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African Coffee Origins and Distribution Map: Coffee Regions, Varieties, and Flavor Characteristics

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Africa has three major coffee origins. Burundi (The Republic of Burundi) is located south of the equator in east-central Africa. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Lake Tanganyika to the southwest. The country's terrain is predominantly composed of plateaus and mountains.

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Friends who have visited FrontStreet Coffee's physical stores will notice that on the bean menu filled with coffee bean names, the first column is reserved for African beans. This is not because FrontStreet Coffee favors Africa, but rather because African beans are truly numerous, and each producing country has its own unique flavor characteristics, with subtle differences among various growing regions.

Africa is located in the equatorial zone and is one of the most well-known coffee-producing regions in the world. Among them, Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees are the most famous. These two producing countries are the pillars of African coffee. If either were to fall, it would cause incalculable losses to the African coffee industry. Therefore, coffee from these two countries has gained recognition from the global coffee industry and has numerous fans! Of course, Africa cannot rely solely on these two countries; you need to learn more!

Many of the world's finest African coffee beans come from Ethiopia and Kenya in the east to Rwanda, where high-quality Arabica coffee beans are grown, to West African countries including Senegal and Cameroon, where most Robusta coffee beans are cultivated. We will briefly introduce some regions in this article: Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Although it's fair to say that coffee beans from Africa are widely grown throughout the continent and even grow wild in many regions.

Ethiopian natural process coffee cherries

Flavor Characteristics: Captivating Fruit Acidity

As the birthplace of coffee, African coffee holds a pivotal position in the entire coffee industry. Although coffee cultivation has developed globally for hundreds of years, countless wild coffee varieties in Africa today remain the greatest treasure for coffee researchers. The general characteristics of African coffee include rich aroma and captivating fruit acidity. Its bright acidity is invigorating and refreshing, but African coffee's body is often somewhat thin, and its sweetness is not particularly prominent. Due to drought and water scarcity in Africa, natural processing is commonly used for green beans, often resulting in uneven and less aesthetically pleasing bean shapes with higher defect rates.

Ethiopia

Administratively, all five major states in Ethiopia grow coffee, with four cultivation systems distributed across the following nine major regions: Jimma, Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harar, Limu, Illubabor, Kefa (Lekempti), Teppi, and Bebeka. Among them, Yirgacheffe coffee, Harar coffee, and Sidamo coffee are the most well-known.

Ethiopia's Coffee Cultivation

Due to administrative boundary changes in Ethiopia around 1995, the biggest impact on coffee regions was that the former Sidamo province was divided into the new Sidama region (occupying a small portion of the original) and most of it was incorporated into the Oromia region. Additionally, Yirgacheffe, which originally belonged to Sidamo province, is now part of the new Gedeo zone. This has resulted in a mixed situation in the market where Ethiopian coffee items are named using both old and new regional names. Here, we will use the new regional divisions as a basis to understand Ethiopia's coffee cultivation map in combination with administrative regions.

Ethiopia's coffee cultivation is primarily concentrated in the western and southern regions, with smallholder families accounting for 90% of total cultivation. Nearly 1.2 million smallholder families rely on coffee cultivation for their livelihood. Each household's cultivation area is less than 4 hectares, with an average cultivation altitude between 1000-2300 meters, planting density between 1000-1800 coffee trees per hectare, and an output of nearly 600kg per hectare.

Ethiopia's coffee cultivation is divided by scale and pattern into:

Forest coffee (8-10%): Coffee trees coexist with other crops in original forests without any artificial management. Farmers regularly harvest coffee cherries.
Semi-forest coffee (30-35%): Coffee tree cultivation areas are between forests and farmers' living areas. Coffee trees are the same natural varieties as forest coffee, and farmers manage the coffee tree cultivation areas and plant other cash crops.
Garden coffee (50-55%): Coffee trees are planted around farmers' living areas and are mostly self-cultivated by farmers.
Plantation coffee (5-6%): Large private growers with more processing facilities and production capacity.

Ethiopian Coffee Varieties

There are nearly 2000 recorded coffee varieties in Ethiopia (of which 1927 are native varieties and 128 are introduced varieties).

