The Origins of Kenyan Coffee Popular African Coffee Beans

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When beginners first discover that specialty coffee can have acidity, they often ask, "What is the most acidic type of coffee?" When faced with this question, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas immediately think of Kenyan coffee. Kenyan coffee is characterized by its clean, refreshing taste, substantial mouthfeel, and bright fruit acidity. Everyone who has tried Kenyan coffee falls in love with its charm.

Coffee Growing Conditions

Kenya is located in East Africa, with the equator running through its central region and the East African Rift Valley stretching from north to south. The country is predominantly highland terrain with an average altitude of 1,500 meters. Mount Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya), Africa's second-highest peak, stands at 5,199 meters with year-round snow cover on its summit.

Kenya is situated in tropical coffee-growing regions with two rainy seasons annually. The harvest seasons run from October to December and from June to August. Kenya's coffee-growing areas are mainly distributed across volcanic land at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,100 meters. Due to the suitable growing altitude, coffee cherries take longer to mature, allowing the beans to fully absorb aromatic compounds, resulting in pronounced fruit acidity and harder bean density.

Coffee Growing History

Kenya's neighboring country, Ethiopia, is renowned as the "birthplace of coffee," but Kenya's coffee-growing history can only be traced back to the late 19th century. In 1893, missionaries introduced Bourbon varieties from Brazil to Kenya. In 1895, Britain colonized Kenya, incorporating it into the "East Africa Protectorate" and controlling all crops in the country, including coffee.

Between 1900 and 1933, the colonial government established the Coffee Board (CB), which was responsible for coffee licensing, inspection, and promotion. In 1934, auctions began as a method for selling Kenyan coffee, though the first official coffee auction wasn't held until September 1935. The Coffee Marketing Board (CMB) was established in 1946 and began full operations on July 1, 1947, but was abolished in 1971.

Kenya Coffee Growing Regions

Kenya has 10 main coffee-growing regions: Nyeri, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru, Kiambu, Machakos, Nakuru, and Kisii.

Nyeri

The Nyeri region is located in central Kenya, home to Mount Kenya's extinct volcano. This area boasts fertile volcanic red soil, providing excellent conditions for cultivating Kenya's finest coffee. In this region, cooperatives formed by small-scale farmers are more common than large estates. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,200 to 2,300 meters.

Murang'a

The Murang'a region belongs to the Central Province and has approximately 100,000 coffee farmers. This area was among the first places where missionaries chose to settle. The region also has fertile volcanic soil, with more small-scale coffee farmers than estates. The growing altitude here ranges from 1,350 to 1,940 meters.

Kirinyaga

The Kirinyaga region is located east of the Nyeri region and also features fertile volcanic soil. Coffee from small-scale farmers is common in this region, and processing plants also produce many exceptionally high-quality coffees. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,300 to 1,900 meters.

Embu

This region is near Mount Kenya, and its name comes from Embu city. About 70% of Embu's local population engages in small-scale farming, with almost all coffee beans coming from small farmers, resulting in relatively small production volumes. The Embu region's growing altitude ranges from 1,300 to 1,900 meters.

Meru

Most coffee in the Meru region is grown by small farmers on the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Nyambene Hills. The name Meru comes from the Meru people who inhabit the area. In the 1930s, they were among the first Kenyans to produce coffee, thanks to the Devonshire White Paper signed in 1923, which guaranteed the importance of rights for Kenya's African population. The Meru region's growing altitude ranges from 1,300 to 1,950 meters.

Kiambu

The Kiambu region is located in central Kenya and is dominated by large coffee estates. However, due to urbanization, the number of coffee estates has decreased. Coffee from the Kiambu region is typically sold under the names of sub-regions such as Thika, Ruiru, and Limuru. There are also numerous small-scale farmers in the Kiambu region. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,500 to 2,200 meters.

Machakos

The Machakos region is a relatively small county located in central Kenya. The Machakos region's name comes from Machakos town. Coffee production in this region includes both estates and small-scale farmers. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,400 to 1,850 meters.

