What are the origins and regions of Kenyan coffee? Introduction to Kenyan coffee flavor and tasting appreciation

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The bright fruit acidity and vibrant, full-bodied taste of Kenyan coffee leave an unforgettable impression on all who try it. FrontStreet Coffee has cupped numerous coffee beans from different regions in Kenya. If high acidity is the soul of good coffee, then Kenyan coffee undoubtedly represents this soul! Kenyan coffee beans have another special characteristic: most coffee beans with bright acidity typically lack a thick mouthfeel. For example, Ethiopian beans give a clean, refreshing sensation in the mouth, while Kenyan coffee delivers a berry juice sensation that envelops the entire palate, like tomato juice.

Development History of Kenyan Coffee

Kenya is located in East Africa, bordering Ethiopia. Kenya's coffee history is not as ancient as Ethiopia's, with coffee being introduced only around the turn of the 20th century. When coffee was first introduced to Kenya, it was a British colony. The British colonial government at the time widely promoted coffee cultivation to earn foreign exchange, shipping the harvested coffee beans to London for export sales.

In 1922, Kenya established the Scott Agricultural Laboratory (Scott Labs, after which SL28 and SL34 were named) to conduct coffee cultivation research. In the decade following its establishment, they selected SL28 and SL34 as the most suitable varieties for cultivation in the region from among 42 coffee varieties, providing an excellent beginning for the development of the coffee industry. Today, these two varieties occupy 90% of Kenya's cultivation area.

The Kenyan government places great importance on coffee sales. In 1931, it established the Kenya Growers' Cooperative Union and the Kenya National Coffee Committee to guide coffee industry development from both civil and national levels. In 1937, the Nairobi Coffee Exchange was established, beginning Kenya's coffee auction system, establishing the principle that good coffee commands good prices and setting the tone for coffee pricing. In 1938, the Kenyan government issued a coffee grading system—the AA, AB, and PB grades we know today—providing a basis for the quality of Kenyan coffee.

Kenyan Coffee Cultivation

Most Kenyan coffee grows in the fertile, loose, acidic volcanic red soil of the highlands north and east of Nairobi. This area enjoys ample sunlight, good drainage, and altitudes between 1,400-2,000 meters. Due to the greater temperature difference between day and night at higher altitudes, Kenyan coffee has a longer maturation period than lower-altitude origins, resulting in higher density and richer flavors.

Kenyan coffee typically flowers after rainfall, which occurs in March and April. Coffee cherries (fruits) mature from May to July, then again mature in September and October, allowing for two harvest seasons per year.

Kenyan Coffee Regions

Kenya's coffee regions are primarily divided into six main regions: Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga. The harvest periods for all six main regions are October-December (main season) and June-August (secondary season).

Thika

Thika is a small town located near Kenya's capital Nairobi. There are many coffee fields around Nairobi, and Thika is an industrial town surrounded by agriculture and waterfalls. The Thika region has approximately 2,000 farmers. The cultivation history of Kenyan Thika coffee dates back to the late 19th century, with coffee varieties introduced from the northern neighboring country Ethiopia. Through local variety improvement, the common varieties now include Bourbon, Kents (SL34, SL28), Typica, and Ruiru 11. Currently, about 90% of coffee cultivation varieties are SL34 and SL28. The new variety Batian, introduced in 2007, has not yet been widely planted. Coffee from this region features bright fruit acidity, thick 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 coffee with intense, complex flavors and solid texture. Together with the Nyeri region, it is recognized as one of Kenya's two finest coffee-producing regions. Most producers in this area are small-scale coffee farmers who belong to cooperatives. The cooperatives play a coordinating role, providing washing stations where coffee farmers send their coffee cherries for processing. Coffee from this region features bright fruit acidity, with moderate body 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 production area where most coffee beans come from cooperatives formed by small producers. The coffee flavor from this region differs significantly from central regions, featuring roasted nuts and gentle fruit acidity, widely favored by buyers who dislike 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 volcano Mount Kenya. The red soil of this region nurtures Kenya's finest coffee. Agriculture is extremely important here, with coffee being the primary crop. Cooperatives formed by small farmers are more common than large estates. This region has two harvest seasons, but coffee from the main season typically has higher quality. This region's coffee features bright berry juice sensation, complemented by citrus and subtle floral notes. The coffee beans grown here have made Kenyan coffee world-famous.

Altitude: 1,200-2,300 meters

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Kiambu

This region in central Kenya has the highest altitude coffee growing areas within the district. However, some coffee trees at high altitudes suffer from dieback disease and cease 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 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. Coffee from this region features bright acidity and thick juice sensation.

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. During the harvest season, coffee auctions are held every Tuesday at the Coffee Exchange. Licensed traders receive green bean samples in advance, cup them, select their preferred beans, and then bid in the subsequent auction, with the highest bidder winning. Kenya's coffee auction system is considered a model for today's popular Cup of Excellence competitions, regarded as the most transparent and efficient trading method that effectively encourages growers to pursue quality, achieving results of high prices for premium quality.

Although the coffee auction system has effectively increased the prices of high-quality coffee, it is not without drawbacks. First, the existence of numerous trade intermediaries erodes the interests of coffee farmers, as the high prices obtained at auctions are not fully returned to the hardworking coffee farmers. Second, auctioned coffee is difficult to trace back to specific production information, and for the increasingly prosperous specialty coffee market, traceability is an important standard for evaluating green coffee beans. Based on these factors, the Kenyan government has begun to relax restrictions on direct coffee trade. Nationally certified exporters can directly sell coffee beans to foreign specialty coffee roasters and other clients, allowing farmers who produce high-quality coffee to receive more rewards.

