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 is biased toward African coffees, but rather because there are so many African coffee varieties, each with their own distinctive characteristics, and even subtle differences between regions.

Located in the equatorial zone, Africa is one of the most renowned coffee-producing regions globally. Ethiopia and Kenya, in particular, produce the most famous African coffees. These two countries are the pillars of African coffee production – if either were to collapse, it would cause immeasurable damage to Africa's coffee industry. Consequently, coffee from both countries has gained recognition from the global coffee industry and amassed numerous fans worldwide! Of course, Africa cannot rely solely on these two countries; there's much more to explore!

Many of the world's finest African coffee beans originate from eastern Ethiopia and Kenya to Rwanda, where premium Arabica coffee beans are cultivated, to West African nations including Senegal and Cameroon, where Robusta coffee beans predominate. We'll briefly introduce several regions in this article: Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Although it's fair to say that coffee beans from Africa are grown extensively across the continent and even grow wild in many regions.

Flavor Profile: Captivating Fruit Acidity

As the birthplace of coffee, African coffee holds a pivotal position in the global coffee industry. Despite centuries of commercial coffee cultivation worldwide, the countless wild coffee varieties in Africa remain the greatest treasure for coffee researchers today. The common characteristics of African coffee include rich aroma and captivating fruit acidity. The brightness of the acidity is lively and refreshing, though the body of African coffee is often somewhat thin, with sweetness that isn't particularly prominent. Due to drought and water scarcity in Africa, natural processing methods are commonly used for green beans. As a result, the beans often have irregular appearances and higher defect rates.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia has three main regions that produce African coffee beans: Harrar, Ghimbi, and Sidamo (or Yirgacheffe). Harrar beans come from small farms and are processed using the dry method. They are classified as "longberry" for large beans, "shortberry" for small beans, or Mocha (peaberry size).

Coffee Cultivation in Ethiopia

Due to administrative boundary changes in Ethiopia around 1995, the most significant impact on coffee regions was that the former Sidamo province was divided into new Sidama (occupying a small portion of the original area) and the larger portion incorporated into the Oromia region. Additionally, Yirgacheffe, which previously belonged to Sidamo province, is now part of the new Gedeo zone. Consequently, a mixture of coffee items named after both old and new regions now circulates in the market. Here, we'll use the new regional divisions combined with administrative boundaries to understand Ethiopia's coffee cultivation map.

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

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

• Forest coffee (8-10%): Coffee trees coexist with other crops in original forests without any artificial management. Farmers regularly harvest coffee cherries.
• Semi-forest coffee (30-35%): Coffee trees are planted in areas between forests and the vicinity of farmers' living areas. The coffee trees are the same natural varieties as forest coffee, but farmers manage the planting areas and cultivate other cash crops.
• Garden coffee (50-55%): Coffee trees are planted around farmers' living areas, mostly planted by farmers themselves.
• Plantation coffee (5-6%): Large private growers with more processing facilities and production capacity.

Ethiopian Coffee Varieties

Ethiopia has nearly 2,000 recorded coffee varieties (including 1,927 native varieties and 128 introduced varieties).

In terms of appearance, Ethiopian coffee varieties are a "wonderland" with all sorts of shapes: long, short, thin, fat...

Ethiopian Native Varieties Family Tree

Long-shaped beans are found in all coffee-growing areas of Ethiopia. Based on actual observations, western regions like Jimma, including Limmu and Kaffa, have more long-shaped bean varieties, while they are less common in Sidama or Yirgacheffe.

Small-sized beans have a relatively round appearance and very small bodies, mostly between 14-15 screen sizes. This variety should be the most familiar to us, as they are often seen in Sidama and Yirgacheffe. I have also seen them in a Harrar sample and in green coffee beans sold locally in Jimma. Compared to other regions, Sidama, Yirgacheffe, and surrounding areas like Arsi and Guji have more cultivation of these small-sized native varieties.

Processing Methods

Ethiopia's coffee processing methods include the following:

• Natural processing: This is the most traditional processing method. The Harrar region, due to extreme drought and lack of water resources for washed processing, exclusively produces naturally processed coffee. Other regions like Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Guji, and Jimma also produce naturally processed coffees.
• Washed processing: Compared to natural processing, this requires higher standards for processing equipment, water resources, and processing plant environments, but can more consistently produce high-quality coffee. All regions except Harrar have washed processing methods.
• Honey processing: In recent years, items marked as Kochere honey processing have gradually appeared in the market. We'll put a question mark on this for now.

