate, layered fruit acidity and an oolong-tea character at a friendly price.

To go further, FrontStreet Coffee's Esmeralda Estate Red Label ("Esmeralda Special") grows at 1,600-1,800 meters and cups above 90 points in every lot, each with its own single-plot lot number, while the Green Label ("Private Collection") blends several plots for a more affordable take on the estate's high-altitude Geisha profile. Where Kenya's French Mission Bourbon offers deep, structured fruit, these Geishas show the fragrant, floral end of the same Arabica family, and tasting both makes the role of variety and terroir unmistakable.