How Many Types of African Coffee Beans Are There? What Coffee Varieties Does Kenya Have?

The Rich Coffee Heritage of Africa

Anyone who has visited FrontStreet Coffee will notice that the first column on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list is reserved for African coffee beans. This isn't because FrontStreet Coffee favors African coffee, but because there are simply so many African varieties, each with its own character and even subtle differences from one region to the next.

Sitting on the equator, Africa is one of the world's most renowned coffee-producing regions. Ethiopia and Kenya in particular grow the most famous African coffees. These two countries are the pillars of African coffee—if either one were to falter, it would do immeasurable damage to the continent's coffee industry. Thanks to that, coffees from both countries have earned the recognition of the global coffee world and built large followings. Of course, Africa doesn't rest on just these two countries; there is far more to explore.

Many of the world's finest African coffees come from eastern Ethiopia and Kenya through to Rwanda, where premium Arabica is cultivated, and on to West African nations such as Senegal and Cameroon, where Robusta predominates. This article briefly introduces several regions: Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. That said, coffee is grown widely across the continent and even grows wild in many places.

Flavor Profile: Captivating Fruit Acidity

As the birthplace of coffee, Africa holds a pivotal place in the global coffee industry. Even after centuries of commercial cultivation worldwide, the countless wild coffee varieties of Africa remain the greatest treasure for coffee researchers today. The common thread in African coffee is a rich aroma and captivating fruit acidity. That brightness is lively and refreshing, though the body of African coffee is often somewhat thin and the sweetness not especially pronounced. Because of drought and scarce water in much of Africa, natural processing is common for green beans, which leaves the beans irregular in appearance and prone to a higher defect rate.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia has three main regions producing African coffee beans: Harrar, Ghimbi and Sidamo (or Yirgacheffe). Harrar beans come from small farms and are dry-processed. They are graded "longberry" for large beans, "shortberry" for small beans, or Mocha (peaberry size).

Coffee Cultivation in Ethiopia

Owing to administrative boundary changes in Ethiopia around 1995, the biggest impact on coffee regions was that the former Sidamo province was split into the new Sidama (taking a small share of the original area) and a larger portion folded into the Oromia region. In addition, Yirgacheffe, previously part of Sidamo province, now belongs to the new Gedeo zone. As a result, a mix of coffee labelled under both old and new regions now circulates in the market. Below, we use the new regional divisions together with administrative boundaries to map out Ethiopia's coffee geography.

Coffee cultivation in Ethiopia is concentrated mainly in the western and southern regions, with smallholder families accounting for 90% of total cultivation. Nearly 1.2 million smallholder families depend on coffee for their livelihood. Each family's plot is less than 4 hectares, at an average altitude of 1,000-2,300 meters, with a planting density of 1,000-1,800 trees per hectare and an output of roughly 600 kg per hectare.

By scale and mode, Ethiopia's coffee cultivation is divided into:

• Forest coffee (8-10%): Coffee trees grow alongside other crops in the original forest, with no artificial management. Farmers harvest the cherries periodically.
• Semi-forest coffee (30-35%): Coffee trees are planted in the zones between forest and the areas where farmers live. The trees are the same natural varieties as forest coffee, but farmers manage the plots and cultivate other cash crops.
• Garden coffee (50-55%): Coffee trees are planted around farmers' homes, mostly by the farmers themselves.
• Plantation coffee (5-6%): Large private growers with more processing facilities and production capacity.

Ethiopian Coffee Varieties

Ethiopia has nearly 2,000 documented coffee varieties, including 1,927 native varieties and 128 introduced ones.

In appearance, Ethiopian coffee is a "wonderland" of shapes: long, short, thin, fat.

Ethiopian Native Varieties Family Tree

Long-shaped beans are found in every coffee-growing area of Ethiopia. Based on field observation, western regions such as Jimma—including Limmu and Kaffa—have more long-shaped varieties, while they are less common in Sidama and Yirgacheffe.