Flavor Characteristics

• Washed processing: Citrus fruits, such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, and sweet pomelo. The flavor intensity ranges from relatively obvious citrus fruit (peel) aroma to different levels of fruit acidity, from gentle tangerine to medium-strength orange, to more refreshing lemon and grapefruit acidity.
• Natural processing: Mature yellow, red, and black fruit aromas, such as apricot, peach, cherry, strawberry, cranberry (dried), blueberry (dried), plum, etc. It is also accompanied by varying degrees of wine-like aromas, similar to rum, whiskey, and even red wine (beaujolais).

Ethiopian Coffee Grades

Ethiopia's coffee grade definition is quite complex.

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

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

After ECX emerged, grading was redefined. The names for washed grading remained unchanged, but for natural processing, G1 appeared for the first time. This is why G1 and G2 Ethiopian natural coffees now appear in the market, while G3 gradually becomes less common. All Ethiopian coffees available at FrontStreet Coffee are of 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 due to its unique flavor. Besides the town of Yirgacheffe, it also includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya. Therefore, in the new Yirgacheffe grading system, Yirgacheffe A, Wenago A, Kochere A, and Gelena/Abaya A are more expensive than their B-grade counterparts. Besides 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 bean with a clean taste, strong white floral aroma, and sweet aftertaste that even FrontStreet Coffee's baristas love.

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

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

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

With relatively low production mainly exported to European and American markets, it's not easy to purchase in Taiwan, but it's 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 expressions are 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 exclusively produces natural processed coffee. It's an ancient eastern city, but coffee is not grown within the city itself. So-called Harrar coffee refers to coffee produced in the Harrar Gei Highlands of the greater Harrar region. With annual rainfall of only 1,000 millimeters, all coffee is processed using the natural method. In terms of flavor, Harrar coffee is famous for its distinctive [complex aroma], representing typical ancient early flavors. It stands alongside Yirgacheffe as [twin stars].

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

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 is quite varied, with maps mostly showing "Jimma," but coffee burlap bags often spell it as "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 this region's Kaffa coffee. Farmers are accustomed to transporting coffee harvested from forest areas to Jimma, where hundreds or thousands of varieties are mixed together and sold as commercial beans, causing the flavors of many delicious varieties to be masked.

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

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

This region is located in western Ethiopia, bordering Sudan, and is the westernmost coffee-producing region. The 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 independently.

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, with small quantities of premium grades quite popular in Europe and America. Most are considered "poor man's Harrar" with fruit acidity and fruit flavors superior to Illubabor, featuring bright flavors.

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

The two regions are close to each other, with Tepi north of Bebeka. They have enterprise-managed coffee plantations and have recently promoted garden systems to increase 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. The main characteristic is low fruit acidity, making them suitable for blending. Both natural and washed processing methods are used.

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

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

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

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 are quite suitable for light to medium roasting, which highlights the clean taste and bright fruit acidity of FrontStreet Coffee's Godding, with 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 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, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of blooming: 2'00".

Flavor Description

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

Burundi

Burundi (The Republic of Burundi) is located in the southeastern part of 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 cultivation. FrontStreet Coffee discovered through maps that Burundi's nickname as the "Heart of Africa" is well-deserved, as its outline resembles a heart.

Burundi coffee beans are mainly produced by numerous smallholder coffee farmers, mostly concentrated around processing plants within the country. Wet processing plants in different regions also have their own management integration units (abbreviated as SOGESTAL), which are essentially wet processing plant management associations. The main function of these associations is to provide better hardware equipment within their regions, thus contributing significantly to the improvement of Burundi coffee quality in recent years. The best Burundi coffees are processed using the washed method and are mostly Bourbon varieties.

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

Burundi coffee bears striking similarities to its neighbor Rwanda, and coffees from these two countries are often confused. Burundi's coffee cultivation is dominated by Bourbon varieties, using traditional washed processing to treat coffee cherries. The main characteristics of its specialty coffee include 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 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, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of blooming: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

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

Kenya: Small Cooperatives

Kenyan coffee has distinct acidity, sweetness, and a dry wine-like aftertaste. Its best characteristic is the flavor and aroma of blackcurrant. Auctions are held every Tuesday during the harvest season in Nairobi, leading to price wars for the best crops. In recent years, Kenyan green coffee prices have been high, and it's easy to encounter quality issues. FrontStreet Coffee's roasters and baristas often work overtime to roast and cup test new Kenyan coffees to present everyone with a cup of Kenyan coffee that's 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. Additionally, 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 and clear flavors, and most aftertastes perform quite well.

