Kenya is a key specialty coffee origin in the world, and its washed beans are known for bright fruit acidity and full-bodied sweetness. This article starts from the history of cultivation and geographical and climatic conditions, sorts out the variety breeding and unique processing methods of Kenyan coffee, and discusses the specific flavor performance of SASINI Estate and Berman Estate. At the same time, combined with Front Street Coffee's recommendations, it helps enthusiasts determine whether these two Kenyan washed beans match their personal taste preferences.
Kenya's coffee cultivation history can be traced back to 1893. After that, the British introduced coffee to the highland areas at an altitude of 1,400 to 2,100 meters for large-scale cultivation, where the volcanic ash soil is rich in organic matter. In fact, the vast majority of coffee trees today are planted in gently sloping areas around Mount Kenya (main peak altitude 5,199 meters), and the summit is covered with snow all year round. Kenya is located in the tropical monsoon zone; however, due to its high terrain, it generally exhibits savanna climate characteristics, and rainfall is very unevenly distributed between seasons.
The local annual temperature is highest between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius and lowest at about 10 to 14 degrees Celsius. Such a temperature range is extremely ideal for Arabica. High-quality Arabica coffee generally prefers cooler tropical slopes at an altitude of 900 to 2,000 meters, with an optimal growing temperature of 15 to 24 degrees Celsius. It requires relatively high humidity, annual rainfall of no less than 1,500 millimeters, fertile soil with suitable pH, and soil containing volcanic ash is especially suitable, while also needing an appropriate amount of sunlight and shade. Most areas meeting these conditions are located in high mountain areas near the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, which is commonly known as the "World Coffee Belt." Kenya happens to be within it, and both its terrain and climate are favorable for producing high-quality coffee.
After understanding the background of the origin, it is only natural to pay attention to the variety. The Kenya AA I drank, with rich ripe fruit flavors and a red wine finish, exactly what variety is it? And which grade does it correspond to?
The answer is this: Although Kenya is adjacent to Ethiopia, an ancient coffee country, it was not until the intervention of British and French powers in the early twentieth century that coffee cultivation developed on a large scale. Interestingly, Ethiopia has naturally formed ancient native varieties and does not need to rely on variety selection or genetic modification, nor does it apply chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Kenya is the exact opposite: all coffee varieties have been bred or improved through hybridization, and they rely heavily on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and sun-exposed inorganic cultivation methods. Yet unexpectedly, its coffee flavor is not rough, but rather quite delicate, with bright and varied acidity, excellent sweetness and body, and cleanliness even surpassing that of many other producing countries. This is mainly due to the outstanding varieties obtained through variety selection and hybridization in Kenya—SL28 and SL34—as well as the globally unique double fermentation washed method.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
