Ingredients
From tree to green bean
- 10 kgripe red cherries of SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 or Batian, hand-picked, grown at 1400–2000 m on volcanic soil
- clean water for the fermentation and washing channels
- raised drying beds under shade cloth
Filter brew, per cup
- 30 gKenyan AA, light to medium roast, rested 7–14 days after roasting
- 500 mlwater at 94°C (200°F), filtered, at 100–150 ppm hardness
- 1paper filter and cone, and a scale
Kahawa chungu, the Mombasa way, for 6 small cups
- 4 tbspvery dark ground coffee
- 600 mlwater
- 6cardamom pods, 1 small piece cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 slice ginger
Directions
- Pick only fully red cherries, selectively, over several passes. Pulp the cherries the same day at the factory, then grade the wet parchment by density in water channels.
- Wash the parchment through grading channels, then soak it in clean water for 12–24 hours more, a step almost unique to Kenya. Dry slowly on raised beds for 7–14 days, turning and covering at midday and at night, down to 10–11 percent moisture.
- Rest in parchment, then hull and grade by screen size into AA, AB, PB and C, and sell at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange auction.
- Roast light to medium, stopping shortly after first crack, so the acidity survives.
- Rest the roasted beans a week. Bloom with 60 g of water for 40 seconds, then pour in stages to 500 g, finishing at around 3 minutes.
Technique
- SL28 and SL34 were selected at Scott Agricultural Laboratories in the 1930s. SL28 in particular is drought-tolerant, low-yielding and famous for the intense blackcurrant acidity that defines the Kenyan cup.
- AA is a screen size, not a quality grade. It means large beans, and a good AB lot can beat a mediocre AA.
- Water matters as much as beans: very soft water gives a hollow, sour cup, very hard water flattens the acidity.
- Most Kenyan coffee is exported and Kenyans traditionally drink tea. The everyday domestic coffee is instant, or the spiced kahawa chungu of the coast.
Substitutions
- No pour-over kit: brew in a cafetiere at 60 g per litre, steep 4 minutes, break the crust, skim, and wait a further 5 minutes before plunging gently.
- If a light roast tastes sour, grind finer or raise the water to 96°C (205°F) rather than reaching for a darker roast.
Variations
- Peaberry (PB), the single round bean, often sold separately and prized for its concentration.
- Kahawa chungu, the bitter spiced coffee of Mombasa and Lamu, drunk without milk or sugar.
- Kenyan-grown coffee brewed as chai-style milky coffee at Nairobi kiosks, sweet and strong.
History
Missionaries planted coffee near Nairobi in the 1890s; Kenya’s auction system and SL28 and SL34 varieties made its beans a specialty benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kenyan coffee?
Kenyan coffee is a drink from Kenya: bright, blackcurrant-sharp arabica from the volcanic slopes around Mount Kenya. Missionaries planted coffee near Nairobi in the 1890s; Kenya’s auction system and SL28 and SL34 varieties made its beans a specialty benchmark.
How long does Kenyan coffee take to make?
Kenyan coffee takes 30 min of preparation and 3 days processing, plus 14 days drying of cooking. The recipe makes 1 kg green coffee, and 2 cups brewed. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Kenyan coffee?
Yes, within limits. No pour-over kit: brew in a cafetiere at 60 g per litre, steep 4 minutes, break the crust, skim, and wait a further 5 minutes before plunging gently. If a light roast tastes sour, grind finer or raise the water to 96°C (205°F) rather than reaching for a darker roast.
