Kenya Coffee Growing Regions - Kenya AA Coffee Bean Varieties, Grading, Pour Over Water Temperature, and Grind Parameters

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The bright fruit acidity of Kenyan coffee, with its vibrant, full-bodied, and outstanding texture, leaves an unforgettable impression on everyone who tastes it. FrontStreet Coffee has cupped numerous coffee beans from different regions in Kenya. If high acidity is the soul of good coffee, then Kenya is undoubtedly the representative of that soul! Kenyan coffee beans have another special characteristic—most coffee beans with bright acidity don't typically have a rich mouthfeel. For example, Ethiopian beans create a clean, refreshing sensation in the mouth, while Kenyan coffee delivers a berry juice sensation that envelops the entire palate, like tomato juice.

Kenyan Coffee Cultivation

Located in eastern Africa, the equator runs through its central region, with the East African Rift Valley stretching north to south. It borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and Sudan to the north, with the Indian Ocean to the southeast. The country is mostly plateau, with an average altitude of 1,500 meters. Mount Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya) in central reaches an altitude of 5,199 meters with snow-covered peaks, making it the second-highest mountain in Africa.

Kenya belongs to the tropical coffee-growing region, with two rainy seasons annually allowing for two harvests—60% concentrated from October to December, and the remaining 40% from June to August. Coffee is mainly cultivated in volcanic soils at altitudes of 1,600-2,100 meters around the capital Nairobi to the Kenya mountain area. This altitude is ideal for coffee bean flavor development, as the lower mountain temperatures slow growth, allowing full development of aromatic compounds in coffee beans, resulting in more pronounced fruit acidity and harder texture. This crescent-shaped, fertile coffee region is the main source of Kenya's specialty beans.

Kenyan Coffee Regions

Kenyan coffee regions primarily consist of six major regions: Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga. The harvest periods for all six major regions occur from October to December (main season) and June to August (secondary season).

Thika

Thika is a small town located near Kenya's capital Nairobi. There are many coffee fields around Nairobi, and while Thika is an industrial town, it is surrounded by agriculture and waterfalls. The Thika region has approximately 2,000 farmers. The cultivation history of Kenyan Thika coffee traces back to the late 19th century, when coffee varieties were introduced from the northern neighboring country Ethiopia. After their own variety improvements, common varieties now include Bourbon, Kents (SL34, SL28), Typica, and Ruiru 11. Currently, about 90% of coffee cultivation consists of SL34 and SL28. The new variety Batian, released in 2007, has not yet been widely cultivated. The flavor profile of this region features bright fruit acidity, rich berry juice sensation, and honey-like sweetness.

Altitude: 1,550-1,750 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34

Kirinyaga

The Kirinyaga region is situated on the slopes of Mount Kenya, adjacent to the Nyeri region, and is renowned worldwide for intensely flavored, multi-layered, and solid-textured coffee. Together with the Nyeri region, it is recognized as one of Kenya's two best regions. Most producers in this area are small-scale coffee farmers who have joined cooperatives, which play a unifying role by providing washing stations where coffee farmers send their coffee cherries for processing. The flavor profile of this region features bright fruit acidity with moderate oiliness and delicate sweetness.

Altitude: 1,300-1,900 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Mount Kenya West

Mount Kenya West includes the Kisii region and the Bungoma area of Mount Elgon. Kisii is located in southwestern Kenya, not far from Lake Victoria, and is a relatively small producing region where most coffee beans come from common cooperatives formed by small producers. The coffee flavor in this region differs significantly from central regions, featuring roasted nuts and gentle fruit acidity, popular among buyers who don't prefer bright acidity.

Altitude: 1,450-1,800 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, K7

Nyeri

Located in central Kenya, Nyeri is home to the extinct volcanic Mount Kenya. The red soil of this region nurtures Kenya's finest coffee. Agriculture is extremely important here, with coffee being the primary crop. Common cooperatives formed by small farmers are more prevalent than large estates. This region has two harvests, but coffee from the main season is usually of higher quality. This region's coffee features bright berry juice sensation, combined with citrus and subtle floral notes, making the coffee beans grown here famous worldwide for Kenyan coffee.

Altitude: 1,200-2,300 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Kiambu

This region in central Kenya features the highest altitude coffee growing areas within the district. However, some coffee trees at high altitudes suffer from dieback disease, causing them to stop growing. This region is named after Nakuru town. Coffee cultivation here includes both estates and small farmers, though production is relatively small.

Altitude: 1,850-2,200 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Muranga

The Muranga region belongs to the Central Province and has approximately 100,000 coffee farmers. This inland region was one of the first settlement areas chosen by missionaries because the Portuguese prohibited them from living in coastal areas. This is another region that benefits from volcanic soil, with more small coffee farmers than estates. The coffee from this region features bright acidity and rich juice texture.

Altitude: 1,350-1,950 meters
Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Kenyan Coffee Auctions and Direct Trade

Nearly all Kenyan coffee must be sold through the Coffee Exchange located in the capital Nairobi. Every Tuesday during the harvest season, the Coffee Exchange conducts coffee auctions. Traders with trading qualifications receive green bean samples in advance, and after cupping, they select their preferred green beans for bidding in the subsequent auction, where the highest bidder wins. Kenya's coffee auction system is considered the model for today's popular Cup of Excellence competitions and is regarded as the most transparent and efficient trading method, effectively encouraging growers to pursue quality and achieve high prices for superior products.

