Kenya Africa K72 Double Washed Processing Method and Kenya Coffee Characteristics

FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Double Washed Introduction

A coffee processing method simply means "the process of turning coffee fruit into green coffee beans." Traditionally, coffee has three main processing methods: washed, natural, and honey. There are many others as well — Indonesia's wet-hulling, for example, is also considered a processing method, though a relatively rare one.

Today the most widely used method is washed, which can give coffee higher acidity and more stable quality. This method uses fermentation to remove the mucilage layer. After the coffee cherry skin is removed, the softened mucilage from fermentation is washed away, and then mechanical drying is used; during drying it takes 1 to 2 days. Natural processing can also be used, but it takes relatively longer — 3 to 16 days. Washed beans also have an excellent appearance, which wins them favor.

Kenya-style Washed (Soaking Processing, K72 Washed)

As the name suggests, this processing method first emerged in Kenya, and it is also used to process coffee in Rwanda and Burundi.

Compared with ordinary washed processing, Kenya-style processing is not very different. The difference is that, after completing the washed fermentation, the parchment coffee beans are soaked again in clean water in a tank for about 24 hours. The term "soaking processing" gives the impression that the coffee flavor is cleaner and has better acidity quality.

Injerto Estate in Guatemala also uses the soaking method. In Costa Rica, locals call this method DFW (Double Fully Washed), or double washed.

Knowledge Point

Coffee beans are the fruit of the coffee tree. The coffee tree belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is a perennial evergreen shrub or small tree.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Kenya's double washed process is all about a cleaner, brighter cup, and if you enjoy that clarity but also like a bigger body, FrontStreet's Indonesian Mandheling is a great contrast. FrontStreet's Wet-Hulled Mandheling comes from the Lindong region around Lake Toba in Sumatra and is processed with the local wet-hulling method, where the parchment is stripped while the beans are still half-dry and left exposed to the air — giving the coffee its classic herbal and spice notes. Medium-dark roasted, it is low in acidity and full-bodied, with caramel, dark chocolate, and toasted-bread aromas and a long finish, ideal for those who like a strong cup.

For the top of the range, FrontStreet's PWN Golden Mandheling is the pick. Produced by PWN, which buys only high-quality Mandheling green beans, it is screened strictly for density, size, shape, and color, with mechanical and hand sorting to remove defects, so the beans are uniform, large, and clean. Freshly roasted, it shows sandalwood, herbal, and spice notes with roasted hazelnut, caramel, and dark chocolate — clean, rich, and layered, great for daily drinking or as a gift. For an espresso take, FrontStreet's Classic Blend builds on the classic "Mamba" recipe of Mandheling and Brazil with a touch of Robusta, dark-roasted to bring dark chocolate, nut, and caramel notes to the fore.