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Introduction to Kenyan Coffee Varieties SL28 and SL34: How to Brew Kenyan Pour-Over Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). Approximately six million people in Kenya are engaged in the coffee industry, mostly in the form of small farmers and cooperatives. Kenya's coffee trees are mostly grown at altitudes between 1400-2000 meters, with growing regions including Ruiri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, and Nyeri.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Kenya Coffee Industry Overview

Nationwide, approximately six million people are engaged in the coffee industry, mostly in the form of small farmers and cooperatives.

Coffee trees in Kenya are mostly grown at altitudes of 1400-2000 meters, with growing regions including Ruiri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga. The main areas are the foothills of Mt. Kenya and Aberdare.

Many coffee-producing regions in Kenya strive to preserve native forest ecosystems, protect natural gene banks, support the reproduction of wild coffee varieties, and nurture diverse coffee trees.

Kenya's Unique SL Varieties

In 1930, Kenya's unique varieties SL28 and SL34, cultivated and named by "Scott Laboratories," were born in this favorable environment. According to botanists at the SL Laboratory, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 has mixed heritage from French Mission, Mocha, and Yemen Typica. The original goal in cultivating SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with resistance to pests and diseases.

Although SL28's yield later did not meet the expected large quantities, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped beans offer wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, diverse flavors, with prominent citrus and dark plum characteristics. Meanwhile, SL34 has similar flavors to SL28—besides complex, diverse acidity and a wonderful sweet finish, its body is heavier and richer than SL28, and cleaner. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica heritage. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it adapts better to sudden heavy rains. These two important varieties have led us to understand the unique Kenyan style: strong, rich fruit acidity, rich body, and beautiful balance.

Uteuzi Jimbo Project

"Uteuzi Jimbo" means "County Select" in Swahili (Kenya's official language).

To depict the complete profile of Kenyan coffee, Cafe Imports and Dormans collaborated to launch a small farmer project called "Uteuzi Jimbo," which selects representative flavor combinations from different coffee-producing regions in Kenya.