Kenyan Coffee Bean Grading System

From FrontStreet Coffee's description above, coffee enthusiasts can learn about Kenya's emphasis on coffee. It is precisely this attention that drives Kenya's pursuit of coffee quality, leading to the implementation of a coffee bean grading system. For example, AA grade coffee beans have the highest quality. Although it's called "grading," does AA grade necessarily taste better than AB grade? What exactly is the basis for this grading system?

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Kenya's coffee bean grading standards are primarily based on size grading. The difference between AA and AB is only in size. As for taste, FrontStreet Coffee has concluded through cupping that both AA and AB grade Kenyan coffee beans are very delicious. Flavor differences between regions may mainly stem from factors such as region, altitude, and growing conditions. However, AA and AB grade Kenyan coffee are undoubtedly the most quality-assured coffees.

As described above, these gradings are only based on bean size. The most famous coffee processing method for Kenyan coffee beans is undoubtedly the K72 washed processing method. Therefore, Kenya's highest quality coffee beans are mainly washed. Washed processed coffee is generally divided into eight grades:

E: Elephant Bean, also called elephant ear beans, flat beans with particle size above 19 mesh.

AA: Particle size 17-18 mesh

AB: Particle size 15-16 mesh, accounting for the majority of production

TT: Lighter beans blown out from AA and AB grade beans using an air classifier

C: Screen size smaller than AB/below 14 mesh, too small to be classified as specialty grade.

T: Lighter beans blown out from C grade beans (below 14 mesh) using an air classifier, meaning both size and density are too small to be classified as specialty grade.

PB: Peaberry, meaning round beans, classified by shape rather than size, unrelated to flavor or weight, accounting for about 10% of total production.

UG: Those that do not meet the above standards

Additionally, there are lower quality natural processed coffee grades that do not undergo Kenyan-style washing due to poorer quality and are generally supplied to the domestic Kenyan market. These beans are graded as M'buni. Furthermore, FrontStreet Coffee emphasizes that this "green bean grading system" still in use today was established by government authorities in 1938, predating the concept of "specialty coffee" by 40 years. Therefore, Kenya now has new coffee bean grading concepts, but the size-based grading standard remains more common.

Kenya's Current New Coffee Grading Standards:

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, the Kenyan Coffee Research Institute and local industry commonly use a set of procedures developed by the institute to evaluate coffee quality: the Coffee Bean Quality Grading Procedure, which comprehensively grades coffee based on three aspects: green bean quality, roasted bean quality, and cupping quality.

Green bean quality: Subdivided into green bean appearance and size, green bean color, and defects.

Roasted bean quality: Subdivided into center crack condition, roasted bean condition, and defective beans.

Cupping quality: Scored based on acidity, body/texture, flavor, and negative defects.

Combining the scores from these three aspects, coffee beans are graded from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst.

As can be seen from the above, the difference between AA grade coffee beans and AB or PB grade coffee beans is only in size. However, generally speaking, larger mesh size coffee beans have lower defect rates, resulting in cleaner flavors and naturally higher prices.

FrontStreet Coffee: Kenya Assalia Coffee Beans

Country: Kenya

Region: Asali (Honey Processing Station)

Altitude: 1,550-1,750m

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Processing: 72-hour washed processing

Flavor: Snow pear, smoked plum, brown sugar, cherry tomato, plum

Coffee Bean Processing: Kenyan 72-Hour Washed

Kenya employs a cyclic repeated processing method of washing after fermentation. Processing begins on the day of harvest, selecting the highest quality coffee cherries for pulping and fermentation, with a fermentation time of 24 hours. After 24 hours, they are washed with clean river water. Then, they undergo another 24-hour fermentation in clean river water, followed by washing again. After repeating this cycle 3 times for a total of 72 hours, it is called Kenyan-style 72-hour fermented washed processing, abbreviated as [K72].

First Wash and Fermentation

After coffee cherries are harvested, they first undergo water density sorting, which utilizes the differences in density and quality of the coffee beans themselves for selection. High-density (heavy) coffee beans sink in water, while low-density 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 skin is removed and the beans are soaked in water for washing, allowing the mucilage attached to the outer layer of the green beans to ferment. Mucilage contains natural sugars and alcohols that play a crucial role in developing the coffee's sweetness, acidity, and overall flavor. The fermentation time lasts up to 24 hours, after which 80-90% of the mucilage is removed, leaving only the flavor within the coffee beans.

Second Wash and Fermentation

Next, the second wash and fermentation process begins. After the coffee beans from the previous stage are cleaned, they are soaked again in water for 24-48 hours. This process increases proteins and amino acids, giving the coffee's acidity complex and delicate layered textures. Finally, all remaining mucilage is removed, and the coffee beans are moved to raised racks for sun drying.

The fermentation time lasts up to 24 hours, after 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 moved to raised racks for sun drying. The drying time varies depending on weather conditions, generally taking about 5-10 days to complete. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Kenyan 72-hour fermented washed processing, which involves long-term fermentation at low temperatures followed by sun drying and dehydration, results in beans with brighter, cleaner yet fuller flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee considers that this bean uses a medium-light roast method and recommends using higher water temperature and a faster-flowing dripper, mainly because high temperature is needed to extract its bright acidic character, but avoiding over-extraction from high temperatures, hence the choice of the faster-flowing V60 dripper.

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Coffee grounds: 15g

Total water volume: 225ml

Water temperature: 91°C

Grind size: Fine sugar thickness | EK43s setting 10 (80% pass-through through #20 standard sieve)

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

Brewing flavors: Entry reveals smoked plum and cherry tomato flavors, with strong, thick acidity in texture. Sweetness is prominent in the mid-section with juice-like sensation. The aftertaste features berry aroma and brown sugar sweetness, with green tea fragrance.

Important Notice :

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