Nakuru

The Nakuru region is located in central Kenya's coffee-growing area and has the highest altitude coffee-growing sites within the central region. Due to dieback disease, some coffee plants grown at high altitudes stop growing. The Nakuru region's name comes from Nakuru town. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,850 to 2,200 meters.

Kisii

The Kisii region is located in the southwestern part of Kenya's coffee-growing area, near Lake Victoria, and is relatively small in area. Most coffee in this region comes from cooperatives formed by independent small-scale producers. The growing altitude in this region ranges from 1,450 to 1,800 meters.

Kenya Coffee Grading System

Those who have read FrontStreet Coffee's articles about Kenyan coffee will undoubtedly notice the presence of Kenya AA. During Kenya's colonial period, the coffee economy was developed with an emphasis on refined management throughout the entire coffee system. Kenya's coffee breeding, grading, and processing methods were far ahead of many coffee-producing countries at the time. It wasn't until decades later that other countries recognized the advantages of this refined management and began to emulate it, gradually diminishing Kenya's unique position.

1. Classified by particle size, shape, and weight:

E: Elephant bean, 18 mesh and above (including peaberries), contains large peaberries, same as PB, relatively rare

AA: 17-18 mesh

AB: 15-16 mesh, a mix of Grade A and Grade B, with 17 mesh (6.8mm) and above being Grade A, and 16 mesh (6.3mm) and above being Grade B

TT: Light beans selected from AA and AB using air classifiers

PB: 15 mesh and above, peaberry, accounts for about 10% of Kenyan coffee

C: 12-14 mesh, and light peaberries selected using air classifiers

T: Below 12 mesh, contains many defective beans, broken beans, and light beans

HE: Beyond the above grades becomes HE (Hulled Ears)

2. Ungraded green beans that have not undergone official standard grading are UG (ungraded):

E, AA, AB, PB → UG1

C, TT, T, HE → UG2

3. MBUNI (natural processed, non-washed):

All green beans undergo gravity separation:

MH: Heavy mbuni, yellow beans, no black beans, broken pieces, dried fruit, or other defects, cupping shows typical natural flavors with no taste defects

ML: Light mbuni, yellow-green, with some insect-damaged or black beans, no stinker beans or broken pieces, no earthy or other bad flavors in cupping

The above is Kenya's national official grading system. Additionally, Kenyan exporters or green coffee traders have established special grading (not officially recognized by the Kenyan government) for AA and AB grade green coffee beans, ranked sequentially as TOP, PLUS (+), FAQ.

Reasons for Kenya Coffee's Flavor Profile

Beans from Central and South America rarely ferment for more than 36 hours in washing tanks, but Kenya's washing process takes up to 72 hours. After 30-48 hours of fermentation, the coffee cherries in parchment are removed from the washing tank. At this point, the mucilage on the bean surface has been completely removed, but they still undergo 24 hours of soaking in clean water. FrontStreet Coffee, after cupping multiple beans, discovered that this additional fermentation step should be related to the characteristic bright and clean flavor profile of Kenya AA coffee.

How to Brew Kenya Coffee

Using FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Small Tomato as an example:

FrontStreet Coffee: Kenya · Small Tomato Coffee Beans

Region: Asali Processing Station, Thika Region, Kenya

Altitude: 1,550 meters – 1,750 meters

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Processing: K72 Washed Processing

Flavor Description: Plum, cherry tomato, snow pear, brown sugar, plum

FrontStreet Coffee Pour-over Parameters:

Filter: Hario V60

Dose: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15

Temperature: 90°C

Grind: EK43s #10 (80% pass-through on #20 standard sieve)

First pour 30 grams of water for 30-second bloom, then continue pouring to 125 grams for分段. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, perform the third pour to 225 grams. Stop pouring and wait until all water has dripped through the filter into the sharing pot before removing the filter. Total extraction time is 2'00".

When FrontStreet Coffee follows this formula for brewing, a 5-second variation in brewing time is considered normal! Take a small sip, and it's like biting into a small tomato bursting with juice – it has an extremely full-bodied juice sensation, with very distinct plum and caramel flavors. Absolutely delicious!

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