In terms of appearance, Ethiopian coffee varieties are like a "grand garden" with everything: long, short, thin, fat...

Family Tree of Ethiopian Native Varieties

Long-bean varieties are found throughout all Ethiopian coffee-growing regions. From the observed proportions, there are more long-bean varieties in the western Jimma region, including Limu and Kaffa, while they are less common in Sidama or Yirgacheffe.

Small-bean varieties have a relatively round appearance and very small beans, mostly between 14-15 screen size. This variety should be the most familiar to us, often seen in Sidama and Yirgacheffe. I have also seen them in a Harar sample and in green coffee beans sold locally in Jimma. Compared to other regions, Sidama, Yirgacheffe, and surrounding Arsi and Guji areas have more cultivation of these small-bean native varieties.

Processing Methods

Ethiopian coffee processing methods are divided as follows:

Natural process: This is the most traditional processing method. The Harrar region is particularly arid and lacks water conditions for washed processing, so all its output is natural processed. Other regions such as Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Guji, and Jimma also have natural processed output.
Washed process: Compared to natural processing, this has higher requirements for processing equipment, water resources, and processing plant environments, but it can also stably produce high-quality coffee in large quantities. All regions except Harrar have washed processing methods.
Honey process: In recent years, items marked as Kochere honey process have gradually appeared in the market, which leaves us with a question mark for now.

Flavor Characteristics

Washed process: Citrus fruits, similar to lemon, tangerine, orange, grapefruit, and pomelo. The intensity of flavors ranges from obvious citrus fruit (peel) aroma to different levels of fruit acidity, from soft small tangerines to medium-strength oranges, to more refreshing lemon and grapefruit acidity.
Natural process: Ripe yellow, red, and black fruit aromas, similar to apricot, peach, cherry, strawberry, cranberry (dried), blueberry (dried), plum, etc., accompanied by varying degrees of wine-like aromas, similar to rum, whiskey, and even red wine (Beaujolais).

Ethiopian Coffee Grades

Ethiopian coffee grade definitions are quite complex.

FrontStreet Coffee learned through research that under the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, there is a department called the Cupping and Liquoring Unit (CLU), which is specifically responsible for quality approval of exported coffee, including the very important responsibility of grade definition. The CLU existed before the emergence of ECX.

Before ECX appeared, for washed coffee, export grades were divided into G1 and G2; for natural coffee, export grades were G3, G4, G5, meaning the highest grade for natural was G3.

After ECX emerged, grading was redefined. There was no difference in the names for washed grades, but G1 appeared for the first time in the definition of natural grades. This is why there are now G1 and G2 Ethiopian natural coffees in the market, while G3 is gradually becoming less common.

The Ethiopian coffee available at FrontStreet Coffee all belongs to the G1 grade.

Nine Major Specialty Coffee Regions in Ethiopia

Yirgacheffe (Specialty Region): Altitude 1,800~2,000 meters | Garden coffee system

Yirgacheffe is affiliated with the Sidamo region but was separated due to its unique flavor. Besides the town of Yirgacheffe, it also includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya. Therefore, in the new Yirgacheffe grading system, Yirgacheffe A, Wenago A, Kochere A, and Gelena/Abaya A are more expensive than their B counterparts. Besides washed and natural processing, Yirgacheffe region has begun to produce beans with special processing methods. FrontStreet Coffee's daily series includes a washed Yirgacheffe bean with a clean taste, strong white floral aroma, and sweet aftertaste that even FrontStreet Coffee's baristas love.

Sidamo (Specialty Region): Altitude 1,400~2,200 meters | Garden coffee system

Flavor is similar to Yirgacheffe. Finely washed or natural processed Sidamo has the same floral and citrus aromas, with value no less than Yirgacheffe. The varieties in these two regions are similar, with medium-sized beans but also dwarf small-bean varieties that farmers often sell separately. Common varieties include Kurmie (with poor disease resistance), Wolisho (tall and robust), and Deiga (medium-sized trees). These three varieties are the main components of the specialty natural series Bilooya and Ariesa. FrontStreet Coffee's Flower Queen comes from the Sidamo region. Besides its obvious floral aroma, it also has the wild berry acidity characteristic of the Sidamo region, which is very popular among friends.

