10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KENYAN COFFEE

Coffee was first cultivated in Kenya in the nineteenth century by the French. Although Kenyan coffee is cultivated today by small scale farmers, Kenya is one of the leading producers of coffee in Africa and the world at large. There are a few facts you may love to know about Kenyan Coffee.

The production of Kenyan coffee features a cooperative system of farming as the greater part of coffee farming is carried out by small scale farmers in the country. The people of Kenya take coffee farming very important as it is their major source of income.

Central Kenya is known for her highlands with an acidic soil which is just perfect for the coffee trees. The Kenyan coffee is grown majorly in the areas of Aberdare Range, Mount Kenya, Bungoma, Nakaru, Kisii, Nyanza, Kericho while smaller plantations are carried out in Taita hills and Machakos.

According to a Kenyan Coffee farmer, harvesting of the coffee beans commences in April through July but there is a far better harvest within the last quarter of the year. 

After picking ripe coffee beans, they are fermented for more than 24 hours. This is to enable the removal of the coating before drying and further processes such as roasting.

Kenyan Coffee is usually medium roasted, having an inviting aroma and taste of fruits and berries. This is what attracts coffee lovers.

There are two main types of coffee in the world; robusta and arabica.

In Kenya, there are improved varieties of the arabica type which are known to have pest and diseases resistance. These improved varieties are SL 28, SL34, K7, etc would lead to better yields.

Kenyan coffee exists in the market with several names and brands. The following are some popular brands of the widely desired Kenyan coffee;

• Coffee Bean Direct’s Kenya AA

• Nairobi Coffee and Tea Co.’s Kenyan Coffee

• Sweet Maria’sKenya Coffee Beans

• Volcanica Coffee’s Kenya Peaberry

• Teasia Coffee

Kenyan Coffee can be found in various coffee shops around the world in their various brands. They can also be found in online shops such as Muthaland Coffee.

Kenyans were reported to take more of tea than coffee but in recent years, their coffee consumption have increased. The “Bitter Kenyan Coffee” known as “Kahawa Chunghu” is brewed in a special kettle over a charcoal stove. 

Kenyan coffee is gotten from the bean seeds categorized based on their sizes. The biggest screen sizes are categorized as AA and these are often seen as the best quality bean seeds. Other screen sizes of the bean seeds fall under AB, C, PB, T, TT, UG1, UG2, UG3.

While there are other determinants of a high-quality coffee, taste and aroma are the major concerns for coffee lovers. This is not far fetched when Kenyan coffee is mentioned, standing out in the coffee market with whatever brand it may wear. I recommend that you always search for that brand containing that high quality Kenyan coffee.