Coffee origin
Kenyan coffee: juicy, bright and blackcurrant
Kenya's best coffees are famous for intense acidity and pungent fruit. Coffee Review names grapefruit, strawberry and black currant.
- Usual processing
- washed
- Species
- arabica
- Typical notes
- blackcurrant, grapefruit, berries, juicy body
Profiles are typical descriptions from the sources on each page. Every farm, harvest and roast is different, so read the roaster's own tasting notes too.
How it tastes
Melbourne Coffee Merchants describes the best Kenyan coffees as bright, juicy, floral and very sweet. One buyer in Perfect Daily Grind calls the acidity dry and clean, "more like wine than tomato soup".
Much of that character is linked to the varieties SL28 and SL34. In Coffee Review's tastings, coffees listed as mainly SL28 or SL34 averaged 91 points, against 87 for others, and the magazine advises looking for these names on the bag. SL28 was selected in 1935 at Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya, according to World Coffee Research.
Where it comes from
About 99% of exportable Kenyan coffee is washed: the cherries are hand-picked, pulped, fermented overnight, washed and dried on raised beds for one to three weeks.
AA, AB and PB are size grades, not quality scores: AA is screen 17/18, AB is 15/16 and PB means peaberry. AA usually costs more, but some AB lots are more complex. Coffee has been sold through a weekly auction since 1933, online since 2021, and since the 2023 reforms growers can also sell directly through an agent.
How to enjoy it
Kenyan coffee is a star in filter brewing. Its body holds up better than most bright coffees, so it can also work with a little milk. As espresso, expect a punchy, fruity shot.
Shop Kenya coffee
Search Kenya beans on AmazonBefore you add to cart: look for a roast date, the words 100% and whole bean. Our buying tips explain why.
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Sources
- Melbourne Coffee Merchants: Kenya origin guide
- Coffee Review: Still tops, coffees of Kenya
- World Coffee Research: SL28 variety catalog
- Perfect Daily Grind: What do coffees from around the world taste like, and why?
We checked these sources on the date above. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the contact page.