Brief Introduction to Kenya Java Coffee Bean Characteristics What are the AA Grade Coffee Beans?

FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Coffee Grading System

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Kenya is a representative growing region in Africa's lowlands, cultivating high-quality Arabica. Its coffee beans have thick flesh, full-bodied flavor, moderate acidity, and complex aromas with fruity or spicy notes, making them suitable for dark roasting. Kenyan coffee beans are divided into seven grades based on bean size and six grades based on taste, with the finest being Kenya AA+. The success of Kenyan coffee is largely attributed to the management of the Kenya Coffee Board. The board uniformly purchases coffee, analyzes and grades it before auctioning, thereby granting Kenyan coffee the same esteemed status as wine.

Kenyan Coffee Grades

Kenyan coffee grades are classified as E-PB-AA-AB-C-TT-T-MH/ML.

E Grade (Elephant Bean)

Sieve size 18 and above, known as "Elephant Bean." Two beans face-to-face merge into one, a mutated bean.

PB Grade (Peaberry)

It is also included in Kenya E, commonly known as peaberry.

AA Grade

Sieve size 17-18, grown at 1,400-2,000m high altitude, the largest size among normal green beans.

AB Grade

Sieve size 15-16, a mixture of A grade (sieve size 16-17) and B grade (sieve size 15-16).

C Grade

Sieve size 14-15, lower density than AB grade.

TT Grade

Sieve size 15-17, similar bean size to AA-AB but with lower density.

T Grade

Sieve size 12 and below, broken, defective, or small beans.

MH/ML Grade

Java coffee beans (coffee powder) belong to the Robusta variety, mainly distributed in African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Angola, Madagascar Island, as well as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia (Java).

Java Coffee Growing Environment and Main Origins

Robusta is cultivated in lowlands, highly resistant to high temperatures, drought, rain, and pests, with extremely strong adaptability. It grows very well in flat areas, and harvesting doesn't necessarily require manual labor - can be completely done with shaking machines.

There are two main categories of Robusta coffee commonly encountered in blends: A.P. Robusta and W.I.B. Robusta. Besides W.I.B. having larger particles, the rest are smaller. The biggest difference lies in the processing methods after harvesting, resulting in certain differences in appearance, aroma, and taste.

Origin: Java Island, Indonesia. Grade or variety: W.I.B. & A.P.

Knowledge Bonus

Kenya is an important force in the East African growing region of the coffee world. Whether in terms of coffee quality or business strategy, it stands as a leader.