SL28 is one of Africa's most legendary coffee varieties. After being selected in Kenya in the 1930s, it gradually spread to African Arabica-producing regions such as Uganda, and today it has traveled even farther to Latin America. It is suited to cultivation at medium to high altitudes, is highly drought-tolerant yet susceptible to coffee diseases, and offers an elegant cup profile that often features floral notes. Front Street's Little Tomato coffee beans are precisely a combination of SL28 and SL34. This article traces the breeding history of SL28, from the establishment of the Scott Agricultural Laboratories to the discovery of drought-resistant plants in Tanzania, and then to genetic testing that confirmed its kinship with the Bourbon genome. It also presents the specific producing region, altitude, processing method, and flavor description of Front Street's Kenyan Little Tomato, giving you a comprehensive understanding of this ancient and resilient variety. [more…]

SL28 is one of Africa's most legendary coffee varieties. After being selected in Kenya in the 1930s, it gradually spread to Arabica-growing regions such as Uganda, and in recent years it has traveled even farther to Latin America. It is suited to cultivation at medium to high altitudes; it is drought-tolerant yet susceptible to disease, and its flavor is exceptionally elegant, often with floral notes. Front Street Coffee's Little Tomato coffee beans are precisely a combination of SL28 and SL34, displaying layers of pear, smoked plum, yellow sugar, and more. This article will trace the history of SL28's selection and breeding at the Scott Agricultural Laboratories, sort out its genetic relationship with the Bourbon genome, and introduce specific information about Kenya's Asali processing plant, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand this variety's origins and development as well as its potential in the cup. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is world-renowned for its bright acidity and distinctive flavors of dark plum and cherry tomato, and behind this lies a key variety—SL28. This direct descendant of Bourbon, bred by Scott Laboratories in the 1930s, is not only drought-resistant and high-yielding but also boasts outstanding flavor performance, making it the core force behind the creation of the "Kenyan flavor." This article, from the perspective of Front Street, will trace the origins, characteristics, and spread of SL28, analyze the causes of Kenya's unique coffee flavor, and share a brewing guide for Front Street Kenya Asalia, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the charm of this African star bean. [more…]

Just as different grape varieties produce wines with vastly different flavors, the variety of coffee beans is also one of the key factors influencing the flavor of the coffee in your final cup. Panama's T2722 Geisha is the best example—it has drawn widespread attention for its white floral aromas and citrus fruit notes. And today, Front Street Coffee wants to share [more…]

When selecting coffee beans, a string of mysterious codes occasionally appears in the variety column, such as 74110, SL34, F1, H1, and so on. They do not have resounding names like Typica or Geisha, yet each carries a piece of breeding history. What exactly do these codes mean? Are they years, experiment numbers, or abbreviations of research institutions? This article will trace the origins of these numbered varieties, from disease-resistant varieties in Ethiopia to selections by the Scott Laboratories in Kenya, and then to the F1 hybrid program in the Americas, uncovering the mysteries of their identities one by one. Front Street Coffee will also share the unique charm of these varieties in the cup, combined with their flavor performance. [more…]

Among African coffee-producing countries, Kenya stands out with its signature sour plum acidity and bright fruity notes. The unsung heroes behind this flavor profile are the SL28 and SL34 varieties, developed by Scott Laboratories in the last century. From the perspective of Front Street, this article traces the discovery and breeding history of SL28, its Bourbon genetic origins and flavor advantages, as well as its shortcomings in disease resistance. At the same time, drawing on the example of washed beans from the Asaliya processing plant in Kenya's Thika region, we share the brewing performance and tasting impressions of this Front Street Kenya·Little Tomato, helping you understand how variety, terroir, and processing method together shape a cup of Kenyan coffee. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned worldwide for its bright, uplifting fruit acidity and full, rich, juicy body, and SL28 and SL34 are the core varieties that shape this classic style. These two varieties, bred by the Scott Laboratories, have become stars of the specialty coffee world thanks to their complex flavors of dark plum, citrus, and stone fruit. However, their vulnerability to leaf rust and coffee berry disease gave rise to the later, more disease-resistant Ruiru 11 and Batian. This article will systematically trace the evolution of Kenyan coffee varieties—from their origins and flavor characteristics to cultivation performance and current market status—and answer the question of whether Ruiru is a coffee variety. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned worldwide for its bright fruit acidity and thick, juicy body, and SL28 and SL34 are the core varieties that shape this classic flavor. These two varieties were developed by the Scott Laboratories over nearly three decades and released in the 1950s, profoundly influencing the landscape of Kenya's coffee industry. However, the threat of pests and diseases gave rise to new varieties such as Ruiru 11 and Batian. This article will trace the origins, flavor characteristics, and current cultivation status of these varieties, and introduce the variety information of Front Street Kenya Asalia coffee beans, taking you deep into the world of Kenyan coffee varieties. [more…]