Limu (Specialty Region): Altitude 1,200~2,000 meters | Garden, forest, semi-forest, plantation coffee systems

Production is relatively small, mainly exported to European and American markets, and not easily purchased in Taiwan, but very popular in Europe and America. It has three processing methods: washed, natural, and semi-washed. Limu's body viscosity is obviously lower, and its floral and citrus expressions are inferior to Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, but it has a grassy aroma and brown sugar fragrance with bright fruit acidity.

Harar (Specialty Region): Altitude 1,500~2,400 meters | Garden coffee system

Harar exclusively produces natural processed coffee. It is an ancient eastern city, but coffee is not grown in the urban area. The so-called Harar coffee refers to coffee produced in the Harar Highlands of the greater Harar region. Due to annual rainfall of only 1,000 millimeters, all coffee is processed using the natural method. In terms of flavor, Harar coffee is famous for its special "mixed aromas," typical of ancient early flavors. It stands alongside Yirgacheffe as the "Twin Stars."

If the defective beans in Harar can be sorted cleanly, it's easy to taste berry aromas with a pleasant fermented mixed aroma. However, due to various factors, Harar coffee quality has been unstable in recent years, and the grading system is not reliable, so cup testing or trial tasting is essential when purchasing.

Jimma (Commercial Coffee Region): Altitude 1,350~1,850 meters | Forest/Semi-forest system

Jimma is the capital of the Kaffa Forest or Kaffa Province. The English spelling is quite inconsistent, mostly appearing as "Jimma" on maps, but coffee gunny sacks are spelled "Djimmah." This is the largest coffee-producing region in Ethiopia, accounting for 1/3 of exports.

The Kaffa Forest is famous for its original wild varieties. Jimma is the distribution center for Kaffa in this region. Farmers are accustomed to transporting harvested coffee from the forest areas to Jimma, where hundreds or thousands of varieties are mixed together and sold as commercial beans, causing the flavors of many delicious varieties to be masked.

Washed specialty Jimma, although lacking the citrus aroma and floral charm of Yirgacheffe, has a quite clean and transparent flavor profile, similar to Central American specialty coffees. Commercial-grade specialty Jimma is common in Taiwan. If you're lucky, you can buy high-quality, reasonably priced Jimma with a clear lemon peel fragrance that is not inferior to Sidamo. Generally speaking, Jimma has better flavor than Brazilian commercial coffee Santos, making it a good mid-to-low-priced blend component.

Illubabor (Commercial Coffee Region): Altitude 1,350~1,850 meters | Forest/Semi-forest coffee system

This region is located in western Ethiopia, bordering Sudan, and is the westernmost producing region. The coffee genetic diversity is second only to the Kaffa Forest. The beans are obviously larger than Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, with lower fruit acidity, good viscosity, and balanced flavor. Most coffee from this area is transported to Jimma for mixing and rarely sold independently.

Kefa, Lekempti (Commercial Coffee Region): Altitude 1,500~1,800 meters | Forest/Semi-forest coffee system

This region has both natural and washed beans. The beans are similar to Harar's long-shaped beans, with a small amount of specialty grade that is quite popular in Europe and America. Most are known as the "poor man's Harar," with fruit acidity and fruit flavors superior to Illubabor, with bright flavors.

Teppi, Bebeka (Commercial Coffee Region): Altitude 500~1,900 meters | Garden/Forest/Semi-forest coffee system

These two regions are very close, with Teppi north of Bebeka. There are enterprise-managed coffee plantations, and in recent years, garden systems have been promoted to increase farmers' income, with an annual output of about 3,000 tons. Both regions have wild coffee with low production and flavors completely different from Harar and Yirgacheffe. Low fruit acidity is the biggest characteristic, making it suitable for blend components. Both natural and washed processing are available.

