Kenyan Coffee Brands and the Highest Grade Micro-batches of Kenyan Coffee Beans

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

FrontStreet Coffee · Kenya Taiyu AA Plus

Kenya is one of the most dynamic forces in the Arabica green bean market. Most Kenyan coffee comes from smallholders, and the top grades are handled through the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK), which identifies and grades each lot before selling it at weekly auctions. The Board itself acts only as an agent: it collects samples and distributes them to buyers, leaving price and quality judgments to the trade.

The Kenyan government invests heavily in the industry, holding high standards for tree protection, quality control and research. That combination of a unique aroma and a balanced cup keeps pushing Kenyan coffee up in value as specialty coffee. When people think of premium Arabica, Kenya AA is often the first name that comes to mind. AA is a grading system based on the size and appearance of green beans. The top grade is Peaberry (PB), followed by AA++ and AA+, with the remaining sizes ranked from largest to smallest as AA, AB, C, E, TT and T. With its distinctive taste and its complete flavor and body, FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya has earned a place among the specialty coffees that can stand alongside the world's three most famous names.

FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya AA Plus is a micro-batch product, showing brighter fruit and a more pronounced wine-like aroma than the common AA grade. The CBK auction system was also built around the needs of blenders. Lots are usually small — 3 to 6 tons each — and samples are marked with grower identification so buyers can evaluate them. After the auction, exporters pack according to flavor, quality level and the quantities blenders require, which gives blenders considerable flexibility. It is a system designed to serve them.

FrontStreet Coffee · Kenya Taiyu AA Plus

Region: Nyeri

Variety: SL28

Grade: AA+

Altitude: 1,700–1,800 m

Processing Method: Washed

Cupping Notes: Orange, blackcurrant, syrup, black tea, balanced, excellent body

In Brief

FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research center that is happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unrestrained sharing exists for one reason: to help more people fall in love with coffee. We also run three heavily discounted coffee events every month, because our mission for the past 6 years has been to let more people enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Kenyan lots like this one are prized by blenders as much as by single-origin drinkers, and that blending logic runs straight through FrontStreet's espresso range.

FrontStreet Specialty Blend — Colombia washed beans paired with Brazil semi-washed, showing nut, dark chocolate and caramel with a comfortable bittersweet edge. Pulled with milk it turns into a remarkably smooth latte with a stable, easy-to-pour crema. It suits a home or office setup and a specialty neighborhood café alike.

FrontStreet Commercial Blend — Colombia washed and Brazil semi-washed with a small addition of Robusta, again landing on nut, cocoa and caramel. Compared with other espresso options, this one leans on the classic Brazil-and-Colombia pairing, then lifts the layers with a little Robusta to bring in toasted bread, almond and walnut. Crema flows well, acidity is low and the body is full, and the price makes it an obvious choice for a shop that needs consistency at volume.

FrontStreet Classic Blend — a three-origin, medium-dark espresso recipe inspired by the old "Mamba" combination of Mandheling and Brazil. A small amount of Robusta adds aroma and depth, lifting the flavor intensity so even a beginner can pull a shot with a golden crema at home. It is the blend we point to first for anyone learning latte art.