Small-sized beans are relatively round with very small bodies, mostly between 14 and 15 screen sizes. This is the type most of us know best, since it shows up frequently in Sidama and Yirgacheffe. I have also seen it in a Harrar sample and in green coffee sold locally in Jimma. Compared with other regions, Sidama, Yirgacheffe and surrounding areas such as Arsi and Guji grow more of these small native varieties.

Processing Methods

Ethiopia's coffee processing methods include the following:

• Natural processing: The most traditional method. Because of extreme drought and a lack of water for washing, the Harrar region produces only natural coffee. Other regions such as Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Guji and Jimma also produce natural lots.
• Washed processing: Compared with natural, this demands higher standards for equipment, water and the processing plant environment, but it can more consistently deliver high-quality coffee. Every region except Harrar also uses washed processing.
• Honey processing: In recent years, lots labelled Kochere honey process have gradually appeared on the market. We'll leave a question mark over that for now.

Flavor Characteristics

• Washed processing: Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit and sweet pomelo. Intensity ranges from a fairly obvious citrus (peel) aroma to varying levels of fruit acidity, from gentle tangerine to medium-strength orange to the more refreshing acidity of lemon and grapefruit.
• Natural processing: Ripe yellow, red and black fruit aromas such as apricot, peach, cherry, strawberry, cranberry (dried), blueberry (dried) and plum. It is also accompanied by varying degrees of wine-like aroma, reminiscent of rum, whiskey and even red wine (Beaujolais).

Ethiopian Coffee Grades

Ethiopia's coffee grade definitions are fairly complex.

FrontStreet Coffee learned through research that under Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture there is a department called the Cupping and Liquoring Unit (CLU), responsible for quality approval of exported coffee, including the very important task of grade definition. The CLU existed before ECX emerged.

Before ECX, washed coffees for export were divided into grades G1 and G2; naturally processed coffees were exported as G3, G4 and G5, meaning the highest grade for natural processing was G3.

After ECX emerged, grading was redefined. The names for washed grading stayed the same, but for natural processing, G1 appeared for the first time. That is why G1 and G2 Ethiopian natural coffees now appear on the market while G3 gradually becomes less common. All Ethiopian coffees available at FrontStreet Coffee are G1 grade.

Ethiopia's Nine Premium Coffee Growing Regions

Yirgacheffe (Premium region): Altitude 1,800-2,000 meters | Garden coffee system

Yirgacheffe is subordinate to the Sidamo region but was separated out because of its unique flavor. Besides the town of Yirgacheffe itself, it also includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere and Gelena/Abaya. Because of this, in the new Yirgacheffe grading system, Yirgacheffe A, Wenago A, Kochere A and Gelena/Abaya A command higher prices than their B-grade counterparts. Beyond washed and natural processing, special processing methods have begun to appear in the Yirgacheffe region. FrontStreet Coffee's daily blend series includes a washed Yirgacheffe with a clean taste, strong white floral aroma and sweet aftertaste that even FrontStreet Coffee's own baristas love.

Sidamo (Premium region): Altitude 1,400-2,200 meters | Garden coffee system

The flavor is similar to Yirgacheffe. Finely washed or natural Sidamo carries the same floral and orange aromas, with value comparable to Yirgacheffe. The varieties in the two regions are similar—medium-sized beans, alongside dwarf small-grained varieties that farmers often sell separately. Common varieties include Kurmie (poor disease resistance), Wolisho (tall and robust) and Deiga (medium-sized trees). These three are the main components of the premium natural series from Biroya and Alisha. FrontStreet Coffee's Flower Queen comes from the Sidamo region. Besides its obvious floral aroma, FrontStreet Coffee's Flower Queen shows the wild berry acidity characteristic of Sidamo, which makes it very popular among coffee lovers.

Limmu (Premium region): Altitude 1,200-2,000 meters | Garden, forest, semi-forest and plantation coffee systems

With relatively low production, mainly exported to European and American markets, Limmu is not easy to find in Taiwan but is very popular in Europe and America. It has three processing methods: washed, natural and semi-washed. Limmu's body viscosity is noticeably lower, and its floral and citrus expression is inferior to Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, but it has a grassy aroma and brown sugar fragrance with bright fruit acidity.

