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Kenyan Coffee: Bright and Vibrant Flavors

Kenyan coffee is notably acidic, yet its brightness is delightfully pleasing to FrontStreet Coffee, with its vibrant and full-bodied character reminiscent of natural carbonated beverages. Kenya stands as a renowned coffee-producing region in Africa, comparable in prestige to Ethiopia. Though neighboring Ethiopia, Kenya entered coffee production significantly later than its eastern African counterpart.

Geography and Growing Conditions

The Republic of Kenya, located in eastern Africa, is traversed by the equator through its central region, with the East African Rift Valley running north to south. It borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and Sudan to the north, while its southeast reaches the Indian Ocean. The country features numerous highlands with an average elevation of 1,500 meters. Mount Kirinyaga (Kenya Mountain) in central Kenya reaches 5,199 meters with snow-capped peaks, making it Africa's second-highest mountain.

The ideal altitude, latitude, and geology make Kenya exceptional for coffee cultivation. The equator cuts through Kenya, placing the country within ten degrees north and south latitude. This tropical region experiences two rainy seasons annually, enabling two harvest periods: 60% concentrated from October to December, and the remaining 40% from June to August. Coffee is primarily grown in volcanic soils at elevations of 1,600-2,100 meters around the capital Nairobi to the Kenya Mountain region, with most coffee cultivated above 1,500 meters. This altitude allows coffee beans to develop complex flavors, as mountain temperatures are lower, slowing growth and allowing aromatic compounds to fully develop, resulting in more pronounced fruit acidity and harder bean density. This crescent-shaped region of fertile soil serves as the primary production area for Kenya's specialty coffee beans.

Coffee ranks as Kenya's second-largest export product after tea.

African coffee-growing regions are renowned worldwide for their captivating acidity and distinctive aromas, with Kenya being no exception. Located in East Africa precisely on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its east, Ethiopia to its north, and Tanzania to its south, Kenya stands as one of East Africa's coffee powerhouses and remains an indispensable and irreplaceable producing nation.

Kenyan Coffee Varieties

Common varieties in Kenya include SL28, SL34, French Mission Bourbon, and Ruiru 11.

SL-28 & SL-34

As early as the 1930s, the Kenyan government commissioned the newly established Scott Labs to select suitable varieties for the country. After individually screening 42 preliminary varieties with numbered selections, SL-28 and SL-34 were ultimately chosen. The former derives from Bourbon, while SL-34 traces its roots to Typica—the two are not from the same variety series. The original breeding goal for SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with disease and pest resistance. In some regions, breeding focused primarily on high yield and disease resistance without considering quality.

Blessed with Bourbon genetics, although SL28's yield eventually fell short of expectations, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean shape produce wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, varied flavors, along with distinctive citrus and plum characteristics. SL34 shares similar flavor profiles with SL28, offering complex, varied acidity and excellent sweet finish, but with a softer, cleaner mouthfeel than SL28. SL34 possesses French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. Its bean appearance resembles SL28, but it adapts better to rainforest growth conditions.

Subsequent evaluation proved the former received high praise, typically offering blackcurrant-like acidity with complex flavor manifestations; while the latter, though somewhat inferior, still displays impressive fruit flavors. These two varieties currently account for 90% of Kenya's production, becoming recognized representatives of Kenyan coffee varieties. South America is now actively introducing SL28 as a cultivation variety.

Kenyan Coffee Classification

Kenyan coffee beans began implementing a strict grading system in the 1930s, primarily based on bean size, shape, and hardness. Graded from highest to lowest as AA or AA+, AB, PB, C, E, TT, and T, this classification serves as selection criteria and also references coffee flavor. Currently, the most common grades in the mass market are AA, AB, and PB.

Coffee Size Grading

AA grade is a level designation for green coffee commodities, primarily referring to bean size. AA grade indicates larger coffee beans, generally green coffee beans with particles above 17 mesh (17 mesh = sieve aperture diameter of 6.75mm). AA size is 17 and 18 mesh, AB is 15 and 16 mesh.

