Understanding the Origins of Kenya Coffee Beans and Their Unique Flavors

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Coffee History and Flavor Introduction

The history of coffee cultivation in Kenya dates back only about a century. It wasn't until the 20th century that Kenyans began large-scale coffee cultivation under the leadership of British and German colonizers. Today, Kenya's coffee production units are predominantly small plantations with an average area of only half an acre.

Although Kenya produces 49,980 metric tons of coffee beans annually, a production volume far smaller than the world's leading producers, Kenyan coffee beans have numerous followers in the specialty coffee community. Currently, most of it is exported to developed countries in Europe and Asia, with buyers being world-class quality purchasers.

Kenyan coffee is renowned for its aroma, richness, fruit flavors, and perfect, rich texture. It has a wonderful fruit flavor, with blackberry and grapefruit notes when tasted, making it a favorite among many coffee connoisseurs. This coffee features excellent medium purity, with a crisp and refreshing mouthfeel.

With its unique taste, it was honored as one of the "Top 30 Best Coffees in the World 2017" on the renowned coffee tasting website Coffee Review. Among them, samples from Kenya occupied three spots, on par with coffee origins such as Panama, Colombia, Ethiopia, Sumatra, Hawaii, Rwanda, and El Salvador.

Why It's Called a Premium Coffee

Growing Environment

Most of Kenya's coffee crops grow in the fertile, loose, acidic volcanic red soil of the highlands north and east of Nairobi. This area has abundant sunlight, good drainage, and an altitude ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 meters. Due to the greater temperature difference between day and night at higher altitudes, Kenyan coffee has a longer maturation period than lower-altitude growing regions, resulting in higher density and richer flavors. Kenyan coffee cultivated in such environments, known as the "Connoisseurs' Cup," is famous for its rich aroma, vibrant acidity, full body, and elegant red wine flavor.

Because the KONO dripper's ribs are relatively short, they stop at less than half the height of the dripper. This design is mainly to ensure that during the dripping process, the filter paper can fit closely against the dripper wall after absorbing water. This limits the dripper's exhaust space, naturally restricting air flow and slowing the flow rate, allowing the coffee grounds to be steeped for a longer time. This increases the water absorption time of the coffee grounds, resulting in a more balanced overall extraction and reducing the likelihood of under-extraction.

Parameters & Techniques

Water temperature: 90°C; medium-fine grind (BG 5R: 58% pass rate through China standard No. 20 sieve); powder-to-water ratio 1:15.

Using 15 grams of powder, steam with 32 grams of water for 30 seconds. When the water reaches 129 grams, segment the brewing. Continue adding water until it reaches 228 grams when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed. (Timing starts from the beginning of steaming) Extraction time: 2'03".

Flavor: Has the acidity of cherry tomatoes, lemon, grapefruit, and berries, with cream and chocolate flavors in the middle section. Caramel sweetness is noticeable, with an overall rich and mellow mouthfeel.

Important Notice :

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