If you ask most people what their favourite coffee origin is we would place money on that they would answer Kenya (or Ethiopia).
Coffee beans open up your taste buds to a whole world of flavour and experience. As coffee fanatics, we absolutely love all the amazing beans we get to roast, taste and experiment with. However, if you were to ask our team which is their favourite origin, we would quickly answer… *drum roll* Kenyan! Actually… Ethiopian! No, wait … Kenyan! … actually … This is a hard choice that most coffee lover’s face.
Most coffee drinkers become split between the two – Kenyan coffee beans vs. Ethiopian coffee beans – they’re both just so. Darn. Good. We’ll leave it to you to decide.
Today we’re going to be looking a little more closely at what makes Kenyan coffee beans so good. If you would like to read more on Ethiopian coffee beans visit this blog.
Why Kenya?
Kenyan coffee beans offer unique, diverse and bursting flavours unlike anywhere else in the world. You will experience juicy fruit flavours complemented by a winey acidity.
Widely referred to as: “the connoisseur’s cup” for its well balanced, clean and crisp quality with AA and AB Kenya coffee beans being the most recognised.
Watch this video for a closer insight into the world of Kenyan coffee.
Production
Kenya focuses their attention on producing exceptional Arabica coffee.
Coffee brokers, roasters and consumers pay good money for Kenyan coffee. This ensures that Kenyan coffee beans always have the funds to invest in producing consistently delicious and well cared for coffee beans.
Kenyan coffee farmers ensure that they pick the coffee cherries when the fruit is perfectly ripe. When the cherries are at their desired ripeness, they are gently picked to prevent bruising. The cherries are again sifted through to remove any damaged or diseased fruit.
The selection process in Kenya is strict so only the best green coffee beans arrive at our coffee roastery.
This video goes into detail on the meticulous process that coffee processing in Kenya involves.
Growing Conditions
With wide beautiful landscapes of lush greenery and rich soil, Kenya has the perfect growing conditions for coffee.
Not too hot and not too cold with good amounts of rain all year round – the coffee cherries thrive in the environment. In addition, the majority of the plantations are medium – high altitudes which adds more complexity and flavour to the beans.
Processing
Kenyan coffee production works under a cooperative system of processing, milling and marketing, with washed (wet) processing being the most widely used method throughout many Kenyan coffee farms. This method of processing lends well to highlight the juicy characteristics and clean finish we experience in the cup.
Coffee farmers carefully inspect the beans and process the coffee cherries to highlight their flavour.
Brewing
Whether you enjoy a milky flat white or a strong long black – with exceptional cup quality, you can’t go wrong with Kenyan coffee beans.
Here at Leaf Bean Machine, we love using the Moccamaster to brew Kenyan coffee, using a filter style brewer really illuminates all the individual flavours and allows you to enjoy all the nuances found in Kenyan coffees.
For a quick “how to” check out our youtube video using the Moccamaster.
Let us know what your favourite coffee beans are! Tag us in your Karvan coffee adventures @karvancoffee @leafbean_machine
Happy coffee making,
The Leaf Bean Machine team