AA Plus (AA+): Exceptionally high cup quality (flavor, mouthfeel) AA grade beans.

AA Particle Size (Screen Size): 17-18 mesh.

AB Particle Size (Screen Size): 15-16 mesh, accounting for the majority of production.

C Particle Size (Screen Size): Smaller than AB.

TT: Lighter weight beans blown from AA and AB grade beans using air classifiers.

T: Lighter weight beans blown from C grade beans using air classifiers.

E Elephant Bean: Large mutant beans where two beans merge, also called elephant ear beans.

UG: Those not meeting the above standards.

PB Peaberry: Classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight.

Flavor Grades

Beyond size grades, they also adopt flavor grading methods—TOP, PLUS, and FAQ—to select enjoyable coffee as references. The criteria include: green beans (size, color, defects), roasted beans, and cup quality (acidity, body, flavor characteristics, defects). In practical application, they simplify to Acidity-Body-Flavor, quickly scoring each bean with 1-3 points per category. If a bean is marked 1-1-1, it corresponds to TOP AA.

Due to multiple factors in actual Kenyan coffee transactions: 1) high prices, 2) numerous batches requiring this three-point scoring system specifically designed to handle volume, 3) direct trading models outside exchange channels, and 4) limited quantities. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee collects samples frequently, annually gathering 40-50 different Kenyan samples from various channels for roasters to roast and taste diverse Kenyan acidity profiles, ultimately selecting one or two that best represent Kenya for our offerings.

Kenyan Processing Methods

Just as honey processing characterizes Costa Rica and wet-hulling defines Indonesia, discussing Kenyan coffee inevitably leads to the K72 processing method. The "Kenyan 72-Hour Fermentation Washed Processing Method" originated in Kenya, employing a cyclic repeated processing method of post-fermentation washing. Processing begins on harvest day, selecting the highest quality cherries for pulping and fermentation, with fermentation time of 24 hours. After 24 hours, the beans are washed with clean river water. This process is repeated twice more with clean river water for 24-hour fermentation periods, followed by washing—completing three cycles totaling 72 hours, thus called the Kenyan 72-Hour Fermentation Washed Processing Method, abbreviated as K72.

First Washing and Fermentation

After coffee cherry harvest, beans undergo water flow density sorting, utilizing the principle of density and quality differences among coffee fruits for screening; high-density (heavy-weight) coffee beans sink in water, while low-density beans float. Fully ripe, high-quality coffee fruits have high density, and these are selected for further processing.

After selecting high-quality, sufficiently ripe fruits, the fruit skin is removed for water soaking, allowing the mucilage attached to the outer layer of green beans to ferment. The mucilage contains natural sugars and alcohols that play crucial roles in developing coffee sweetness, acidity, and overall flavor. The fermentation period lasts up to 24 hours, removing 80-90% of mucilage and preserving only the flavors within the coffee beans.

Second Washing and Fermentation

Next comes the second washing and fermentation process. After cleaning the previous batch of coffee beans, they are soaked again in water for 24-48 hours. This process increases proteins and amino acids, giving the coffee beans' acidity complex and delicate textural layers. Finally, all remaining mucilage is removed, and coffee beans are moved to elevated racks for sun drying.

The fermentation period lasts up to 24 hours, removing 80-90% of mucilage and preserving only the flavors within the coffee beans. Finally, all remaining mucilage is removed, and coffee beans are moved to elevated racks for sun drying. Drying time varies depending on weather conditions, generally requiring 5-10 days to complete.

Kenyan Coffee Growing Regions

Kenya's coffee regions are most famous for seven major areas: Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, Ruiri, and Muranga. The foothills of Mt. Kenya and Aberdare serve as the primary growing regions.

Each Kenyan growing region offers distinctly different flavors. Kenya is divided into 47 counties nationwide.

Different counties produce clearly characterized coffee. Kenyan coffee trees are mostly grown at elevations of 1,400-2,000 meters, with two harvests annually. Growing areas include Ruiri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga, primarily on the foothills of Mt. Kenya and Aberdare. For example, Embu region coffee features balance, citrus fruits, chocolate, and apple acidity. Nyeri region coffee exhibits white grape, juicy grapefruit, and cherry tomato flavors, with abundant fruitiness and caramel-like sweetness.