Although the coffee auction system has effectively increased the prices of high-quality coffee, it is not without drawbacks. First, the existence of numerous intermediaries erodes the interests of coffee farmers, as the high auction prices cannot be fully returned to the hardworking coffee farmers. Second, auctioned coffee makes it difficult to trace specific production information, and for the increasingly thriving specialty coffee market, traceability is an important criterion for evaluating green coffee beans. Based on these factors, the Kenyan government has begun to relax restrictions on direct coffee trade, allowing nationally certified agents to directly sell coffee beans to international specialty coffee roasters and other customers. Direct trade enables farmers producing high-quality coffee to receive greater rewards.

FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): Kenya · Cherry Tomato Coffee Beans

Region: Kenya, Thika Region
Altitude: 1,550-1,750 meters
Varieties: SL28, SL34
Processing Method: Washed Process

Coffee Bean Varieties

SL-28 and SL-34: These are two of 40 varieties resulting from a research program led by Guy Gibson of Scott Laboratories. The laboratory cultivated and named them in the 1930s. According to SL laboratory botanists, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. They account for the vast majority of Kenya's high-quality coffee production, though these varieties are susceptible to leaf rust disease. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. The copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped beans have excellent sweetness, balance, and complex, variable flavors, with prominent citrus and plum characteristics.

Ruiru 11: In 1985, during the global coffee leaf rust outbreak, Kenya developed this hybrid variety that prioritized yield over quality. However, its flavor quality is far inferior to the previous SL28 and SL34, and it has not gained acceptance in the specialty coffee community. Nevertheless, many suppliers of even imported premium coffee mix this hybrid bean into blends to reduce costs.

Coffee Bean Processing: Kenyan 72-Hour Washing

Kenya employs a repeated washing and fermentation process after fermentation. Processing begins on the harvest day, selecting the highest quality coffee cherries for pulping and fermentation. The fermentation time is 24 hours, after which clean river water is used for washing. Then, the beans undergo another 24-hour fermentation in clean river water, followed by washing again. This cycle is repeated three times to achieve 72 hours, hence the name Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, abbreviated as [K72].

① First Washing and Fermentation

After coffee cherries are harvested, they first undergo water density selection. The principle is to use the density and quality differences of the coffee fruits themselves for screening; high-density (heavy) coffee beans sink in water, while low-density coffee beans float. Fully ripe, high-quality coffee fruits have high density and are selected for further processing.

After selecting high-quality, sufficiently ripe fruits, the pulp is removed for washing and soaking, allowing the mucilage attached to the outer layer of the green beans to ferment. The mucilage contains natural sugars and alcohols that play a crucial role in developing the coffee's sweetness, acidity, and overall flavor. The fermentation period lasts 24 hours, during which 80-90% of the mucilage is removed, leaving only the flavor within the coffee beans.

② Second Washing and Fermentation

Next, the process enters the second washing and fermentation stage. After cleaning the coffee beans from the previous stage, they are soaked in water again for 24-48 hours. This process increases proteins and amino acids, creating complex and delicate textural layers in the coffee's acidity. Finally, all remaining mucilage is removed, and the coffee beans are transferred to raised racks for sun drying.

The fermentation period lasts 24 hours, during which 80-90% of the mucilage is removed, leaving only the flavor within the coffee beans. Finally, all remaining mucilage is removed, and the coffee beans are transferred to raised racks for sun drying. The drying time varies depending on weather conditions, typically requiring 5-10 days to complete. FrontStreet Coffee believes that the 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, with its long-term low-temperature fermentation and final sun-drying dehydration, results in beans with brighter, cleaner, yet fuller flavors.

Coffee Bean Grading System (By Size)

AA Plus (AA+): Cup quality (flavor, texture) particularly outstanding AA grade.
AA: Size (Screen Size) 17-18 mesh.
AB: Size (Screen Size) 15-16 mesh, accounting for the majority of production.
C: Size (Screen Size) smaller than AB.
TT: Lighter weight beans blown out by air classifiers from AA and AB grade beans.
T: Lighter weight beans blown out by air classifiers from C grade beans.
E Elephant Bean: Large mutant beans with two beans fused together, also called elephant ear beans.
PB Peaberry: Classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight.

For AA and AB grade green coffee beans, special grading based on cupping results has been added (not officially recognized by Kenyan government, established by exporters), ranked from high to low as TOP, PLUS (+), FAQ. The flavor grade of Kenya Asalia on FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)'s bean list reaches TOP grade. However, as mentioned earlier, this is not an officially recognized grading system. Several Kenyan region coffee beans that FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) has sourced don't all carry flavor grades, so there's no need to be overly concerned about this aspect. Generally, once coffee reaches AA and AB grades, the flavor is already considered very high quality by default.

The Kenya Asalia listed by FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) comes from AA grade coffee beans in the Thika region. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss how we roast this bean and brew it to see how the flavor performs.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

When FrontStreet Coffee roasts this Kenyan coffee bean, considering the need to highlight its rich fruit acidity and full berry juice texture, we adopted a light to medium roast level.

Frontsteet Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) considers that this bean uses a light to medium roast method, so we will use higher water temperature and a faster flow rate dripper, mainly because we need to extract its bright acidic character with high temperature, but don't want over-extraction due to high temperature, so we chose the faster flow rate V60 dripper.

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Coffee grounds: 15g
Total water amount: 225ml
Water temperature: 91°C
Grind size: Coarse sugar | EK43s setting 10 (80% pass-through rate on #20 standard sieve)

First, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 95g more (scale shows around 125g), completing in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows around 225g), completing in about 1 minute 40 seconds. Drip completes at 2'00", remove the dripper, and finish extraction.

Brewing flavors: Entry reveals plum and cherry tomato flavors, with strong, rich acidity in texture. The mid-section features prominent sweetness with juice sensation. The aftertaste has berry fruit aroma and brown sugar sweetness, with green tea fragrance.

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