Lake Tana Area (Alternative Region): Altitude 1,840 meters | Forest system

Monastery coffee, with annual production of surrounding forest coffee being extremely small, less than 10 tons. It can hardly be called a producing region. The numerous Eastern Orthodox monasteries, churches, religious murals, and myths around the lake area create the world's most "divine" coffee. European monastery monks established the local coffee cultivation industry, which was later taken over by coffee communities or cooperatives in villages surrounding the town. There are no dedicated plantations here; coffee trees naturally scatter in forests and gardens. During the harvest season, the Ethiopian Coffee Trading Company comes to town to purchase coffee beans collected by farmers.

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Gedeb Coffee Beans

Region: Yirgacheffe region, Ethiopia

Cooperative: Gedeb Cooperative

Altitude: 2000m~2100m

Variety: Local native varieties

Processing method: Washed process

Roasting Suggestions

FrontStreet Coffee's Gedeb beans are quite suitable for light-to-medium roasting, which will highlight the clean taste, bright fruit acidity, and obvious sweet aftertaste of FrontStreet Coffee's Gedeb.

Machine: Yangjia 800N roaster

Charge temperature: 180°C

Yellowing point: 5'00", 149.9°C

First crack: 8'42", 183.8°C

Development after first crack: 1'48", discharged at 193.5°C.

Brewing Suggestions

Filter: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine

Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. When pouring to 125g with a small circular flow, perform a split. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. (Timing starts from bloom) Extraction time is 2'00".

Flavor Description

The entry shows citrus and black tea. As the temperature changes, there are cream, caramel, and almond notes with an obvious sweet aftertaste and a clean, sweet taste.

Burundi

Burundi (The Republic of Burundi) is located in the south of the equator in east-central Africa. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, Congo (DRC) to the west, and Lake Tanganyika to the southwest. The country is mostly highlands and mountains, mostly composed of the eastern side of the East African Rift Valley highlands, with an average altitude of 1,600 meters nationwide, earning it the name "Mountain Country." Burundi is mountainous, with suitable altitude and climate ideal for coffee cultivation. FrontStreet Coffee discovered through maps that the name "Heart of Africa" is not undeserved - its territory resembles a heart.

Burundi coffee beans are mainly produced by numerous small coffee farmers, mostly gathered around wet processing plants within the country. Wet processing plants in different regions also have their own management integration units (abbreviated as SOGESTAL), which are essentially wet processing plant management associations. The main function of these associations is to provide better hardware equipment in the region, thus contributing significantly to the improvement of Burundi coffee quality in recent years. The best Burundi coffee is processed using the washed method and is mostly of Bourbon variety.

Burundi has one of the most diverse and successfully operated coffee industries in the world, with its own unique characteristics. Coffee in this country was introduced by Belgian colonists in 1930 and is now only grown on small farms. Unfortunately, many of these farms are located in areas bordering Rwanda, which has experienced frequent conflicts, putting pressure on coffee production. Almost all coffee produced in Burundi is Arabica coffee beans, with Ngozi's coffee trees planted at altitudes above 1,200 meters. Burundi coffee has an aromatic and rich flavor with excellent acidity, mostly exported to the United States, Germany, Finland, and Japan.

Burundi coffee bears striking similarities to its neighbor Rwanda, and coffees from these two countries are often confused. Burundi's coffee cultivation is primarily Bourbon, using traditional washed processing for coffee cherries. Its specialty coffee is characterized by elegant sweetness and bright citrus aromas.

Representative Coffee: [Burundi Heart of Africa]

Grind size: Medium-fine

Filter: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Suggestions

Flavor Description

Fresh aromas of kumquat and lemon, with subtle sweetness of caramel and custard filling the entire cup. The washed processing fermentation acidity makes the entire coffee very bright.

Kenya: Small Cooperatives

Kenyan coffee has distinct acidity, sweetness, and dry wine-like aftertaste. Their best feature is the taste and aroma of blackcurrant. Auctions are held every Tuesday during the harvest season in Nairobi, leading to price wars for the best crops. In recent years, Kenyan green coffee prices have been high, and it's easy to encounter disappointments. FrontStreet Coffee's roasters and baristas often work overtime to roast and cup-test new Kenyan coffees to present everyone with a cup of Kenyan coffee that is cleanly and beautifully acidic.