Harrar (Premium region): Altitude 1,500-2,400 meters | Garden coffee system

Harrar produces only natural coffee. It is an ancient city in the east, though coffee is not grown within the city itself. So-called Harrar coffee means coffee produced in the Harrar Gei highlands of the greater Harrar region. With annual rainfall of only 1,000 millimeters, all coffee is processed naturally. In the cup, Harrar is famous for its distinctive complex aroma, a classic expression of old-style coffee, standing alongside Yirgacheffe as a twin star.

If defective beans in Harrar are carefully sorted out, one can easily detect berry aromas with a pleasant fermented complexity. Due to various factors, however, Harrar quality has been unstable in recent years and the grading system inconsistent, so cupping or trial tasting is essential when buying.

Jimma (Commercial bean region): Altitude 1,350-1,850 meters | Forest/semi-forest system

Jimma is the capital of the Kaffa forest or Kaffa province. Its English spelling varies, with most maps showing "Jimma," though coffee burlap bags often spell it "Djimmah." This is Ethiopia's largest coffee-producing region, accounting for one-third of exports.

The Kaffa forest is famous for its original wild varieties. Jimma serves as the distribution center for the region's Kaffa coffee. Farmers customarily transport coffee harvested from forest areas to Jimma, where hundreds or thousands of varieties are mixed together and sold as commercial beans, masking the flavors of many delicious varieties.

Premium washed Jimma, while lacking Yirgacheffe's orange aroma and floral notes, has a quite clean and transparent profile similar to Central American premium coffees. Commercial-grade premium Jimma is common in Taiwan, and with luck you can buy a high-quality, affordable Jimma with lemon-peel freshness that is not inferior to Sidamo. Overall, Jimma has better flavor than Brazil's commercial Santos beans, making it an excellent component for mid-to-low-priced blends.

Illubabor (Commercial bean region): Altitude 1,350-1,850 meters | Forest/semi-forest coffee system

Located in western Ethiopia on the border with Sudan, this is the westernmost coffee-producing region. Its coffee genetic diversity is second only to the Kaffa forest. The beans are noticeably larger than Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, with lower fruit acidity, good viscosity and balanced flavor. Most coffee from this region is transported to Jimma for blending and is rarely sold on its own.

Gimbi, Lekempti (Commercial bean region): Altitude 1,500-1,800 meters | Forest/semi-forest coffee system

This region produces both natural and washed beans with elongated shapes similar to Harrar, and small quantities of premium grades are quite popular in Europe and America. Most are considered a "poor man's Harrar," with fruit acidity and fruit flavors superior to Illubabor and a bright character.

Tepi, Bebeka (Commercial bean region): Altitude 500-1,900 meters | Garden/forest/semi-forest coffee system

The two regions sit close together, with Tepi north of Bebeka. They have enterprise-managed coffee plantations and have recently promoted the garden system to raise farmers' income, with an annual output of about 3,000 tons. Both regions have wild coffee with low production and flavors completely different from Harrar and Yirgacheffe. Their main characteristic is low fruit acidity, which makes them suitable for blending. Both natural and washed processing are used.

Lake Tana Shore (Alternative region): Altitude 1,840 meters | Forest system

Monastery coffee and the surrounding forest coffee have an extremely low annual production of less than 10 tons. It can hardly be called a region. The many Eastern Orthodox monasteries, churches, religious murals and myths around the lake make this perhaps the world's most "divine" coffee.

European monks established the local coffee cultivation industry, later managed by coffee communities or cooperatives in villages around the town. There are no dedicated plantations here; coffee trees grow naturally, scattered through forests and gardens. During harvest season, the Ethiopian Coffee Trading Company comes to town to buy the beans farmers have gathered.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Godding Coffee Beans

Region: Yirgacheffe region, Ethiopia
Cooperative: Godding Cooperative
Altitude: 2000m-2100m
Variety: Local native varieties
Processing method: Washed processing

Roasting Suggestions

FrontStreet Coffee's Godding beans suit light to medium roasting, which highlights the clean taste and bright fruit acidity of FrontStreet Coffee's Godding and leaves a noticeable sweet aftertaste.

