Introduction to Kenyan Coffee Flavor Varieties and Characteristics - Brewing and Taste Description of Washed Kenyan Coffee Beans

When it comes to acidic coffee, FrontStreet Coffee first thinks of Kenyan coffee. It enters with rich cherry tomato notes, plum, dark berries, and caramel, creating a juice-like sweet and sour taste. The bright acidity forms a very complex coffee flavor experience. The stunning aroma of Kenyan coffee is attributed to the local high-quality coffee selection and unique washed processing method.

Coffee Varieties That Create Kenyan Flavor

Unlike many coffee-producing regions, Kenyan coffee bean varieties are typically represented by letters and numbers, such as the most common SL28 and SL34.

SL stands for Scott Laboratories. In the 1930s, Scott Laboratories was commissioned by the Kenyan government to conduct research on coffee breeding and classification, attempting to find varieties that could adapt to Kenya's terroir, be suitable for large-scale cultivation, and possess commercial value. Although there are numerous coffee bean varieties in the SL series, undoubtedly SL-28 and SL-34 are the two most popular in specialty coffee. SL-28 and SL-34, these two hybrid princes, have defined Kenya's unique flavor: high sweetness, delicate balance, prominent citrus and plum notes, and rich mouthfeel. The Asalia coffee beans on FrontStreet Coffee's menu are composed of these two excellent varieties.

SL28 and SL34 are found throughout Kenya. SL28 is a mix of Bourbon, Mocha, Yemeni, and Typica varieties, while SL34 contains Bourbon and more Typica. The bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it can better adapt to sudden African heavy rains. Today, when we order a cup of Kenyan coffee in a café, it's basically one of these two varieties, and these two varieties are almost always "mixed together," so Kenyan coffee is essentially a blend of SL28 and SL34.

The flavors of SL28 and SL34 are similar, both featuring complex and varied berry-like acidity and caramel sweet aftertaste. Compared to SL28, SL34 has a heavier mouthfeel, with acidity leaning more toward blackberries and other berries, with an overall sweet and sour balance and caramel aftertaste. When SL28 cools down, it tends toward blueberry-like acidity, with slightly elevated acidity and higher sweetness, consistent with Bourbon's high sweetness profile. Through cupping comparison, we can find that SL34 from the same origin has milder acidity compared to SL28, while SL28 has brighter acidity.

Characteristics of Kenyan-style Washed Processing

As one of the most important links in the coffee supply chain, different processing methods play a crucial role in the quality and flavor direction of coffee beans. In Kenya's coffee industry, primary processing is mainly carried out at washing stations. Many coffee-producing countries have washing stations, especially Kenya, where most coffee beans undergo washed processing.

Many of Kenya's washing stations are built along riverbanks so they can easily access water sources for washing coffee. Their washed processing method involves post-harvest processing on the same day, selecting the highest quality coffee cherries for pulping and fermentation, with a fermentation time of 24 hours. After 24 hours, they are washed with clean river water. Then, they undergo another 24-hour fermentation with clean river water, followed by washing again. After repeating this cycle 3 times, reaching 72 hours, it's called the Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, abbreviated as "K72." This multiple fermentation and washing processing method allows Kenyan coffee beans to present a cleaner and brighter acidity.

Flavor of Washed Kenyan Coffee Beans

In terms of roasting, FrontStreet Coffee uses light roasting to showcase the complex and varied acidity and floral notes of Kenyan coffee. In cupping, FrontStreet Coffee experiences that this Asalia coffee bean has cherry tomato and plum flavors, with bright acidity, clean mouthfeel, medium body, prominent sweetness in the middle section, a juice-like sensation, and a berry aroma and brown sugar sweetness in the aftertaste, with green tea fragrance. Therefore, in brewing, FrontStreet Coffee's barista also hopes to continue this unique taste profile.

Light roasting hasn't changed much the high hardness of high-altitude coffee beans, so brewing requires a higher extraction rate to present fuller flavor layers. Here, FrontStreet Coffee will use higher water temperature and slightly finer grind size to extract more aromatic substances.

To increase the extraction rate of Kenyan coffee and thereby highlight the sweet and sour flavor layers, while avoiding over-extraction, FrontStreet Coffee's barista will use a V60 dripper. The V60 dripper's body has ribbing that connects the top and bottom and a large central hole that accelerates water flow, while the spiral-shaped exhaust groove design extends the water flow path, increasing the contact time between coffee grounds and hot water. Each water flow converges along the grooves toward the center point of the dripper, concentrating the pressure on the coffee grounds and extracting coffee with richer layering.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Demonstration

Next, FrontStreet Coffee will demonstrate the brewing steps for Kenyan Asalia coffee as served in their store. Everyone can refer to this and compare with their own brewing approach.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-over Parameters:

Dripper: V60
Water temperature: 91-92°C
Coffee amount: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16
Grind size: Fine sugar size (80% passes through #20 sieve)

Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. Using a small stream, pour in a circular motion to 125g, then segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop pouring. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the bloom) Extraction time is 2'00".

The dry aroma smells of honey and plum. The wet aroma has mature tomato and light floral notes. The entry brings bright acidity like cherry tomatoes, with rich and solid mouthfeel. In the middle section, you can feel the high sweetness of brown sugar. The sweet and sour of berries and fruits is delightful, while the finish has caramel aroma.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account, ID: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473