Kenya's 6 Major Regions

Nyambu & Murang'a

These regions have the bright acidity and rich body that most people love, plus they're not far from Nairobi, so many foreign buyers visit during the harvest season.

Nyeri

Bright blackberry flavors with rich body, plus citrus and even floral aromas. The specialty beans from this region are also a major contributor to Kenya's international fame.

Kirinyaga

The flavor here is also bright fruit acidity with moderate body and delicate sweetness.

Embu Region

The acidity here is not as strong as Nyeri's, with balanced and clear flavors and mostly good aftertaste performance.

Machakos Region

This region has rising potential, with clear fruit acidity and delicate flavors, moderate body, and delicate fresh aftertaste that are famous, attracting many buyers in recent years.

Western Region

Its flavor is quite different from the central regions, attracting buyers with moderately rich sweetness and milder flavors. Some washed processing plants in this area with hazelnut and mild fruit flavors are also favored by buyers who don't prefer bright acidity.

Most are produced by small cooperatives rather than large estates, processed using wet methods and graded by bean size. Kenyan coffee is acidic (with distinct flavor notes) and makes the cup more vibrant. Depending on which farm it comes from, it has berry or citrus flavors, sometimes alternating with spices. Some are bright and clean, while others have wine-like flavors.

Kenya produces a disease-resistant hybrid called Ruiru 11, but it lacks some of the best flavor characteristics of traditional coffee and is considered lower grade. They are still developing this bean, hoping to make it as delicious as natural varieties.

Malawi is a small country between Mozambique and Zambia in southeastern Africa. Its coffee is smooth, full-bodied, and truly distinctive. It rarely reaches the Western Hemisphere, so if you see some, you should seize the opportunity to taste it. You'll find it's a softer, more floral, sweet, delicate, and bright version of the East African style.

FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Small Tomato

Region: Thika, Kenya

Processing station: Asali Honey Processing Station

Altitude: 1550m~1750m

Variety: SL28, SL34

Processing method: K72 processing method

Brewing Parameters

Recommended method: V60 filter

Water temperature: 90-91°C

Dose: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind: Medium-fine

Brewing Technique

Flavor Description

The wet aroma has ripe tomato and floral notes. The entry shows cherry tomato and preserved plum flavors, with bright acidity and clean taste. The body is medium, with prominent sweetness in the middle section, giving a juice-like sensation. The aftertaste has berry aromas and brown sugar sweetness, with green tea notes.

Rwanda: Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda (Republika y'u Rwanda) is a country in east-central Africa, officially the Republic of Rwanda, located south of the equator in east-central Africa, and is a landlocked country. It borders Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, Congo (DRC) to the west and northwest, and Uganda to the north. The country covers an area of 26,338 square kilometers. Most regions have a tropical highland climate and tropical savanna climate, which is mild and cool, with an average annual temperature of 18°C. The year is divided into two dry seasons and two rainy seasons. March to May is the major rainy season, October to December is the minor rainy season, with average annual precipitation of 1000-1400 millimeters.

Rwanda Coffee and Geography

The country is mostly mountainous highlands, with more than 1,800 hills of various sizes, earning it the name "Land of a Thousand Hills." The eastern part has many hills, marshes, and lakes, with dense water networks and vast natural pastures; the central part is lakeside lowlands; the northwestern part consists of a group of volcanic mountains. Rwanda is closest to the equator, but at altitudes above 1,500 meters, the average annual temperature is only 18°C. Combined with abundant rainfall and suitable hydrothermal conditions, the picturesque scenery has earned it the names "Land of Eternal Spring" and "Switzerland of Africa."

The beautiful Land of a Thousand Hills, Rwanda, has a long and rich culture of growing highland coffee, primarily cultivating high-quality Arabica coffee. This specialty coffee from Rwanda accounts for 20% of total coffee production and is very popular in the international market. In this unique growing environment, Rwanda's high-quality coffee has distinctive taste and aroma. It is precisely because of these unique flavors that FrontStreet Coffee acquired a bean from Rwanda, hoping to share its uniqueness with everyone.