Kenyan coffee stands out among Africa's specialty origins for its bright and pleasant acidity, and the core that sustains its consistent quality is precisely the two unique varieties, SL28 and SL34. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article traces the breeding history, genetic background, and flavor differences of SL28 and SL34, and further introduces subsequent varieties such as Ruiru11 and Batian, as well as the evolution of Kenya's green bean grading system from the traditional screen-size standard to the new comprehensive scoring system. At the end of the article, the roasting parameters and brewing suggestions for two beans, Front Street Kenya Small Tomato and Sasini PB, are provided for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Kenya is located in East Africa, where the equator and the East African Rift Valley meet. Though neighboring Ethiopia, it has taken a completely different path in coffee development. From the introduction of coffee seeds by French missionaries in 1893, to large estate cultivation during the British colonial period, and then to the establishment of a grading system and auction system in the 1930s, Kenyan coffee gradually formed its unique grading standard centered on bean size and quality. Among the country's 14 producing regions, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, and Thika are the most well-known. The two iconic varieties SL28 and SL34, originating from Scott Laboratories' systematic selection of 42 coffee trees, remain the soul of Kenyan specialty coffee to this day. This article will also introduce the Thika AA TOP washed beans obtained by Front Street Coffee and their pour-over performance. [more…]

SL28 is a rare coffee variety originating from the Lake Tanganyika region of East Africa. Discovered in 1931, it was selected and named by the Scott Laboratories. It has broad leaves with a slight reddish tint, adapts well to high-altitude environments, and possesses excellent drought and disease resistance. Its yield is also superior to traditional tree varieties, and its flavor is truly one of a kind. In the early twentieth century, French and British missionaries and researchers cultivated this Bourbon descendant in Kenya. Over a century, it adapted to the local soil with high phosphoric acid concentration, creating the distinctive acidity and aroma of Front Street Coffee's Kenyan coffee beans. Although SL28's yield fell short of expectations, it developed excellent sweetness, balance, and flavors of citrus and smoked plum. Currently, only a few estates in Central America are capable of cultivating it. This article will guide you through SL28's origins, genetic lineage, and flavor profile. [more…]

Although Kenya and Ethiopia are both in Africa and not far apart, their coffee flavor profiles are completely different—the former is known for its sweet-and-sour notes reminiscent of dark plums, cherry tomatoes, and caramel. This uniqueness stems both from the volcanic soil at altitudes of 1,600 to 2,100 meters from the capital Nairobi to the Kenyan highlands, and from the contribution of classic varieties such as SL28 and SL34. This article will trace the evolution of Kenyan coffee varieties: from the Bourbon variety introduced by French missionaries, to the selection of SL28 and SL34 by the Scott Laboratories, to Ruiru11 developed in response to pests and diseases, and Batian, which was released in 2010. It also includes brewing suggestions and flavor descriptions for Front Street Coffee Kenya·Asalia, for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Kenya is a major specialty coffee producer in East Africa, known for its bright fruit acidity, full body, and distinctive flavors. This article systematically reviews Kenya's coffee-growing regions, cultivation altitudes, variety evolution, and trading system, with a focus on the origins and characteristics of the two representative varieties, SL28 and SL34, and an analysis of the cause behind Kenya's signature flavor—the 72-hour washed fermentation process. At the end, product information and pour-over parameters for Front Street Coffee's Kenyan Little Tomato coffee beans are provided for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is famous for its rich, bright acidity, sugarcane-like sweetness, and signature flavors reminiscent of small tomatoes and smoked plums, yet many enthusiasts fail to brew the stunning performance described once they get it home. From the perspective of Front Street, this article systematically sorts out the sources of Kenyan coffee's unique flavors: the terroir conditions of high-altitude volcanic soil and tropical savanna climate, the SL28 and SL34 varieties bred by Scott Laboratories, and the Kenyan-style washed processing that lasts up to 72 hours. On this basis, the article offers purchasing advice and, using the washed SL28 and SL34 Front Street Kenya·Small Tomato as an example, shares the complete brewing parameters and flavor performance of 15g grounds, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 92°C water temperature, and a three-pour V60 method, helping readers fully extract the characteristics of Kenyan coffee. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned worldwide for its vibrant acidity, with flavor layers reminiscent of black plum, cherry tomato, and sugarcane that captivate countless coffee enthusiasts. This distinctive acidity is no accident, but rather the result of the combined effects of altitude, volcanic geology, latitude, variety, and processing methods. This article will start with Kenya's growing environment, analyze the origins of the legendary SL28 and SL34 varieties, and delve into Kenya's iconic 72-hour fermentation washed method (K72) as well as its unique steel bed drying process, helping you understand the interconnected flavor logic behind a cup of Kenyan coffee. [more…]

