What is the Best Coffee from Kenya? Introduction to Pour-Over Coffee Flavor Characteristics

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Coffee, Brewing Parameters Sharing

Kenya is a significant force in the East African coffee-growing region, with both coffee quality and business strategies considered outstanding. The excellent coffee produced here features clear, bright, and uplifting flavors that extend across the entire tongue. The flavors are complex and rich, with very interesting fruity notes (berries, citrus), and even spice characteristics. Clean, bright, with rare wine (grapefruit) qualities. Typically, exceptional Kenyan coffee is not sold simply marked as AA or AB - it participates in various domestic coffee auctions in Kenya, where only the highest bidder can secure it. The region places great importance on variety research, cultivation improvements, and enhancing farmers' growing skills.

Kenya Coffee Classification System

Each coffee-growing region has slightly different methods for classifying coffee bean grades. Kenya uses screen size as a standard, combining density and shape to classify coffee. So what are Kenya's classification grades?

Kenya coffee grades are divided into E-PB-AA-AB-C-TT-T-MH/ML.

E: Screen size 18 and above, called "Elephant Bean." Two beans face to face as two seeds merge into one, a mutated bean.

PB: Also included in Kenya E grade, commonly known as peaberry.

AA: Screen size 17-18, grown at high altitudes of 1,400-2,000m, these are the largest size among normal green beans.

AB: Screen size 15-16, a mix of A grade (screen size 16-17) and B grade (screen size 15-16).

C: Screen size 14-15, lower density than AB grade.

TT: Screen size 15-17, bean size similar to AA-AB but with lower density.

T: Screen size 12 and below, broken, defective, or undersized beans.

MH/ML: Beans that fell naturally due to over-ripening before harvest. Among these, heavier ones are classified as MH grade (Mass Heavy), while lighter ones are ML grade (Mass Light).

Kenya Coffee Varieties

Kenya doesn't have pure native varieties like Ethiopia, but through rigorous variety selection systems and scientific, meticulous hybrid improvement methods, Kenyan coffee beans are equally outstanding, such as SL28/SL34. Kenya's top-quality coffees all come from these two varieties. Interestingly, the beans thus acquire their distinctive Kenyan flavor profile.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-Over Brewing Guide

Kenya Kiamaina AB

Growing Region: Nyeri

Cooperative: Kiama Cooperative

Processing Station: Kiamaina

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Description: Citrus, passion fruit, maple syrup

Brewing Parameters: Coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, grind size BG-6S, water temperature 91°C. Use 30g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour to 120g and pause. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, perform the third pour to 225g and pause. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, remove the filter cone. Total extraction time: 2 minutes.

Knowledge Bonus

Like other African beans, unlike the fresh and gentle acidity of Ethiopian coffee, Kenyan acidity is bright and uplifting. It also has the full sweetness of ripe fruits, like a refreshing preserved plum candy.

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