A Guide to Kenyan Coffee: History, Grading, SL Varieties, K72 Processing, and the Assalia Variety

Kenya is located in eastern Africa, crossed by the equator in its central region and bisected north to south by the East African Rift Valley. It borders Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Most of the country consists of a plateau with an average elevation of 1,500 meters, with Mount Kenya in the central highlands reaching an impressive 5,199 meters. The majority of Kenya experiences a tropical savanna climate, with maximum temperatures ranging from 22-26°C and minimum temperatures from 10-14°C year-round. Due to its equatorial location, mountainous terrain, and volcanic soil, this climate and environment have nurtured Kenya's specialty coffee.

Kenya Coffee History

Although Kenya borders Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, Kenya's coffee industry developed relatively late. Coffee was first introduced to Kenya in 1893 by French missionaries and was cultivated on large plantations during British colonial rule, with all produced coffee being shipped to London. It wasn't until the Coffee Ordinance was passed in 1933 and the Coffee Board was established that coffee sales returned to Kenyan government control. The government then vigorously developed the coffee industry, first establishing an auction system in 1934 to increase coffee revenue—a system still in use today. Later, they drafted a coffee quality grading system to improve cultivation quality. By the 1950s, an agricultural bill was passed granting farmers land use rights, enabling them to achieve self-sufficiency and increase their income.

Kenya Grading

Kenya uses the same grading system for both domestic sales and exports. The grading is based on coffee bean size and quality as indicators, with clear specifications divided into AA+, AA, AB, PB, C, E, TT, and T. This strict grading ensures consistent coffee bean quality.

Additionally, Kenyan exporters and green bean traders apply cupping-based grading to AA and AB grade green coffee beans (non-government official), categorized sequentially as TOP, PLUS (+), and FAQ. They score coffee beans based on cupping results of both green and roasted coffee, evaluating acidity, body, and flavor, with each category receiving 1-3 points. For example, a score of 1-1-1 would indicate TOP grade.

Kenya Coffee Varieties

Kenya cultivates coffee varieties including K7, Ruiru 11, Batian, and the SL series, with SL28 and SL34 being the most renowned. These two varieties were selected in the late 1930s when the Kenyan government commissioned the former Scott Agricultural Laboratories (now the National Agricultural Laboratories) to study 42 varieties for their yield, quality, and drought and disease resistance. SL stands for Scott Laboratories, and SL34 and SL28 were among those selected. It was ultimately discovered that these two varieties had excellent quality and flavor, but they were susceptible to coffee diseases.

Later genetic testing revealed that SL28 originates from the Bourbon variety, while SL34 comes from Typica. These two beans are quite similar in flavor, both exhibiting complex and varied acidity and wonderful sweetness. In terms of mouthfeel, SL34 is softer and cleaner.

K72 Washed Processing Method

In terms of processing, Kenyan coffee primarily uses the washed method, but Kenya's washed processing is quite distinctive. After harvesting, coffee farmers first select high-quality fruits, then after pulping, place them in washing tanks for 24 hours of soaking and fermentation. Once completed, they are thoroughly cleaned to remove some mucilage, then re-soaked in fresh water for another 24 hours of fermentation. This process is repeated for 3 cycles totaling 72 hours, followed by sun-drying. Therefore, this processing method is called the Kenya 72-Hour Fermentation Washed Processing, abbreviated as K72. This processing method allows coffee beans to ferment for extended periods at low temperatures, resulting in brighter acidity, cleaner mouthfeel, and fuller flavor development.

FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Asalia AA TOP Coffee Beans Region: Thika Region Estate/Processing Station: Asail Processing Station Altitude: 1,550-1,750 meters Varieties: SL28, SL34 Processing: K72 Washed Processing Flavor Notes: Cherry tomatoes, dark plums, berries, citrus, green tea

The Kenya Asalia coffee beans sourced by FrontStreet Coffee use SL28 and SL34 varieties and are processed using the K72 washed method. When FrontStreet Coffee brews using V60 at a 1:15 ratio, the aroma reveals mature tomato and floral notes. The palate presents flavors of cherry tomatoes, dark plums, and citrus, with bright acidity, clean mouthfeel, and a subtle tea-like finish.

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