Machine: Yangjia 800N roaster
Bean entry temperature: 180°C
Yellowing point: 5'00", 149.9°C
First crack: 8'42", 183.8°C
Development after first crack: 1'48", discharged at 193.5°C.

Brewing Suggestions

Dripper: Hario V60
Water temperature: 90°C
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium-fine grind

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in small circular motions to 125g. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of the bloom: 2'00".

Flavor Description

Initial notes of citrus and black tea, followed by cream and caramel as the temperature changes, with an almond aftertaste. The sweet aftertaste is obvious, and the cup is clean and sweet.

Burundi

Burundi (the Republic of Burundi) lies in southeastern Africa, south of the equator. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, with Lake Tanganyika to the southwest. The country is characterized by plateaus and mountains, mostly formed by the eastern side of the East African Rift Valley highlands. The national average altitude is 1,600 meters, earning it the nickname "Mountain Country." Burundi's mountainous terrain, suitable altitude and climate are ideal for coffee. FrontStreet Coffee discovered through maps that Burundi's nickname, the "Heart of Africa," is well deserved, as its outline resembles a heart.

Burundi coffee is mainly produced by numerous smallholder farmers, mostly concentrated around processing plants within the country. Wet processing plants in different regions have their own management integration units (abbreviated SOGESTAL), essentially wet-processing plant management associations. Their main function is to provide better hardware and equipment within their regions, which has contributed significantly to the improvement of Burundi coffee quality in recent years. The best Burundi coffees are washed and are mostly Bourbon variety.

Burundi has one of the world's most diverse and successful coffee industries, with its own unique character. Coffee was introduced to the country in 1930 by Belgian colonialists and is now grown only on small farms. Unfortunately, many of these farms sit in areas bordering conflict-prone Rwanda, which has put pressure on production. Almost all coffee produced in Burundi is Arabica, with Ngozi coffee trees planted above 1,200 meters. Burundi coffee has a rich aromatic flavor with excellent acidity, and most of its output is exported to the United States, Germany, Finland and Japan.

Burundi coffee bears striking similarities to its neighbor Rwanda, and coffees from the two countries are often confused. Burundi's cultivation is dominated by Bourbon, using traditional washed processing to treat the cherries. The main characteristics of its specialty coffee are elegant sweetness and bright citrus aromas.

Representative Coffee: [Burundi Heart of Africa]

Grind size: Medium-fine grind

Dripper: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Suggestions

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in small circular motions to 125g. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of the bloom: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Fresh kumquat and lemon aromas, with a subtle sweetness of caramel and pudding filling the whole cup. The fermentation acidity from washed processing makes the coffee exceptionally bright.

Kenya: Small Cooperatives

Kenyan coffee has distinct acidity, sweetness and a dry, wine-like aftertaste. Its best-known characteristic is the flavor and aroma of blackcurrant. Auctions are held every Tuesday during the harvest season in Nairobi, which sets off price wars for the best crops. In recent years, Kenyan green coffee prices have been high and quality issues are easy to run into. FrontStreet Coffee's roasters and baristas often work overtime to roast and cup new Kenyan coffees, to present everyone with a cup of Kenyan coffee that is cleanly and beautifully acidic.

Kenya's 6 Major Growing Regions

Embu and Meru

Most people love the bright acidity and full-bodied texture found here. With Nairobi not too far away, many international buyers visit during the harvest season.

Nyeri

Bright blackberry flavors with rich oils, plus citrus and even floral aromas. The specialty beans from this region are major contributors to Kenya's international fame.

Kirinyaga

The flavors here also feature bright fruit acidity, with medium oiliness and delicate sweetness.

Embu region

The acidity here isn't as intense as Nyeri's, with balanced, clear flavors and aftertastes that perform quite well.

Machakos region

A region that has been rising in prominence, known for refreshing fruit acidity and delicate flavors, medium body, and delicate, fresh aftertastes that have drawn many buyers in recent years.

Western region

Its flavors differ significantly from the central regions, attracting buyers with medium-full sweetness and milder flavors. Some washed coffees here, with nut and mild fruit flavors, are also favored by buyers who dislike bright acidity.