Kenyan coffee stands out in the world coffee landscape with its distinct and intense acidity, contrasting with the crisp and bright style of neighboring Ethiopia. This unique flavor is inseparable from the phosphoric acid-rich volcanic ash soil of the Kenyan highlands, the carefully selected SL28 and SL34 varieties, and the renowned K72 washed processing method. This article will delve into the sources of Kenyan coffee's acidity, dissecting its flavor code layer by layer—from the geographical environment and the history of variety selection to the 72-hour fermentation process. At the same time, we will introduce a Kenyan bean from Front Street Coffee, sourced from the Salia factory in the Thika region, featuring SL28 and SL34 varieties, processed with the K72 washed method, presenting bright acidity reminiscent of cherry tomatoes and smoked plums, along with a sugarcane-like sweetness. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned for its bright berry acidity and full-bodied juiciness, making it a standout among African specialty beans. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically traces the rise of Kenyan coffee: from the Scott Laboratories' selection and breeding of SL28 and SL34, to the Nairobi auction system and AA grading system, and on to the iconic K72 long-fermentation washed method. The article also introduces one by one the altitude, harvest period, and varietal differences of core producing regions such as Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Muranga, and, using the Asalia processing station as an example, provides a hands-on pour-over recipe of 15 grams of grounds, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, and a water temperature of 89 to 92 degrees Celsius, along with a complete pouring rhythm and flavor description. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned worldwide for its intense, full-bodied fruity acidity, and its unique flavor profile is inseparable from its strict grading system and refined cultivation and processing systems. This article will systematically sort out the development of Kenyan coffee, from its introduction during the colonial period to the Scott Laboratories' selection and breeding of SL28 and SL34, and then to the grading standards such as AA, AB, and PB established in 1938, interpreting one by one the meanings and characteristics of the E, AA, AB, C, PB, TT, and T grades. At the same time, it will provide an in-depth introduction to the flavor differences of major Kenyan coffee regions such as Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Thika, analyze the coexistence of large estates and smallholder cooperatives, as well as the two trading mechanisms of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange auction and direct trade. Front Street Coffee will also share roasting and pour-over recommendations for Kenyan Asalia coffee beans, taking you through a comprehensive understanding of the coffee world of this East African producing country. [more…]

Among African specialty coffees, Kenya and Ethiopia are often mentioned together; although both are known for their acidity, their flavor profiles are quite different. The rise of Kenyan coffee is inseparable from the refined industry management established during the British colonial period—from the Scott Laboratories' selection and breeding of SL28 and SL34, to the auction system of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, and then to the grading system that classifies beans by both bean size and cupping results. Kenya gradually built up its competitive advantage in specialty coffee. The K72 washing process further gives it a distinct and full-bodied acidity. In this article, Front Street Coffee will start with the historical context, grade classification, and processing techniques, and combine them with the "Little Tomato" coffee beans from the Asali processing station in the Thika region to share the brewing key points and flavor performance of light-roasted Kenyan coffee. [more…]

Tanzania is located in East Africa, bordering Kenya, Uganda, and several other countries, and its unique climatic conditions provide a diverse environment for coffee cultivation. The history of coffee in the country can be traced back to the 16th century, and today it has developed Typica, Bourbon, Kent, and independently developed disease-resistant varieties. Since its establishment in 2001, the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) has continued to promote the revitalization of the industry, releasing 23 improved varieties, including KP423. At the same time, Kenya's well-known variety SL28 and Panama Geisha are both inextricably linked to Tanzania. Front Street Coffee has also selected washed beans from the Kilimanjaro volcanic region in the northern highlands, presenting a tea-like flavor with citrus, berry, and honey notes. [more…]