Machakos region

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

Western region

Its flavors differ significantly from central regions, attracting buyers with medium-full sweetness and milder flavors. Some washed coffees in this region 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 comes from, it has berry or citrus flavors, sometimes alternating with spices. Some are bright and clean, while others have wine-like flavors.

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

Malawi is a small country in southeastern Africa between Mozambique and Zambia. Its coffee has a smooth, full-bodied flavor—a true mouthfeel. It rarely reaches the Western Hemisphere, so if you see some, you should seize the opportunity to taste it. You'll find it's 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 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, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of blooming: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Wet aroma has mature tomato and floral notes. Initial taste reveals cherry tomato and black plum flavors, with bright acidity, clean taste, medium body, prominent mid-palate sweetness with a juicy sensation, and a berry fruit and brown sugar aftertaste with green tea aroma.

Rwanda: Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda (Republika y'u Rwanda) is a country in eastern Africa, officially the Republic of Rwanda, located in eastern Africa south of the equator as a landlocked country. 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-May is the major rainy season, October-December is the minor rainy season, 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 lakes; the northwestern part consists of a group of volcanic mountains. Although Rwanda is closest to the equator, its altitude above 1,500 meters results in an average annual temperature of only 18°C. Coupled with abundant rainfall and suitable water-heat conditions, it features picturesque scenery, earning it the names "Land of Eternal Spring" and "Switzerland of Africa."

The beautiful Land of a Thousand Hills, Rwanda, has a long and rich culture of growing highland coffee, primarily focusing on high-quality Arabica coffee. 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 has 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 Rwanda's Coffee Association's marketing and promotion officer Kaluletwa, Rwanda plans to export 3,000 tons of coffee this year, further increasing coffee production to meet growing market demand. Starbucks, the world's largest coffee beverage retail company, has also partnered with the Rwandan government to import Rwandan coffee, just as depicted on Rwanda's coffee trademark: a coffee-colored pigeon flies out of a coffee cup against the backdrop of the words "Cup of Hope."

Rwanda coffee is described as having "grass aroma" with tropical climate characteristics. After cupping Rwandan coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee discovered that besides fruity sweetness, this coffee also offers a refreshing, bright, and fresh sensation. The Bourbon coffee grown in Rwanda is remarkable for its fruity sweetness, with rich and full aroma without any astringency, leaving a long aftertaste. This coffee has delicious citrus-like sweetness with deep chocolate color, featuring red apple, cherry, cinnamon and honey notes, with high-quality sweetness and balance, and 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 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, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of blooming: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Cherry tomato, nuts, cocoa sweetness, and mint.

Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the origins of ancient humans. It had trade relations with Arabia, Persia, and India as early as the BC era. The full name of Tanzania 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, showing a step-like pattern. The eastern coastal area consists of lowlands, while the western inland plateau accounts for more than half of the total inland 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 rather 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 refer to Bourbon varieties, we mostly mean Red Bourbon. Because after Red Bourbon coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the color change of coffee cherries follows this pattern: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker red when fully ripe. Therefore, some people call them [Red Bourbon varieties]. Bourbon varieties grown at high altitudes typically have better aroma, brighter acidity, and even display wine-like flavors when tasted.

Typica

With excellent flavor expression, it's recognized as a specialty coffee variety, but with extremely low yield and susceptibility 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 variety 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 characteristics. The coffee aroma has more body than Bourbon varieties and has been introduced to New World coffee-producing countries like Kenya and Indonesia, making outstanding contributions.

Processing Methods

Tanzania green beans are primarily processed using the washed method. The washed method is currently the most widely used processing method, utilizing 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) 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 have 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 to Kenya's premium coffee beans, Tanzanian coffee is less bright in acidity, showing a gentler and more approachable beauty with more sweet aroma. Rich red wine notes are also a characteristic of Tanzania.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, stands in northeastern Tanzania. After World War I, it 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 being 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 Mount Kilimanjaro's foothills 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 have exceptional quality. Important regions are in the northern mountains near Kenya, with smallholder farmers accounting for 85% of coffee cultivation. Local smallholder farmers 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 fruit normally contains a pair (two halves) of coffee seeds, which we call coffee beans.

Compared to flat beans (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 to occur in coffee fruits growing at the ends of coffee tree branches), where nutrients are absorbed by only one cotyledon, and only the cotyledon that continues to receive nutrients grows into a single small oval-shaped coffee seed, hence the name peaberry. Normally, the proportion of peaberries produced by coffee plants is about 3-5%, making them relatively rare in production. Also, 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 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, 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 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, remove the dripper. Extraction time from the start of blooming: 2'00".

Flavor Description:

Citrus, berries, honey, and tea-like notes.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473