Kenyan Coffee Bean Roast Levels: An Introduction to Medium Roast Flavor Profiles

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Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is located in eastern Africa, with the equator crossing through its central region and the East African Rift Valley stretching north to south. It borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and Sudan to the north, with the Indian Ocean to the southeast. The country features numerous plateaus with an average elevation of 1,500 meters. Mount Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya) in the central region reaches 5,199 meters above sea level, with snow-covered peaks, making it the second-highest mountain in Africa.

Altitude, Latitude, and Geology

The equator runs through Kenya, and the country lies entirely within ten degrees north and south latitude. As a tropical growing region, it experiences two rainy seasons annually, allowing for two harvests: 60% concentrated between October and December, and the remaining 40% between June and August. Coffee is primarily grown in volcanic soil at elevations of 1,600-2,100 meters around the capital Nairobi to the Kenya mountain region. This altitude is ideal for flavor development in coffee beans, as the mountainous temperatures are lower, growth is slower, and the aromatic components of coffee beans fully develop, resulting in more pronounced fruit acidity and harder texture. This crescent-shaped coffee-growing region with fertile soil is the main production area for Kenya's specialty beans.

African Coffee Growing Region Characteristics

African coffee growing regions are renowned worldwide for their captivating acidity and aroma, and Kenya is certainly no exception. Located in East Africa, precisely on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to the east, Ethiopia to the north, and Tanzania to the south, Kenya stands as a major coffee-producing nation in East Africa and is one of the most important and irreplaceable coffee-producing countries.

Kenya belongs to tropical growing regions, with two rainy seasons annually, allowing for two harvests: 60% concentrated between October and December, and the remaining 40% between June and August. Coffee is primarily grown in volcanic soil at elevations of 1,600-2,100 meters around the capital Nairobi to the Kenya mountain region. This altitude is ideal for flavor development in coffee beans, as the mountainous temperatures are lower, growth is slower, and the aromatic components of coffee beans fully develop, resulting in more pronounced fruit acidity and harder texture. This crescent-shaped coffee-growing region with fertile soil is the main production area for Kenya's specialty beans.

Light Roast Curve

Curve Analysis

At 200°C, beans enter the drum with the damper set to 3. After 30 seconds, heat is applied with power adjusted to 160, damper remains unchanged. The temperature return point occurs at 1'34", maintaining heat. At 5'30", beans turn yellow, grassy aroma disappears, entering the dehydration stage. Heat is reduced to 130, damper opened to 3.5.

At 7'45", dehydration completes, heat reduced to 80. At 8'30", wrinkles and black markings appear on the bean surface, toast aroma transforms into coffee fragrance, serving as the prelude to first crack. At 8'52", first crack begins, damper fully opened to 5, heat reduced to 50 to decrease caramelization level. Post-first crack development time is 2'10" until beans are discharged at 191°C.

In the light roast curve, dehydration completes at 7'45" with heat reduced to 80. At 8'30", wrinkles and black markings appear on the bean surface, and toast aroma transforms into roasted coffee fragrance. During this stage, the sugars contained in the beans begin to decompose into acids while releasing water vapor, allowing the beans to begin developing their captivating bread-coffee aroma. With the same first crack timing, the heat reduction is intended to slow down the caramelization reaction of the beans, preserving more floral and fruit aromas, caramel, and nutty notes.

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