Fresh from Kenyan Mountains
Bright acidity, lovely sweetness, and a rich body, the winy finish marks the uniqueness of Kenyan coffee. Kenya produces some of the world's best Arabica coffees, and as a single-origin coffee, it receives appreciation at cupping tables. Kenya achieves this level of quality owing to a government-run program that pays farmers who produce higher-quality coffee. This guideline has resulted in a constant and regular increase in the quality of the cups. The Coffee Board of Kenya evaluates each lot of Kenyan coffee for quality, whether it is coming from a huge farm or a tiny cooperate. Coffee is one of the most important cash crops in Kenya. It is grown in large-scale plantations as well as by small-scale holders giving a total production of about 50,000 tons annually. Coffee cultivation employs over 250,000 Kenyans. All Kenyan coffee is cultivated on the country's rich volcanic soil and has a special place among one of the finest cups around the globe.
Kenyan coffee beans are known around the world for their rich flavor profile and enticing aroma. Cured beans have to be roasted and finely ground to bring out the characteristic coffee aroma.
Caffeine is a significant component of coffee beans. The amount of free caffeine in a bean varies can be as high as 2.5 percent depending upon the coffee type, variety, site conditions, roasting levels, and other factors. The most important coffee kinds in terms of economics are Coffea arabica, also known as Arabica, and Coffea canephora, also known as Robusta.
Kenyan coffee is rated among the top five in the world
Growing on plateaus at the heights of 1,700 – 1,800 meters above the sea level, harvested in October till December, Kenyan coffee beans a have bright floral taste with complex tones of fresh fruits, berries and black currants. The nature of the high altitude means that Kenyan coffees grow slowly, allowing ample time to develop and providing lots of nutrients to the coffee beans. Kenya produces a wide range of flavors depending on the region, varietal and processing methods used. Kenya coffee growing regions include Ruiri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Mt. Kenya West, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga. It is possible to distinguish the coffees from each region if sourced directly - with factors like morning sun vs. evening sun affecting how the flavors and chemicals within the coffee cherry develop over time. The best Kenyan coffees, including ASANTE COFFEE (Uhuru and Safari blends) can have a full spectrum of flavors to those with a well-developed palate.
Kenyan producers place an emphasis on quality and as a result, processing and drying procedures are carefully controlled and monitored. Beans after being cautiously hand-washed and sun-dried on raised beds, reach to the roasters where the beans are roasted at different levels. (Know more about roasting levels in our blog “Explore different roast levels”). Kenyan Arabica coffee is famous for its unique flavors of bergamot, Lemongrass and berries. It also has complex tones of buttery and nutty flavors. With rich and heavy body Kenyan coffee maintains a bright acidity and the flavors keep lurking in your mouth for long.
What do Kenyan Coffees Taste Like?
A good Kenya coffee is vibrant yet clean, bold and crisp, not subtle or delicate, and typically very well-balanced. Notes of lemony citrus may be present, even pepper, along with tones of blackberry. The remarkable winy aftertaste of Kenyan coffee is what makes it the most desirable.
So, are you ready to experience all these flavors in a cup?
Buy roasted beans instead of grounded or instant coffee as it tends to lose its flavor much early in contrast to the whole beans. ASANTE COFFEE Company is here to serve coffee lovers the best coffee they can ever have. We deliver freshly roasted coffee beans in a three-layer packing to preserve the freshness for a long. We restock our shelves weekly to ensure the freshness of the coffee beans.
Varieties of Kenyan Coffee
Different variations of Kenyan coffees are present depending upon the different heights at which they are grown and the amount of morning and evening sunlight that the plants receive during the growth period. There are five basic variations or ‘varietals’ that are being grown in the Kenyan mountains. These varietals allow Kenya to be perhaps the planet's most consistent producer of world-class premium quality coffee beans.
- SL 28
This varietal grows well at high to medium elevations where coffee leaf rust is not a significant problem and does not require a lot of rain fall.
- SL 34
It cultivates well at higher elevations with ample rainfall.
- K7
It is a relatively new varietal that grows well at lower elevation areas that are also vulnerable to coffee leaf rust.
- Ruiru 11
It grows well at all elevations and is resistant to coffee berry disease as well as coffee leaf rust.
- Batian
This variety is tall statured, deep rooted, true breeding, resistant to Coffee Berry Disease and Coffee Leaf Rust, and has very good bean and cup quality.
Green Kenyan Coffee Beans
Kenyan coffees are carefully graded for sale after the harvest on the wholesale market as some of the world's finest gourmet coffees. The coffee beans are sorted and assessed according to bean size, shape, color, and density, with the idea that the large coffee beans are of higher quality.
When it comes to Kenya coffee beans, large beans have more essential oils, which enhance the flavors and fragrances. Kenya AA coffee beans are the largest and best in Kenya, with a diameter of slightly over one-fourth inch.
Here at ASANTE COFFEE COMPANY, along with roasted coffee beans, you can also get Premium quality Green Beans straight from the mountains of Kenya.
Kenyan Grading system for Coffee beans
After milling, bulk mechanical and electronic grading—by weight, size, shape, and color—helps to isolate the best coffee beans while also removing faulty beans that could impart an off-taste to otherwise premium gourmet coffees.
Kenya has its own unique grading system. Kenyan AA is the largest bean in a 10-size grading system, and AA+ means that it is estate grown. The lowest coffee beans are rated a one, while the best are rated a 10, according to the Kenyan Coffee Board's classification system. A bean may be graded as an AA based on its size, but only a four or five on the class system, indicating that it isn't the best coffee bean available.
E, PB, AA, AB, C, TT, T, and MH/ML are the eight Kenyan coffee bean grades now available. Before roasting, coffee beans are graded to determine their size. Because beans of the same size roast at the same rate, bean size is crucial.
The greatest grade of Kenyan coffee beans, for example, is Grade E or Elephant grade. Kenya PB or Kenya Peaberry beans, as well as Kenya AA beans, fall within this category. Kenya AA beans are the most expensive Kenya coffee beans available.
What is the significance of a grade?
The flavor characteristic of one cup of Kenyan coffee against another is determined by its grade. Kenya AA beans, for example, are sweeter than Kenya MH/ML beans, which are of lower grade and have a sour flavor. The bulk of specialty coffee sold by importers is Kenya's AA grade, but AB and T are also imported.
Kenyan coffee is possibly the most consistently high quality of all the premium gourmet coffees in the world—and there are just a few at the top.
Which Kenyan coffee should I buy?
Kenya is a prolific producer, and one of the top exporters of coffees. Kenyan coffee is famous for its Heavy body, intense flavors, fruity undertones, and winey aftertaste. ASANTE COFFEE COMPANY offers you Uhuru Blend and Safari Blend which is a Medium and a Medium-dark Roast respectively. These roast levels are enough to bring out the natural flavors from Kenya but not so far as to start losing the unique flavors from this region.
Just Reading about Kenyan Coffee is not enough. Grab the finest premium arabica coffee and brew yourself a cup of it. The taste will speak for itself, and the mouthwatering aroma will make you a fan of Kenyan Coffee.
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