Most Kenyan coffee is produced by small cooperatives rather than large estates, processed using wet methods and graded by bean size. Kenyan coffee is acidic, with distinct flavor notes, and makes the taste brighter. Depending on the farm, it has berry or citrus flavors, sometimes alternating with spices. Some are bright and clean, while others taste wine-like.

Kenya produces a disease-resistant hybrid called Ruiru 11, but it lacks some of the best flavor characteristics of traditional coffees and is considered a lower grade. Breeders are still developing this bean, hoping to make it as delicious as the natural varieties.

Malawi is a small country in southeastern Africa between Mozambique and Zambia. Its coffee has a smooth, full-bodied flavor—a genuine mouthfeel. It rarely reaches the Western Hemisphere, so if you see some, seize the chance to taste it. You'll find it a softer, more floral, sweet, delicate and bright version of the East African style.

[FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Small Tomato]

Region: Thika, Kenya
Processing plant: Asali Honey Processing Plant
Altitude: 1550m-1750m
Varieties: SL28, SL34
Processing method: K72 processing method

Brewing Parameters

Recommended method: V60 dripper
Water temperature: 90-91°C
Coffee dose: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind: Medium-fine grind

Brewing Technique

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in small circular motions to 125g. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of the bloom: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

The wet aroma has ripe tomato and floral notes. The first sip reveals cherry tomato and black plum, with bright acidity, a clean taste, medium body, prominent mid-palate sweetness with a juicy sensation, and a berry and brown sugar aftertaste accented by green tea aroma.

Rwanda: Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda (Republika y'u Rwanda), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in eastern Africa south of the equator. It borders Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and northwest, and Uganda to the north. It covers an area of 26,338 square kilometers. Most regions have a tropical highland climate and tropical savanna climate, mild and cool, with an average annual temperature of 18°C. The year is divided into two dry seasons and two rainy seasons: March to May is the major rainy season, October to December the minor one, with average annual precipitation of 1,000-1,400 millimeters.

Rwanda Coffee and Geography

The country is characterized by mountainous plateaus with over 1,800 hills of various sizes, earning it the nickname "Land of a Thousand Hills." The eastern part has hills, swamps and lakes with dense water networks and vast natural pastures; the central part is lowland along the lakes; the northwestern part is a group of volcanic mountains. Although Rwanda is close to the equator, its altitude above 1,500 meters keeps the average annual temperature at only 18°C. With abundant rainfall and suitable water-heat conditions, it has picturesque scenery, earning it the names "Land of Eternal Spring" and "Switzerland of Africa."

Beautiful Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills, has a long and rich culture of growing highland coffee, focused primarily on high-quality Arabica. This specialty coffee accounts for 20% of Rwanda's total coffee production and is very popular in the international market. In this unique growing environment, Rwanda's high-quality coffee develops a distinctive taste and aroma. It is precisely because of these unique flavors that FrontStreet Coffee acquired a bean from Rwanda, hoping to share its uniqueness with everyone.

According to Kaluletwa, marketing and promotion officer of Rwanda's Coffee Association, Rwanda plans to export 3,000 tons of coffee this year, further increasing production to meet growing market demand. Starbucks, the world's largest coffee beverage retailer, has also partnered with the Rwandan government to import Rwandan coffee—just as depicted on Rwanda's coffee trademark: a coffee-colored pigeon flying out of a coffee cup against the words "Cup of Hope."

Rwanda coffee is described as having a "grassy aroma" with tropical-climate characteristics. After cupping Rwandan beans, FrontStreet Coffee found that beyond fruity sweetness this coffee also offers a refreshing, bright and fresh sensation. The Bourbon grown in Rwanda is remarkable for its fruity sweetness, with a rich, full aroma and no astringency, leaving a long aftertaste. This coffee has a delicious citrus-like sweetness with a deep chocolate color, featuring red apple, cherry, cinnamon and honey notes, with high-quality sweetness and balance, and a cinnamon, almond and chocolate aftertaste.