According to Rwanda's Coffee Association Marketing and Promotion Officer Kalulitova, Rwanda plans to reach 3,000 tons of coffee exports this year, further increasing coffee production to meet growing market demand. Starbucks, the world's largest coffee beverage retail company, has also partnered with the Rwandan government to import Rwandan coffee, just like the logo on Rwandan coffee shows a brown-colored dove flying out of a coffee cup, accompanied by the words "Cup of Hope."

The taste of Rwandan coffee is described as having "grassy aroma" with tropical climate characteristics. Through cupping Rwandan coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee found that besides fruit sweetness, this coffee also presents a refreshing, bright, and fresh feeling. The Bourbon coffee grown in Rwanda is astounding for its fruit sweetness, with rich and full aroma and absolutely no astringency, leaving a long aftertaste. This coffee has delicious, citrus-like sweetness, with deep chocolate color, red apple, cherry, cinnamon and honey notes, excellent sweetness and balance, and a cinnamon, almond, chocolate aftertaste.

Representative Coffee:

FrontStreet Coffee Rwanda Gisakura

Region: Nyamasheke region, western Rwanda

Altitude: 1500m

Variety: Bourbon

Processing method: Washed process

Grind size: Medium-fine

Filter: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Suggestions

Flavor Description

Cherry tomato, nuts, cocoa sweetness, mint.

Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the cradles of ancient humans. It had trade relations with Arabia, Persia, and India as early as BC. Tanzania's full name is: The United Republic of Tanzania. Located in eastern Africa, south of the equator. One of the Commonwealth member countries. It borders Kenya and Uganda to the north, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south, Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo (DRC) to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east. FrontStreet Coffee's bean menu also includes a bean from Tanzania.

Tanzania covers an area of 945,087 square kilometers, of which Zanzibar covers 2,657 square kilometers. It consists of the mainland, Zanzibar Island, and more than 20 small islands. Located in eastern Africa, south of the equator, the mainland faces the Indian Ocean to the east, connects to Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south, borders Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo (DRC) to the west, and is bounded by Kenya and Uganda to the north. The mainland coastline is 840 kilometers long. Tanzania's terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, presenting a step-like shape. The eastern coast is lowland, while the western inland plateau accounts for more than half of the inland area. The East African Rift Valley runs north-south from Lake Malawi, dividing into eastern and western branches. Kibo Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in the northeast has an altitude of 5,895 meters, the highest peak in Africa.

Unlike most African producing countries, Tanzania's coffee bags are not the common jute bags but rough fiber bags made from agave leaves. This is because the local government banned the use of jute bags to protect Tanzania's sisal industry.

Cultivated Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee learned that the most commonly planted coffee varieties in Tanzania are Bourbon, Typica, and Kent.

Bourbon

Generally, when we talk about Bourbon varieties, we mostly refer to Red Bourbon. Because after Red Bourbon coffee trees flower and fruit, the color change of coffee cherries is: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker red when overripe, hence it's also called Red Bourbon. Bourbon grown at high altitudes usually has better aroma, brighter acidity, and even wine-like flavors when tasted.

Typica

Excellent flavor performance, recognized as a specialty coffee variety, but with extremely low yield and susceptible to rust disease, requiring more human management for cultivation. Typica coffee originates from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan and is the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. The plant is relatively robust but not tolerant to strong light. The top leaves of Typica are copper-colored, earning it the name red-topped coffee.

Kent

A Typica hybrid variety discovered in 1911 at the Kent coffee plantation in the Mysore region of India. It is a hybrid of S288 and Typica, with high yield and rust resistance characteristics. The coffee aroma is richer than Bourbon varieties and has been introduced to new world producing countries such as Kenya and Indonesia, making outstanding contributions.

Processing Methods

Tanzanian green beans are mainly washed processed. The washed method is currently the most widely used processing method, using washing and fermentation to remove pulp, mucilage, and skin. Washed method: Bean selection - pulp removal - fermentation - washing - drying - hulling - sorting and grading.

