Kenya Coffee Bean Varieties as Flavor Factors: How to Enjoy Kenyan Coffee Elegantly

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Coffee Introduction

Although Kenya borders Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, its coffee cultivation industry developed relatively late. The earliest planting began in 1893 in Bura, Taita Hills, Kenya. The seeds may have come from Réunion Island (Bourbon Island, the discovery place of Bourbon coffee), while others believe they were brought in from Ethiopia. The first batch of coffee beans was harvested in 1896. Later, planting expanded to Kibwezi in 1900 and Kikuyu near Nairobi in 1904. The history of coffee bean cultivation spans only about a century, with the coffee industry primarily consisting of a combination of small farmers, wet processing mills, and cooperatives.

Due to strong government support for the coffee industry, combined with the collaborative efforts of farms, cooperatives, farmers, and research institutes, Kenyan coffee ranks among the top in Africa and even worldwide in both production volume and quality. Therefore, Kenyan coffee is also known as the "Heart of Africa."

Common varieties in Kenya include SL28, SL34, and Ruiru 11.

Initially, Bourbon was the variety brought to Kenya for cultivation. In the 1950s, the agricultural research institution Scott Laboratory, through relentless efforts, selected and bred two excellent hybrid varieties: SL-28 and SL-34. This achievement overturned the long-standing prejudice that artificially selected varieties could not match naturally occurring ones.

SL-28

In the 1930s, SL-28 was selected and bred by Kenya's Scott Laboratory from a drought-resistant variety from Tanzania. The fruit turns red when mature, and the seeds are slightly larger than general varieties. It is considered capable of producing coffee with distinct fruit flavors, typically described as blackcurrant. However, SL-28 is highly susceptible to leaf rust disease and is more suitable for cultivation in high-altitude areas.

SL-34

SL-34 was selected from Bourbon by French missionaries, who brought it from Bourbon Island (Réunion Island) to Africa. It first appeared in Tanzania before being introduced to Kenya. It possesses distinct fruit flavors, though generally considered slightly inferior to SL-28. Its resistance to leaf rust is also weak, and it has red fruit skin.

Ruiru 11

Ruiru 11 is a hybrid variety developed in Kenya in 1985 that prioritizes yield over quality. It is a cross between Arabica and Robusta beans, and to date has not been considered a specialty coffee.

As for how to drink Kenyan coffee! Have you seen the coffee tasting steps?

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