Kenya Coffee Bean Brewing Water Temperature and Coffee-to-Water Ratio Tutorial - Kenya AA Coffee Bean Flavor Characteristics

When it comes to African coffee beans, people often think of Ethiopian and Kenyan coffee. Today, FrontStreet Coffee introduces Kenyan coffee. Premium Kenyan coffee is aromatic and rich, with fruity flavors and a perfect, complex profile. It has a wonderful fruity character with distinct blackberry and grapefruit notes, making it a favorite among many connoisseurs.

Kenya is located in eastern Africa, bordering Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. Coffee was not introduced to Kenya until the early 20th century, after it had nearly circled the globe before returning to Africa. FrontStreet Coffee believes that despite this late start, Kenyan coffee developed rapidly. Under British colonial rule, both the establishment of cultivation systems and the determination of grading standards pushed Kenyan beans toward the specialty coffee market. Today Kenyan specialty coffee is renowned worldwide, and FrontStreet Coffee has summarized the following reasons:

Key Factors in Kenyan Coffee Excellence

1. Establishment of Cultivation Systems. In 1883, the British introduced coffee to Kenya from Réunion Island. In 1922, Kenya established the Scott Agricultural Laboratory (Scott Labs, hence the names SL28 and SL34) to research coffee cultivation. Within its first decade the laboratory selected SL28 and SL34 from 42 coffee varieties as most suitable for the region, laying an excellent foundation for the industry.

2. Government Support. In 1931, the Kenya Growers Cooperative Union and the Kenya National Coffee Committee were established to guide coffee industry development at both the private and national levels. In 1937, the Nairobi Coffee Exchange was founded, initiating Kenya's coffee auction system.

3. Determination of Grading System. Kenya grades coffee by bean size and cupping results. By bean size, shape, and hardness, the grades from highest to lowest are AA or AA+, AB, PB, C, E, TT, and T. For AA and AB green beans, an additional grading based on cupping results is applied (not officially recognized by Kenyan authorities but established by exporters), from highest to lowest: TOP, PLUS (+), and FAQ.

4. K72 Processing Method. The distinctive acidity of Kenyan specialty coffee is closely tied to its excellent processing. In typical washed processing, ripe cherries are selected, pulped, then soaked in tanks to ferment off the mucilage - a step rarely exceeding 36 hours. Kenyan fermentation, however, extends to 72 hours. The beans are then dried until moisture content reaches 12%. FrontStreet Coffee believes Kenya's unique washed method better highlights the bright acidity and full, juicy mouthfeel of Kenyan beans.

Kenyan Coffee Grading System

AA Plus (AA+): AA grade with exceptionally excellent cup quality (flavor, mouthfeel).

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 blown from AA and AB grade beans using air classifiers.

T: Lighter-weight beans blown from C grade beans using air classifiers.

E Elephant Bean: Large mutant beans formed when two beans fuse together, also called elephant ear beans.

PB Peaberry: Classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight.

For AA and AB green beans, an additional grading based on cupping results is applied (not officially recognized by Kenyan authorities but established by exporters), from highest to lowest: TOP, PLUS (+), and FAQ. The flavor grade of Kenya Assalia on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list reaches TOP grade. As mentioned above, though, this is not an officially recognized system. Several Kenyan regional beans sourced by FrontStreet Coffee do not all carry flavor grades, so do not get too caught up in this aspect. Generally, once beans reach AA and AB levels, they are already considered to have excellent flavor by default.

Kenyan Coffee Growing Regions

Kenya's coffee growing regions are mainly distributed across the central and western parts of the country. The main central regions include Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Embu, Machakos, Ruiri, and Thika. In the west there are Kisii and Bungoma, on Mount Elgon.

FrontStreet Coffee periodically updates the coffee growing regions on its bean list, and Kenya is no exception. Last month FrontStreet Coffee sourced a batch of Kenyan beans from different regions. Through roasting, cupping, and pour-over evaluation, we found that each region has its own characteristics. The specialty coffee growing regions mainly come from Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Murang'a.

Nyeri

The Nyeri region, in central Kenya, is home to the extinct volcano Mount Kenya. The red soil here nurtures Kenya's finest coffee. Agriculture is extremely important in the region, with coffee as the main crop. Smallholder cooperatives are more common in Nyeri than large estates.

Altitude: 1,200 to 2,300 meters

Harvest Period: October to December (main season), June to August (secondary season)

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Muranga

The Muranga region belongs to the Central Province and has approximately 100,000 coffee farmers. This inland region was among the first settlement areas chosen by missionaries, because the Portuguese prohibited them from living in coastal areas. It is another region benefiting from volcanic soil, with more smallholder farmers than estates.

Altitude: 1,350 to 1,950 meters

Harvest Period: October to December (main season), June to August (secondary season)

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Kirinyaga

The Kirinyaga region sits on the slopes of Mount Kenya, adjacent to Nyeri, and is known worldwide for coffee with intense flavors, rich layers, and a substantial mouthfeel. Together with Nyeri it is recognized as one of Kenya's two finest growing regions. Producers here are mostly smallholder farmers who join cooperatives; the cooperatives play a unifying role by providing washing stations where farmers bring their cherries for processing.

Altitude: 1,300 to 1,900 meters

Harvest Period: October to December (main season), June to August (secondary season)

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Kenya Assalia Processing Station

Region: Thika, Kenya

Processing Method: Washed

Altitude: 1,550-1,750 meters

Varieties: SL28 & SL34

FrontStreet Coffee recommends the pour-over brewing method.

Brewing Recipe

Coffee Amount: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15 (coffee to water)

Water Temperature: 89-92°C

Time: 2 minutes

Grind: EK43S #10

Bloom with 30 g of water for 30-35 seconds, then pour to 125 g, taking about 1 minute. When the water level drops to about half, pour the remaining water. Finish pouring between 1:30-1:40. Remove the filter cone after 2 minutes of dripping.

Flavor Description: Distinct berry notes, dark cocoa, viscous texture, medium-high acidity, medium bitterness, clean, medium aftertaste.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you enjoy the bright, juicy acidity described above, FrontStreet's African lineup is worth exploring alongside Kenya. FrontStreet washed Yirgacheffe is the classic Ethiopian entry - clear jasmine florals with a bright citrus acidity, light and elegant, with a tea-like body. For a more concentrated version of the same clarity, FrontStreet Gedingding Cooperative, from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe and once part of the Worka cooperative under the YCFCU alliance, is pulped before drying so its citrus and lemon acidity and white floral notes come through very cleanly.

For more fruit and sweetness, FrontStreet sun-dried Red Cherry is dried whole on raised beds and shows Yirgacheffe character plus tropical fruit, with peach, cocoa, honey, and lemon. FrontStreet sun-dried Huakui, from Hambella in Guji, Sidama, is dried on raised beds for 21 days and roasted medium-light, yielding light fermented wine, floral, citrus, and mango notes over a thick, sweet body.

Two more Ethiopian lots round out the selection. FrontStreet Sidamo sun-dried Hamasho comes from a processing station that is a regular on Ethiopia's green bean competition lists; it is built mainly on JARC 74-series disease-resistant varieties, and the small-beaned 74158 shows a striking floral-fruity aroma - perfumed lemon, strawberry, and starfruit on the nose, then clear strawberry, starfruit, and green grape sweetness on the palate with a light floral lift. FrontStreet Kafa Forest grows its coffee at 1400-2100 meters in the shade and roasts it medium-light, giving pronounced white florals after grinding, a bright lemon acidity, sweet orange and bergamot, a faint melon and nut note in the finish, and a green-tea-like body.