What Variety is Kenya Small Bean Coffee? The Complex Berry Aroma of Kenyan Coffee Bean Varieties

Introduction to Kenya Coffee by FrontStreet Coffee

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Kenya's main coffee-growing regions are situated around the country's highest peak - Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa after Kilimanjaro. Many plantations enjoy excellent altitude, and the significant temperature differences between day and night at high altitudes help extend the coffee maturation period, allowing flavor compounds to accumulate. For example, the beans from the Embu region we're featuring this time are grown at an altitude of 1800m. Kenyan coffee is highly recognizable, known for its distinctive and complex berry and fruit flavors, accompanied by sweet notes and dense acidity.

As Ethiopia's neighbor, Kenya did not remain untouched by the waves of colonialism like Ethiopia did. Initially, coffee was cultivated in large estates under British colonial rule, with harvested beans shipped back to London for sale. It wasn't until the 1950s that coffee production was returned to Kenya. I've always believed that for an agricultural product to secure a place in competition, besides favorable timing and geography, the human factor is indispensable. Kenya has certainly maximized this "human factor" to the extreme.

The first coffee brought to Kenya for cultivation was Bourbon. 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 shattered the long-standing prejudice that artificially bred varieties couldn't surpass natural ones. SL-28 and SL-34 helped Kenyan coffee form its unique flavor characteristics, establishing a perfect reputation in the coffee world.

Kenyans place great importance on coffee science, and many farmers possess highly professional production knowledge. This is true for the SL-28 and SL-34 we've selected (both belonging to the Arabica species). These two coffee varieties, named with code numbers, come from the "Scott" Laboratory (SL being the abbreviation for the laboratory). Since the 1930s, the laboratory has been employed by the Kenyan government, and these two varieties are among the 40 varieties developed through planned breeding. They constitute the majority of Kenya's high-quality coffee and are widely cultivated in all major growing regions.

Although the yield of SL28 later turned out to be lower than expected, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped seeds offer wonderful sweetness, balance, and complexly varied flavors, with distinctive citrus and black plum characteristics. Meanwhile, SL34 shares similar flavor profiles with SL28 but has a heavier, richer, and cleaner mouthfeel beyond its complexly varied acidity and excellent sweet finish. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica bloodlines. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it adapts better to sudden heavy rains. It is these two important varieties that have introduced us to the unique Kenyan style: intense and rich fruit acidity, full body, and beautiful balance.

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