Major Kenyan Coffee Growing Regions:

NYERI

NYERI: Located in central Kenya, Nyeri is home to the dormant volcanic Mt. Kenya. This region's red soil nurtures Kenya's finest coffee. Agriculture is extremely important here, with coffee being the primary crop. Small farmer cooperatives are more common than large estates. This region has two harvest seasons, but coffee from the main season typically offers higher quality. This region is renowned for its substantial blackberry-like acidity and floral and fruity aromas.

Altitude: 1,200-2,300 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

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

MURANG'A

MURANG'A: This region in the Central Province has approximately 100,000 coffee farmers. This growing area, not far from Nairobi, was among the first settlement sites chosen by missionaries because the Portuguese prohibited them from living in coastal areas. This is another region benefiting from volcanic soil, with more small coffee farmers than estates. It features brighter acidity.

Altitude: 1,350-1,950 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

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

EMBU

EMBU: This region near Mt. Kenya derives its name from Embu town, where approximately 70% of the local population engages in small-scale agriculture. The most popular cash crops in the area are tea and coffee. Almost all coffee comes from small farmers, making this region's production relatively small. Acidity is less pronounced than Nyeri, but fortunately, the flavors are well-balanced.

Altitude: 1,300 meters

MERU

MERU: Most coffee in this region is grown by small farmers on the slopes of Mt. Kenya and the Nyambene Hills. The name refers to both the magnetic field area and the Meru people who inhabit it. In the 1930s, they were among the first Kenyans to begin coffee production, following the 1923 Devonshire White Paper which guaranteed the importance of African rights in Kenya.

Altitude: 1,300-1,950 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian, K7

KIAMBU

KIAMBU: This region in central Kenya contains the highest altitude coffee growing areas within its boundaries, with Thika also belonging to this region. However, some high-altitude coffee trees suffer from dieback disease, ceasing growth. This region is named after Nakuru town. Coffee cultivation here includes both estates and small farmers, though production is relatively small. This region is traditionally a tea-growing area, with coffee beans offering vanilla and floral aromas.

Altitude: 1,850-2,200 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

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

KISII

KISII: This region in southwestern Kenya, not far from Lake Victoria, is a relatively small growing area where most coffee beans come from cooperatives formed by small producers.

Altitude: 1,450-1,800 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

Varieties: SL-28, SL-34, Blue Mountain, K7

TRANS-NZOIA, KEIYO & MARAKWET

TRANS-NZOIA, KEIYO & MARAKWET: This small region in western Kenya has begun developing in recent years. Mount Elgon provides considerable altitude, with most coffee coming from estates. Coffee cultivation typically aims to diversify farms that previously only grew corn or dairy products.

Altitude: 1,500-1,900 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

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

KIRINYAGA

This growing region sits on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, adjacent to Nyeri, known worldwide for coffee with intense, rich flavors and solid mouthfeel. Together with Nyeri, it's recognized as one of Kenya's two finest growing regions. Most producers here are small coffee farmers who join cooperatives, which play a unifying role by providing washing stations where farmers deliver coffee cherries for green bean processing.

The region originally referred to Mt. Kenya itself, but British colonists found the name difficult to remember and changed the mountain's name to Mt. Kenya, no longer calling it Kirinyaga.

Mt. Kenya is Africa's second-highest peak. Though located in the tropics, its summit is often snow-covered. Kirinyaga originally meant "white peaks." Mt. Kenya is not only a UN conservation area but also features surrounding foothills and grasslands where wildlife gather and feed, making it a favorite destination for tourists.

From the Kikuyu people, it means "white mountains" and is considered the dwelling place of gods. The Kikuyu are Kenya's largest ethnic group, accounting for one-fifth of the total population.

Altitude: 1,300-1,900 meters

Harvest Period: October-December (main season), June-August (secondary season)

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

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