Kenya Aberdare Region | Murang'a Town Kahindu Kasiondo Estate AA Grade Washed SL28/SL34

Kenya Aberdare Region | Muranga Town Kahindu Kachondo Estate AA Grade Washed SL28/SL34 Flavor Profile

No country in the world places as much emphasis on producing high-quality coffee as Kenya does. Therefore, Kenya can be called the best model student among world coffee-producing nations, because all Kenyan coffee must be handed over to the government-established Kenya Coffee Board for unified procurement and cupping grading after harvest. Every Tuesday, official public auctions are held at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange in the capital.

Kachondo (kahindu) Estate is located in Muranga Town, 80 kilometers north of the capital Nairobi, close to the Nakuru production area and belongs to the centralized coffee growing region of the Kenya Mountains. The harvested coffee cherries undergo depulping, followed by a two-stage washed fermentation process, and finally are washed with clean water to remove surface mucilage before being dried on raised beds (the above process is also known as "Kenyan washed method," a quite complex yet delicate green bean processing technique local to the area). To allow the coffee beans to fully develop during the entire washed processing, they increase the fermentation time and extend the green bean drying period, thus developing special flavors different from traditional Kenyan coffee.

Kenya has always enjoyed an excellent reputation in terms of 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 at high altitudes generally have a mellow consistency, outstanding flavor profiles, and pleasant acidity. The aroma also subtly reveals floral fragrances, with aftertastes featuring both lemon-berry and wine-like characteristics.

Kenya Coffee Grades

Kenyan coffee has a unique domestic grading system that measures bean size, weight, and shape. Grades are generally divided into AA, AB, PB, C, E, TT, and T. Bean size is an important grading criterion because larger beans indicate more aroma and richer flavor, both of which are conditions valued by coffee enthusiasts. If two beans have identical conditions except for size difference, the larger bean will always be of higher quality.

If readers are looking for a cup of rich African-produced coffee, Kenyan coffee will surely exceed your expectations.

Kenya Coffee Quality

Kenyan Arabica grows in volcanic soil at altitudes between 1400 and 2000 meters. This high altitude creates outstanding coffee flavors with higher acidity. The taste is rich, with wine-like aftertastes and notes of citrus and berries.

On the other hand, fierce competition among farmers is also one of the factors contributing to high quality. Every week in Kenya's capital - Nairobi - coffee public auctions are held. During these lively events, farmers with high-quality coffee beans naturally earn substantial profits, repeatedly driving the progress of the coffee industry. Even international coffee buyers make special trips to Nairobi to purchase, subsequently distributing to coffee sales points worldwide.

Since coffee beans were introduced in 1893, Kenya's coffee production history now spans over a century. Coffee-producing areas occupy a total of 160,000 hectares, which is one-third of the total planting area.

Currently, domestic coffee production fluctuates due to climatic and socioeconomic factors. Current annual production is approximately one million bags, with two harvesting periods: one at the beginning of the rainy season in March-April, and another in October.

The growing environment for Kenya AA extends up to 6,600 square feet, making it one of the world's highest-quality coffees. Growing at high altitudes means slower growth rates. Under these conditions, coffee beans can absorb more nutrients, allowing flavors more time to develop and become richer. As Kenya's highest-grade coffee beans, all AA coffee is made from the most impeccable Arabica beans. Processed using the washed method, after the coffee cherry skin is removed, farmers soak the beans in water tanks. During this process, the coffee beans' own enzymes naturally decompose residual materials on the beans. When dried in the sun, farmers can easily remove the skin. After grinding, the bean size is measured and then graded.

Excellent beans also require good roasting to bring out their characteristics. To highlight the unique qualities of Kenya AA beans means bringing out their rich, intense citrus and berry flavors. The reason people drink Kenya AA beans is simply because they're attracted to their flavor profile, with almost no bitterness. The best AA beans are often medium-roasted; excessive roasting will cause their unique characteristics to be lost. Kenya AA beans are the largest beans produced domestically, and the brewed coffee always combines fruit and floral aromas. Finally, like all single-origin coffees, regardless of roast level, coffee beans always need to be fresh. Products that have been sitting in distribution warehouses for several months should be avoided when purchasing.

Product Details

Product Name: Kenya Kachondo

Region: Mt. Kenya, Aberdare

Processing Method: Washed

Altitude: 1400-1700 meters

Flavor Description: Subtle floral notes of black plum, white grape, and grapefruit undertones

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water, bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly define the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the pour during brewing helps extend the extraction time.

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