Kenyan coffee

Commercial coffee sales arrived relatively late in Kenya, where tea-drinking traditions were strong until recently. However, today, the most advanced methods of drying and processing coffee cherries are used, and the country has developed an efficient export industry based on an open coffee auction. The auction system means that the buyer who bids the highest for a batch of coffee wins it, eliminating insider trading. Before the auction, coffee samples are distributed to licensed exporters, who then send them to their customers for evaluation. Coffee is purchased based on preferences and ratings. This simple system ensures the best price for high-quality coffee.

Regardless of soil and climate, Kenyan coffee is characterized by the heady fruity and winey tones that have always graced the best varieties of East Africa and Arabia.
The main coffee-growing area is the slopes of Mount Kenya, near the capital, Nairobi. Other coffee varieties are grown in Elgon, on the border between Uganda and Kenya. Original Kenyan coffee is sold in specialty stores; letter designations indicate the bean size: A.A. is the largest, followed by A, B.

Kenyan coffee is the most balanced and complex in aroma, with a strong, vinous acidity wrapped in a sweet, fruity bouquet. Berry tones are particularly captivating, especially citrus. The bean size is generally medium, and processing is predominantly dry. Kenyan coffee almost always produces a clean cup—there are virtually no dark spots or unpleasant aftertastes. As in many coffee-exporting countries, Kenya is tempted to introduce new hybrid varieties. Coffea Arabica, which successfully resist many diseases, but, according to buyers, are not as pleasant and expressive as old hybrid varieties, such as SL 28, on which the entire Kenyan coffee industry is built.