Tanzania Coffee Regions Introduction: Flavor Characteristics of Mount Kilimanjaro Typica Variety Coffee

In the African region, there are many renowned coffee-producing countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda, but there are also some other countries that should not be underestimated. Tanzania's coffee, for instance, belongs to the three giants of African coffee, and Europeans once gave it the alias "coffee gentleman."

Tanzania

Tanzania is located in eastern Africa, south of the equator, and is a country with both coastline and mainland. It borders the Indian Ocean to the east and shares borders with eight other countries including Kenya and Uganda. The terrain across Tanzania is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, showing a step-like pattern overall. The East African Rift Valley stretches from Lake Malawi in two branches running north-south, and the Kibo Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in the northeastern part of the country reaches an altitude of 5,895 meters, making it the highest peak in Africa.

The eastern coastal areas and inland lowlands of the country have a tropical savanna climate, while the western inland plateau has a tropical mountain climate. The average annual temperature ranges between 21°C-26°C. Coffee beans are mainly grown in the Mount Kilimanjaro region and southern areas. Mount Kilimanjaro is an extinct volcano with high altitude, giving FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzanian coffee a rich texture, moderate acidity, and intense aroma. Compared to neighboring Kenya, although it lacks bright acidity, its acidity is gentler but sweeter, with a strong wine-like aroma.

Coffee Development

In some coffee histories, coffee was introduced to Tanzania from Ethiopia in the 16th century, and later during the German colonial period, coffee had already become an economic crop in Tanzania. Currently, the country grows Typica, Bourbon, Kent, as well as independently developed disease-resistant and disaster-resistant varieties.

In 1925, the first cooperative (KNRA) was established, under which producers had more freedom to sell directly to London. In 2001, the Tanzanian Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) was established and operates as a non-profit organization. Its founding goal was to revitalize Tanzania's coffee industry and enhance the international recognition of Tanzanian coffee.

Mount Kilimanjaro

In Tanzania, coffee is mainly grown on Mount Kilimanjaro and in southern regions, with 85% cultivated by small farms. Mount Kilimanjaro is a snow-capped mountain year-round and the highest mountain on the African continent. Coffee is grown at elevations between 1,050-2,500 meters. The high altitude, volcanic soil, and pure meltwater sources make this the most suitable region for coffee cultivation. The coffee harvest period in the Kilimanjaro region is from July to December each year, with main varieties being Bourbon, Typica, and Kent.

Typica

The Typica variety is one of the most important Arabica varieties genetically in the world of coffee. The plants of this variety are relatively tall, with relatively low yields, and are susceptible to major diseases, but they produce high-quality coffee and are suitable for growing in high-altitude areas - the higher the altitude, the better the quality. Due to low yield and extreme susceptibility to coffee's main diseases, it has gradually been replaced in most parts of the Americas, but it is still grown in Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, where it became famous for producing Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Washed Processing

Since most coffee is grown on small farms, farmers send the harvested coffee cherries to nearby processing centers. Farmers first pour the harvested coffee cherries into large water tanks for flotation, then use a pulp remover to eliminate the outer skin and pulp of the coffee fruit. At this point, the coffee beans still have a layer of slippery mucilage attached.

The coffee beans with mucilage are placed in fermentation tanks for 16-36 hours, during which microorganisms break down the mucilage. After fermentation is complete, large amounts of clean water are used to wash away any remaining mucilage residue on the coffee beans. Finally, the cleaned coffee beans are dried in the sun. The washed processing method produces coffee with both gentle and bright acidity, appropriate body, and sweet, spicy aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee Tanzanian Kilimanjaro Coffee Beans
Region: Kilimanjaro
Altitude: 1,300-2,000 meters
Variety: Typica
Processing: Washed
Flavor: Citrus, Honey, Berries, Nuts, Tea-like sensation

FrontStreet Coffee has certainly acquired this Tanzanian coffee bean, which comes from the Kilimanjaro region and uses washed processing. FrontStreet Coffee will use V60 with a 1:15 ratio and 92°C water temperature for brewing. The cup presents gentle acidity with citrus, berry, honey, and nut flavors. The mouthfeel is smooth with a tea-like sensation, creating an overall balanced profile.

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