Grading

Tanzania's grading system is the same as Kenya's, based on bean size and flavor. Bean sizes in order are:

AA Plus (AA+): Exceptional cup quality (flavor, mouthfeel) AA grade
AA: Bean size (Screen Size) 17-18
AB: Bean size (Screen Size) 15-16, accounting for the majority of production
C: Bean size (Screen Size) smaller than AB
TT: Lighter weight beans screened from AA and AB grade beans using air classifier
T: Lighter weight beans screened from C grade beans using air classifier
E: Elephant Bean: Large mutant beans where two beans merge, also called elephant ear beans
UG: Those that do not meet the above standards
PB: Peaberry, classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight

Flavor grades in order are:

TOP, PLUS, FAQ

FAQ "Fair to Average Quality" may have some slight defective beans, but FrontStreet Coffee believes this does not affect the flavor.

Coffee Taste Profile:

Tanzania is a typical East African country, bordering Kenya and Uganda to the north, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to the south, and Rwanda and Burundi to the west. Many people like to compare Tanzanian coffee with its neighbor Kenya. Compared to Kenya's high-quality coffee beans, Tanzanian coffee has less bright acidity, showing gentler and more approachable beauty, with more sweet fragrance. Rich red wine notes are also a characteristic of Tanzania.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, stands in northeastern Tanzania. After World War I, it was under trusteeship and was once under British colonial rule, gaining independence in 1964. Bourbon variety coffee was first introduced for cultivation in 1893, with washed processing as the main method for green beans. High-quality, high-altitude Tanzanian coffee, like Kenyan coffee, has active and bright acidity characteristics.

The northern coffee-producing regions of Tanzania include the highlands around Mount Kilimanjaro, such as Moshi and Mbeya regions, while the southern regions are mainly the Songea-Ruvuma area through which the Ruvuma River flows. Due to different growing terrains, the styles vary slightly. Coffee from the southwestern Ruvuma region of Tanzania has wine and fruit aroma flavors, different from coffee in the northern Mount Kilimanjaro region.

Kilimanjaro Volcano is in northeastern Tanzania and is also Tanzania's largest coffee-producing region, accounting for 75%. Generally speaking, Tanzanian coffee beans have exceptional quality. Important producing areas are in the mountainous northern regions near Kenya. Coffee is grown by small farmers, accounting for 85%. Local small farmers grow coffee at altitudes between 1300-2000m. Their coffee flavor differs from neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya, possessing characteristics of both countries - good body and fruit and floral aromas, making it worth trying. Coffee belongs to dicotyledonous plants. Generally speaking, a normal coffee cherry fruit contains a pair (two halves) of coffee seeds, which we call coffee beans.

Compared to flat beans (pair of flat-sided beans), peaberries, also known as caracol or caracolillo (Spanish for small snail), are botanically said to result from uneven pollination (Arabica coffee plants are self-pollinating. If a coffee flower has only one ovary, or only one ovary is successfully pollinated, only one seed can be produced) or uneven nutrition during growth (usually more likely to occur in coffee fruits growing at the ends of coffee tree branches). Nutrients are absorbed by only one cotyledon, and only the cotyledon that receives nutrients continues to grow into a single small, oval, egg-shaped coffee seed, hence the name peaberry. Normally, the proportion of peaberries produced by coffee plants is about 3 to 5%, making production relatively scarce. Also, because their shape and size differ from normal flat beans, they are often separately graded and sold through screen mesh sieving.

Northern coffee has rich aroma, bright acidity, and rich body. Thanks to fertile volcanic soil, it has mineral water-like sweetness.

Southern coffee has rich floral aroma, with smooth texture and elegant fruit acidity.

Coffee growing areas in Africa—Tanzanian coffee comes from the fertile soils of the East African Rift Valley and is an outstanding representative of quality coffee from this region. Its refreshing acidity and medium body complement sweet citrus and floral notes. This coffee tastes excellent whether hot or made as iced coffee. Pairing with oranges or berries further highlights its bright flavors. The beans from Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, that FrontStreet Coffee acquired are no exception.