Representative Coffee:

[FrontStreet Coffee Rwanda Gaseke]

Region: Nyamasheke region, western Rwanda
Altitude: 1500m
Variety: Bourbon
Processing method: Washed processing

Grind size: Medium-fine grind
Dripper: Hario V60
Water temperature: 90°C
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Suggestions

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in small circular motions to 125g. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of the bloom: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Cherry tomato, nuts, cocoa sweetness and mint.

Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the cradles of ancient humans. It had trade relations with Arabia, Persia and India as early as the BC era. Its full name is the United Republic of Tanzania. Located in eastern Africa, south of the equator, it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It borders Kenya and Uganda to the north, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east. FrontStreet Coffee's bean list also includes a bean from Tanzania.

Tanzania covers an area of 945,087 square kilometers, including 2,657 square kilometers of Zanzibar. It consists of the mainland, Zanzibar Island and more than 20 small islands. Located in eastern Africa south of the equator, the mainland faces the Indian Ocean to the east, connects with Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, borders Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and is bounded by Kenya and Uganda to the north. The mainland coastline is 840 kilometers long. Tanzania's terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, in a step-like pattern. The eastern coastal area is lowland, while the western inland plateau accounts for more than half of the total land area. The East African Rift Valley runs north-south through the country in two branches from Lake Malawi. The Kibo peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in northeastern Tanzania, at 5,895 meters, is the highest peak in Africa.

Unlike most African coffee-producing countries, Tanzanian coffee bags are not the common jute bags but rough fiber bags made from agave leaves. This is because the local government banned jute bags to protect Tanzania's sisal industry.

Cultivated Varieties

According to FrontStreet Coffee, the most commonly cultivated coffee varieties in Tanzania are Bourbon, Typica and Kent.

Bourbon

Generally, when we speak of Bourbon, we mostly mean Red Bourbon. After Red Bourbon trees flower and bear fruit, the cherries change color in this sequence: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker red when fully ripe. That is why some people call them Red Bourbon. Bourbon grown at high altitudes typically has a better aroma, brighter acidity and can even show wine-like flavors in the cup.

Typica

With excellent flavor expression, it is recognized as a specialty coffee variety, but it has extremely low yield and is susceptible to rust disease, requiring more labor-intensive management. Typica coffee originates from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan and is the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. The plant is relatively robust but not tolerant of strong light. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, earning it the name "red-topped coffee."

Kent

A Typica hybrid discovered in 1911 at the Kent coffee plantation in the Mysore region of India, created by crossing S288 with Typica. It has high yield and rust resistance. Its aroma has more body than Bourbon and it has been introduced to New World coffee-producing countries such as Kenya and Indonesia, making outstanding contributions.

Processing Methods

Tanzania green beans are primarily processed using the washed method. Washing is currently the most widely used processing method, using washing and fermentation to remove pulp and mucilage. Washed method: bean selection → pulp removal → fermentation → washing → drying → hulling → sorting and grading.

Grading

Tanzania's grading system is similar to Kenya's, grading beans by size and flavor. Bean sizes, in order, are:

AA Plus (AA+) - Exceptional cup quality (flavor, mouthfeel) among AA-grade beans
AA - Screen size 17-18
AB - Screen size 15-16, accounting for most production
C - Smaller than AB
TT - Lighter-weight beans screened from AA and AB grades using airflow separators
T - Lighter-weight beans screened from C-grade beans using airflow separators
E - Elephant Bean - Large mutant beans where two beans merge, also called elephant ear
UG - Beans not meeting the above standards
PB - Peaberry, classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight

Flavor grades, in order, are:

TOP, PLUS, FAQ

FAQ—"Fair to Average Quality"—may contain some slightly defective beans, but FrontStreet Coffee believes this doesn't affect the flavor.

Coffee Taste:

Tanzania is a typical East African country, bordering Kenya and Uganda to the north, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to the south, and Rwanda and Burundi to the west. Many people like to compare Tanzanian coffee with its neighbor Kenya. Compared with Kenya's premium beans, Tanzanian coffee is less bright in acidity, showing a gentler, more approachable beauty and more sweet aroma. Rich red wine notes are also characteristic of Tanzania.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, stands in northeastern Tanzania. After World War I, the region was placed under trusteeship and was once under British colonial rule, gaining independence in 1964. Bourbon variety coffee was first introduced as early as 1893, with washed processing the main method for green beans. High-quality, high-altitude Tanzanian coffee shows active and bright acidity similar to Kenyan coffee.

