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What Does Kenyan Coffee Taste Like? What Grading System Does Kenya Use?

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Africa is known as the "Highland Continent" because its terrain is dominated by plateaus, with an average elevation of 750 meters across the continent. The entire African continent can be divided into North Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, and West Africa, with coffee cultivation concentrated primarily in the East African region. East Africa is the highest altitude area on the African continent, where most plateaus have elevations exceeding

Africa is known as the "Plateau Continent" because its terrain is dominated by plateaus, with an average elevation of 750 meters across the continent. The entire African continent can be divided into North Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, and West Africa, with coffee cultivation concentrated primarily in the East African region.

The East African region is the highest elevation area on the African continent, with most plateaus situated at elevations above 1,000 meters. The East African Great Rift Valley runs through this region from north to south, bringing with it numerous volcanoes, lava plateaus, and lakes. The East African region primarily features a tropical savanna climate, with cooler and more humid conditions in highland areas. Combined with high altitude and volcanic soil conditions, this environment is highly suitable for growing coffee and other agricultural crops. Therefore, the East African region is home to several renowned coffee-producing countries, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, with Kenyan coffee being particularly famous for its multi-layered flavor profile and juice-like acidity.

Kenya possesses abundant natural resources, with most of the country consisting of highland plateaus at an average elevation of 1,500 meters. The eastern branch of the East African Great Rift Valley cuts through these highlands from north to south, dividing them into eastern and western sections. Numerous volcanoes also stand along this rift, with the most famous being Mount Kenya, a dormant volcano and the second-highest peak in Africa.

Additionally, Kenya straddles the equator and lies within the tropical monsoon zone. Most of the country experiences a tropical savanna climate, with the coastal regions being more hot and humid, while the highland areas have a milder climate. The year is primarily divided into dry and rainy seasons, with rainfall decreasing from 1,500 millimeters to 200 millimeters from southwest to northeast. Annual temperatures range between 12-24°C. High-altitude mountain regions, volcanic soil, abundant sunshine, and appropriate rainfall provide ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

Coffee cultivation in Kenya is mainly divided into three major regions: the central region, the East African Great Rift Valley region, and the western region. The western region primarily includes the three major producing areas of Mt. Elgon, Trans-Nzoia, and Bungoma, concentrated mainly at the eastern foot of Mount Elgon. The East African Great Rift Valley region mainly consists of Nakuru and Kisii, located in the central-western part of the country. However, the most important coffee-producing region is the central area, which produces 60% of the country's coffee, primarily from Nyeri, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, and Thika regions. These producing areas are generally situated around Mount Kenya.

Thika is a small town located near Kenya's capital, Nairobi, primarily responsible for processing agricultural products from the surrounding areas. The region is close to the Aberdare Range and features dense forests, farmlands, and rivers near the town. Coffee is cultivated at elevations between 1,520-2,200 meters. This producing area is home to numerous well-known coffee processing plants, such as the Asali processing plant, where FrontStreet Coffee sources its Kenyan coffee beans.

Kenya uses the same grading system for both domestic sales and exports. Grading is based on clear criteria of coffee bean size and quality, divided into AA+, AA, AB, PB, C, E, TT, and T grades. This strict grading system ensures coffee bean quality. Additionally, Kenyan exporters and green bean traders have introduced cupping result grading for AA and AB grade green beans (not officially government-regulated), ranked sequentially as TOP, PLUS (+), and FAQ. They evaluate coffee beans based on cupping results of both green and roasted beans, scoring them on acidity, body, and flavor, with each category receiving 1-3 points. For example, a score of 1-1-1 indicates TOP grade.

FrontStreet Coffee's Asalia coffee beans from Kenya's Thika region are made from common Kenyan coffee varieties SL28 and SL34, processed using the K72 washed method. When brewed, you'll detect aromas of ripe tomatoes and floral notes, with cherry tomato and dark plum flavors upon tasting. The acidity is bright, with prominent sweetness and a juice-like quality, creating a clean mouthfeel. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Kenyan coffee holds an important position in the global coffee market due to its multi-layered flavor profile and juice-like acidity, distinctly representing Kenya's unique regional characteristics.