Most coffee connoisseurs around the world know that Kenya’s coffee is one of the world’s best coffees.
As a matter of fact, Kenyan coffee is rated among the best coffees in the world.
This ranking is no wonder because the coffee has some rich winey, berry taste, one that’s perfectly balanced and comes with a pleasant aroma.
There’s so much about Kenyan coffee that most of us don’t know.
Let me share with you 8 facts about this delightful Kenyan coffee.
By Lilian.
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Kenyan Coffee is Categorized among the 5 Best Coffees Around the World!
Ask most coffee aficionados and they’ll tell you forthright: Kenya’s coffee is a favorite!
The Web Analytics Consultants Association rates one Kenyan coffee as the 4th best coffee beans in the world.
Most people describe Kenyan coffee as having a full-bodied mouthfeel rich in chocolate and berry undertones, high acidity with a delightful aroma, pleasant, intense flavor, and a winey aftertaste.
Because they’re processed when still wet (we’ll discuss this later…), Kenyan coffee beans are also among the world’s cleanest-tasting coffees!
4 Coffee Gear & Coffee Recommendations
- Breville Barista Pro – An excellent manual espresso machine for home use
- Philips 3200 Series Espresso Machine – Easy-to-use fully automatic coffee machine for small office or home use
- Rancilio Egro ONE Touch – High capacity fully automatic commercial coffee machine for professional use
- Koa Coffee – Premium hand-picked Hawaiian coffee. Have you tried American coffee yet?
Kenyan Coffee Beans Have a Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) or Strictly High Grown (SHG) Status
SHG/SHG coffees are those that are grown at an altitude above 1,350 Meters.
All Kenya coffee brands are grown at high altitudes, from as low as 1,400 and as high as 2,000 meters.
The best thing about SHG/SHB coffees is that they develop slowly and, in more nutrient-rich soils than those grown in lower altitudes regions.
You’re probably wondering, “what’s the effect of this?”
Well, altitude has a very significant effect on coffee flavor.
Coffees with longer maturation spans have more complex sugars and come with more captivating aromas
What’s more, at high altitudes, the drainage is excellent. So, the amount of water in coffee fruits is lower, which explains the higher concentration of flavors.
There are 8 Kenyan Coffee Bean Grades
They are grades:
- AA,
- AB,
- C,
- E,
- MH/ML,
- PB,
- TT,
- T.
The grades are mainly dependent on the size of the bean, although they also consider the shape, color, and density.
Grading is done while the beans are still green before roasting to determine their size.
Need I mention that same-sized beans roast at similar rates?
If you mix them up, the small beans will over-roast while the larger beans under-roast.
Interestingly, a single coffee tree can produce beans from all grades.
A general rule with most Kenya Coffee beans, the larger the better.
Large coffee beans carry more essential oils that enhance the aroma and taste.
Kenya AA Coffee Beans are Considered the Highest Quality
AA Coffees are grown at an altitude higher than 6,600 ft above sea level.
Most coffee lovers agree that AA coffees are not only the best Kenyan coffees but also among the world’s best coffee beans.
They have a full body, rich flavor with a delightful acidity.
As most coffee aficionados know, coffees grown in extremely high altitudes take longer to mature and in turn have more nutrients.
Such beans also have less water concentration and yield deeper, more prominent flavors and aromas.
Kenyan Green Coffee Beans are Processed While Wet
Well, Kenyan coffee beans are not those coffees that have to be dried in the sun on large patios before processing.
They are processed while wet.
Coffee farmers only harvest the ripest coffee cherries after which they’re washed to separate the skin from the bean/seed inside the cherry.
The next step involves soaking the beans for 2-3 days for fermentation and to also wash off the slimy coating on the beans.
They’re then dried in the sun till they turn the bluish-green color typical with most coffee beans.
Kenya Coffee History Dates Back to the Late 1800s
Well, the first coffee trees in Kenya were planted in 1893.
Apparently, missionaries residing in this African country imported Brazilian coffee. However, when the British colonized Kenya, they also took control of their crops, with no exception of coffee.
During this era, they exported the best quality Kenyan coffees and left the lowest quality for locals.
Awful, right?
Well, they should have done better, especially because of the next fact…
Most Kenyans Don’t Actually Consume Coffee
Probably because of the maltreatment from the colonial era, many Kenyans have the assumption that coffee is for the rich and middle class.
The assumption could be true, because the price of a cup of coffee in most cafes and restaurants in Kenya is always higher than that of a same-sized cup of tea.
Although it’s important to note that the difference is really not significant.
Nevertheless, price is not the only factor.
Kenya, like many other African countries, has a predominantly tea-drinking culture.
Coincidentally, Kenya also produces some very nice tea!
Either way, the fact that Kenyans produce coffee but don’t consume it is just an advantage for the rest of us coffee lovers around the world!
There Are Over 10 Kenyan Single Origin Coffees
What is a single origin coffee?
Single origin coffee is a type of coffee that’s produced in only one distinct locality.
Therefore, it can be traced back to one farm, one farmer/producer or one region in the country.
A few of the most well-known, high quality single origin Kenyan coffees are from:
- Mt. Elgon – dark roast Kenya AA coffees.
- Nyeri, Ichamara – medium roast Kenya AA coffee
- Wachuri – medium roast Kenya AA coffees
- Nairobi – medium roast that tastes like the Ethiopian Harrar
- Java House coffee – grown in Nairobi, and is considered the Kenyan version of Starbucks
What do you think about Kenyan coffee? Have you ever tried it?
Photo by Jakub Dziubak and Merlene Gourlet
