Are Tanzania Coffee Varieties Arabica? What Are the Characteristics of Kilimanjaro Coffee Varieties?

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Tanzanian Coffee

The full name of Tanzania is the United Republic of Tanzania, located in eastern Africa. The famous Great Rift Valley runs from north to south through the country, which also hosts Africa's highest peak (5895m above sea level) - Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tanzania's geographical location is also very advantageous. To the south are Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, while to the west are Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. To the north are quality coffee-producing countries like Kenya and Uganda. With excellent neighbors and a unique geographical environment, Tanzania is also the fourth largest coffee-producing country in Africa.

A significant portion of Tanzania's coffee comes from its neighboring country Kenya, separated by just one mountain. In 1898, Bourbon variety SL28 coffee was introduced to Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region by Catholic missionaries. Following this, the Kent variety was also introduced in 1920. Therefore, to this day, Tanzanian coffee is primarily composed of Bourbon SL28 and Kent varieties.

In addition to Arabica coffee, Tanzania also grows Robusta coffee in low-altitude areas (800-900m), with a ratio of approximately 7:3 between Arabica and Robusta.

The magic of coffee lies in how two growing regions separated by just one mountain can produce completely different coffee flavors. Kenya, separated from Tanzania by a mountain range, is known for its bright fruity acidity and berry notes. However, Tanzanian coffee lacks this bright fruity acidity, instead being smoother and gentler, while also possessing sweetness and wine-like characteristics.

Tanzanian Coffee Growing Regions

Tanzania's coffee growing regions are divided into northern, southern, and western areas. Tanzania's terrain consists of lowlands with a tropical savanna climate and inland highlands with a tropical highland climate. Most regions have an average temperature of 21-25°C, with year-round humidity and heat. The annual average temperature is 26°C. In Tanzania, over 85% of coffee is grown by smallholder farmers.

Northern Tanzanian coffee has abundant aroma, bright acidity, and rich body. Thanks to fertile volcanic soil and coffee trees over 100 years old, it exhibits intense wild flavors and the characteristic personality of African beans. Additionally, the continuous supply of volcanic soil from the Kilimanjaro volcanic region provides constant nutrients to the coffee, making the northern region the main force of Tanzanian coffee.

Southern Tanzanian coffee possesses rich floral notes, with a smooth texture and elegant fruit acidity, making Tanzanian coffee stand out among the many coffee origins in Africa.

Knowledge Point: High-quality coffee cherries generally have good shade coverage. Tree shade can block the intense midday sun, slow down the coffee's metabolic rate, and help develop nutrients, fruit acids, and aromatic compounds.

In Brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share unreservedly to help more friends fall in love with coffee, and we hold three low-discount coffee events every month. This is because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest possible price - this has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years!

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