Tanzania's northern coffee-growing regions include areas around the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, such as Moshi and Mbeya, while the southern regions are primarily the Songea-Ruvuma area through which the Ruvuma River flows. Due to different growing terrains, the styles vary slightly. Coffee from the Ruvuma region in southwestern Tanzania has wine and fruit aroma flavors, distinct from coffee in the northern Mount Kilimanjaro region.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania and is the largest coffee-producing region, accounting for 75% of Tanzania's coffee production. Generally speaking, Tanzanian coffee beans are of exceptional quality. The important regions are in the northern mountains near Kenya, with smallholder farmers accounting for 85% of coffee cultivation. Local smallholders grow coffee at altitudes between 1,300-2,000m, and their coffee flavor differs from neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya, featuring characteristics of both countries: good body with fruit and floral aromas, making it a coffee worth trying. Coffee belongs to dicotyledonous plants, and generally a coffee cherry normally contains a pair (two halves) of coffee seeds, which we call coffee beans.

Compared to flat beans (a pair of flat-sided beans), peaberries—also known as caracol or caracolillo (Spanish for "small snail")—are botanically thought to result from uneven pollination (Arabica coffee plants are self-pollinating; if a coffee flower has only one ovary, or only one ovary is successfully pollinated, only one seed can be produced) or uneven nutrition during growth (more likely in fruits growing at the ends of branches), where nutrients are absorbed by only one cotyledon, and only the cotyledon that continues to receive nutrients grows into a single small oval coffee seed, hence the name peaberry. Normally, the proportion of peaberries produced by coffee plants is about 3-5%, making them relatively rare. Because their shape and size differ from normal (flat) coffee beans, they are often separately graded and sold through screen-mesh sorting.

Northern coffee has a rich aroma, bright acidity and full body. Thanks to fertile volcanic soil, it also has a mineral water-like sweetness.

Southern coffee has rich floral aromas, a smooth taste and elegant fruit acidity.

Coffee growing region in Africa—Tanzanian coffee comes from the fertile soil of the East African Rift Valley and is an outstanding representative of premium coffee from this region. Its refreshing acidity and medium body complement sweet citrus and floral aromas. This coffee tastes excellent whether served hot or as iced coffee. Paired with oranges or berries, it further highlights its bright flavors. The bean from Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, that FrontStreet Coffee acquired is no exception.

[FrontStreet Coffee Tanzania Kilimanjaro]

Region: Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Altitude: 1300m-2000m
Variety: Typica
Processing method: Washed processing

Grind size: Medium-fine grind
Dripper: Hario V60
Water temperature: 90°C
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Suggestions

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in small circular motions to 125g. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of the bloom: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Citrus, berries, honey and tea-like notes.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This tour of African coffee keeps returning to Ethiopia, and that is exactly where FrontStreet Coffee's strength lies. For the clean, floral and citrus-driven side of the continent described above, start with FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe, the classic introduction to Ethiopian coffee: clear jasmine and bright citrus acidity with a tea-like body, much closer to a refreshing lemon tea than to the bitter coffee many people expect. To taste the cooperative model that this article describes, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Gotiti Cooperative coffee comes from the Worka area at the southeastern end of Yirgacheffe—once part of the YCFCU Worka cooperative—and shows citrus and lemon notes with elegant white florals. For the tropical, fruit-forward expression of natural processing, FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Red Cherry is dried on raised beds for two weeks until moisture falls to 12%, with notes of peach, cocoa, honey and lemon. And for the region's most famous fruit-bomb style, FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Huakui, from the Hambela area of Guji in Sidamo, is sun-dried for 21 days and offers a light fermented wine aroma, florals, citrus and mango with honey sweetness and a long finish. Together these cover the washed, cooperative and natural traditions that make Ethiopian coffee—and African coffee as a whole—so compelling.