How are Tanzania Coffee Beans? What are the Characteristics of Kilimanjaro Coffee, Ranked in the World's Top Ten?

Among the origins in FrontStreet Coffee's bean selection, one coffee-producing region is relatively rare. No prize for guessing which one.

That's right - Tanzanian coffee. Compared with other producing regions, Tanzanian coffee enjoys less fame. Even so, Tanzania is undeniably an excellent coffee-producing country. Its coffee ranks alongside Ethiopia's and Kenya's as the "Three Giants of African Coffee," and Europeans call it the "Coffee Gentleman."

For that reason, FrontStreet Coffee has included this bean in its selection. Today, FrontStreet Coffee would like to share why Tanzanian coffee deserves the title "Coffee Gentleman."

The Development History of Tanzanian Coffee

Like Ethiopia and Kenya, Tanzania is a typical East African country. Though it sits in the tropics, very close to the equator, its unusual geography - full of highlands and mountains - makes it an excellent place to grow coffee. It is also one of the least developed countries in the world, with an economy based primarily on agriculture. Coffee is one of its main export cash crops.

Coffee became a cash crop in Tanzania at the end of the 19th century. Under German colonial rule, Tanzania began large-scale planting of Arabica trees around Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. Because the promoted European agricultural model differed greatly from local traditional practice - along with other reasons - widespread cultivation faced resistance from locals. Even so, Tanzania's coffee industry took shape during this period. By the early 20th century, after World War I, the British took over the administration of Tanzania and the industry developed further. Cultivation again met local resistance, but the British colonial government promoted a cooperative model, letting farmers organize for collective coffee production and sales. That improved production efficiency and quality control and raised farmers' incomes, so the prospects for Tanzanian coffee at the time were significant.

After independence in 1961, Tanzania focused on the coffee industry and carried out a series of reforms. For various reasons, however, the industry repeatedly ran into obstacles, and to this day there has not been much improvement in production volume or scale. Even so, the quality of the coffee has not diminished, still matching the excellent standard of those earlier years.

What Are the Characteristics of Tanzanian Coffee?

Much as Ethiopia and Kenya relate to each other, Tanzania borders Kenya but its coffee lacks the prominent, firm acidity of Kenyan coffee. Instead, it is widely popular for its extremely gentle acidity. Among Tanzania's many producing regions, Kilimanjaro grows the most famous coffee, because it enjoys an unmatched growing environment: high altitude with large day-night temperature swings, fertile volcanic soil, and pure meltwater sources, all of which yield very high-quality coffee.

Because Tanzania has abundant water resources, the local processing method is mainly washed. That excellent growing environment, combined with stable processing, creates the "gentleman" character of Kilimanjaro coffee. The brewed cup has gentle acidity and a rich mouthfeel, and it carries a unique, intense smoky aroma. Compared with the distinctive characteristics of coffees from other regions, Tanzanian coffee comes across as "gentle and refined." That is why Europeans call it the "Coffee Gentleman." The Tanzanian coffee in FrontStreet Coffee's selection comes from the Kilimanjaro region and is a washed Typica. To express its gentle acidity, FrontStreet Coffee set the roast to medium-light, dropping the beans 1 minute and 45 seconds into first crack development.

Because the roast is relatively light, brewing needs relatively high extraction efficiency. FrontStreet Coffee uses the following parameters:

Coffee amount used: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing water temperature: 92°C

Grind level: Ek43 setting 10, with an 80% pass-through rate on a #20 sieve

Filter cup used: V60

Brewing method: three-stage pour

We still start with a 30-second bloom using twice the amount of water. After the bloom, pour the second stage of hot water (120ml) with a small flow in large circles. Once the water in the dripper has fully percolated, pour the final stage (75ml) with a small flow in small circles. When the coffee has fully percolated, remove the dripper and the extraction is done.

Extraction time was 2 minutes and 5 seconds. The coffee has a rich berry aroma; tasted, it shows the gentle acidity of red berries and citrus, a light honey sweetness, and a black tea finish. The mouthfeel is as rich as FrontStreet Coffee described earlier, with an elegant smoky aroma. No wonder Tanzanian coffee is honored as the "Coffee Gentleman" - a well-deserved title.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you enjoy the Tanzania profile - gentle acidity, a clean washed character, and a rich, aromatic cup - FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe is a natural companion from the other side of the African coffee world. As an entry point to specialty coffee, washed Yirgacheffe is beloved for its clear jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity. Yirgacheffe is a small town in southern Ethiopia where cool, misty, moist conditions have let thousands of coffee varieties thrive, producing that signature interweaving of floral aroma and fruit acidity: a light, elegant, tea-like cup that drinks like a clean glass of lemon tea.

For a more delicate floral expression, FrontStreet Gidding Cooperative is a fine choice. Located in the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe, Gidding became an independent cooperative in 2012 with roughly 300 farmer members. Because the fruit is pulped before drying, its inherent aromatics come through especially clearly, showing citrus and lemon tones with elegant white florals and a bright, refined overall profile.