Which African Countries Produce Coffee and How Kenya's Coffee Bean Grading System Works

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FrontStreet Coffee - African Coffee Origins: Kenya Coffee Grading Introduction

Africa has many coffee-producing countries, with globally renowned ones including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and others. FrontStreet Coffee has always been particularly fond of Kenyan coffee, with its rich fruit aroma, fruity acidic fragrance, and lively, bright acidity making it among the finest in specialty coffee.

The high-altitude washed Arabica coffee beans produced in Kenya can be considered among the world's best in terms of quality. Kenya's coffee industry, under the strict control of the Kenya Coffee Board, maintains excellent consistency. Kenyan coffee is famous for its intense fruity flavors, characterized by lemon and citrus aromatic notes.

Kenya borders Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee trees, but coffee cultivation did not begin until the early 20th century. In the 19th century, missionaries introduced Arabica trees from Yemen, but they were not widely cultivated. It wasn't until 1893 that ancient Bourbon coffee seeds from Brazil were introduced, leading to large-scale coffee cultivation. This means current Kenyan coffee carries Brazilian heritage, but due to differences in soil, climate, and processing methods, Kenyan beans have completely different flavor profiles from Brazilian beans.

Kenyan coffee trees are mainly concentrated on the slopes near Mount Kenya, at altitudes ranging from approximately 4,000 to 6,500 feet. This elevation is ideal for developing coffee bean flavors, as the lower mountain temperatures slow growth, allowing the aromatic components in coffee beans to fully develop, resulting in more pronounced fruit acidity and harder texture. Additionally, Kenya was formerly a British colony, and the British established a comprehensive cultivation and quality control system. After Kenya's independence, the coffee industry made great strides on this foundation, becoming Kenya's highest foreign exchange-earning industry.

Kenyan beans have a strict grading system. Coffee beans from washing stations are classified into seven grades based on size, shape, and hardness. The highest grade is AA or AA+, followed in sequence by AB, PB, C, TT, and T. This grading system is similar to Colombia's, primarily considering particle size and appearance, but good appearance doesn't necessarily mean the best flavor.

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research establishment that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three low-discount coffee events monthly because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends - this has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for six years!

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