What does AA mean in Kenyan coffee?
In the context of Kenyan coffee grading, "AA" refers to the size and quality of the coffee beans. AA beans are the largest and often considered the highest grade of Kenyan coffee. These beans are typically more flavourful and have a more complex profile compared to lower grades.
The "AA" designation signifies that the beans are large, with a size typically ranging from 7.2 to 7.8 millimetres in diameter. This grading system helps buyers identify the quality and characteristics of Kenyan coffee beans.
You can view our Kenya AA Coffee here.
What are the benefits of larger AA coffee beans?
Larger green coffee beans, such as those designated as AA in Kenyan coffee grading, can offer several potential benefits:Enhanced Flavour Profile:
Larger beans often have a more complex and nuanced flavour profile compared to smaller beans. They may exhibit a wider range of flavours, including floral, fruity, and spicy notes.
Better Roasting Potential:
Larger beans tend to roast more evenly and consistently, resulting in a better-developed flavour during the roasting process. This can lead to a more balanced and flavourful cup of coffee.
Higher Quality:
In many cases, larger beans are associated with higher-quality coffee due to factors such as better growing conditions, optimal maturation, and careful processing methods.
Consistency:
Because larger beans are more uniform in size, they can contribute to a more consistent brewing experience, allowing for better extraction and flavour consistency from cup to cup.
Perceived Value:
Larger beans are often associated with premium quality and can command higher prices in the market. As such, they may be perceived as more desirable by coffee enthusiasts.
Overall, while the size of the bean is just one factor influencing the quality of the coffee, larger beans like those classified as AA in Kenyan coffee grading can contribute to a superior cupping experience when paired with other factors such as altitude, soil quality, and processing methods.
What does Kenya AA coffee taste like?
Kenya AA coffee is renowned for its distinct flavour profile, which is characterised by a combination of bright acidity, full body, and a wide range of complex flavours. These are some of the common flavour notes associated with Kenya AA coffee:
Bright Acidity:
Kenya AA coffee is known for its vibrant acidity, which is often described as bright or citrusy. This acidity adds a refreshing and lively quality to the coffee.
Fruity and Floral Notes:
Kenya AA coffee often exhibits fruity and floral flavours, such as blackcurrant, berry, lemon, and jasmine. These flavours contribute to the coffee's complexity and aroma.
Wine-Like Characteristics:
Some Kenya AA coffees may have wine-like characteristics, with hints of winey acidity and a rich, deep flavour profile reminiscent of red wine.
Sweetness:
Despite its bright acidity, Kenya AA coffee can also have a subtle sweetness, which balances out the acidity and enhances the overall flavour profile.
Complexity:
Kenya AA coffee is prized for its complexity, with layers of flavours that unfold with each sip. It may have undertones of spices, chocolate, or nuts, adding depth to the drinking experience.
Overall, Kenya AA coffee offers a bold and flavourful cup with a balance of acidity, sweetness, and complexity. Its unique flavour profile makes it a favourite among coffee enthusiasts seeking a memorable and distinctive coffee experience.
Our Kenya AA+ Coffee has flavour notes of berries and wine with hints of tropical fruit. While this coffee can have a rich and complex flavour, it is almost always tempered by a bright and refreshing acidity. With a medium body but great depths of flavour that leaves a well rounded sweet taste in the mouth.
Where is Kenya AA coffee grown?
Kenya AA coffee is grown primarily in the high-altitude regions of Kenya, located in East Africa. These regions offer optimal growing conditions for coffee plants, including rich volcanic soil, ample rainfall, and ideal temperature ranges.
Some of the key coffee-growing regions in Kenya include:
Central Kenya:
This region includes areas such as Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Murang'a counties. The coffees produced in these regions are highly regarded for their exceptional quality, with many earning the prestigious Kenya AA grade.
Our Kenya AA+ Coffee is from the Mount Kenya region in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around 150km/95 miles north-northeast of Nairobi.
Eastern Kenya:
Areas such as Embu and Meru counties also produce high-quality coffee beans, including some that qualify for the Kenya AA grade.
Rift Valley:
Parts of the Rift Valley region, including Baringo and Nakuru counties, are also known for their coffee production, although they may not always produce Kenya AA-grade beans.
Western Kenya:
Regions such as Kisii and Bungoma counties also contribute to Kenya's coffee output, although they are not as well-known for producing Kenya AA coffee as some other regions.
Overall, the high-altitude regions of Kenya provide the optimal conditions for growing coffee, and the country's unique climate and terroir contribute to the distinctive flavour profile of Kenya AA coffee.
Is Kenya AA arabica?
Yes, Kenya AA coffee is indeed Arabica coffee. Arabica (Coffea arabica) is the most common species of coffee plant grown worldwide, known for its superior quality and desirable flavour characteristics. Kenya is predominantly known for cultivating Arabica coffee, including its renowned Kenya AA grade beans, which are highly prized for their exceptional flavour profile and quality.
What makes Kenya AA coffee so special?
Kenya AA coffee is highly esteemed and recognised in the coffee world for several reasons, which contribute to its special status:
Unique Flavour Profile:
Kenya AA coffee is renowned for its exceptional flavour profile, characterized by vibrant acidity, fruity and floral notes, and a deep, complex aroma. Its distinct flavour profile sets it apart from other coffees and makes it highly sought after by coffee enthusiasts.
High-Quality Grading System:
Kenya employs a rigorous grading system based on bean size, density, and quality. The AA designation signifies the largest and highest-quality beans, which undergo careful selection and processing to ensure consistency and excellence in flavour.
Ideal Growing Conditions:
Kenya's high-altitude regions, rich volcanic soil, ample rainfall, and consistent temperatures provide optimal growing conditions for Arabica coffee plants. These factors contribute to the development of coffee beans with superior flavour and aroma.
Meticulous Processing:
Kenyan coffee producers employ meticulous processing methods, including washing and fermentation, to enhance the quality and flavour of the beans. These methods help preserve the beans' intrinsic characteristics and contribute to the coffee's exceptional taste.
Commitment to Quality:
Kenyan coffee farmers and cooperatives are dedicated to maintaining high standards of quality throughout the production process. From cultivation and harvesting to processing and export, there is a strong emphasis on quality control and adherence to best practices.
Traceability and Transparency:
Kenya's coffee industry has established systems for traceability and transparency, allowing consumers to trace the origins of their coffee beans back to specific regions and farms. This transparency helps build trust and confidence among coffee buyers and ensures accountability in the supply chain.
Overall, Kenya AA coffee's special status can be attributed to its unique flavour profile, high-quality grading system, ideal growing conditions, meticulous processing methods, commitment to quality, and traceability. These factors combine to make Kenya AA coffee a truly exceptional and sought-after specialty coffee variety.
What is the best Kenya AA coffee in the UK?
As a stockist of speciality Kenya AA coffee here in the UK our delicately hand roasted Kenya AA+ Coffee is an example of some of the best Kenyan coffee from the Mount Kenya region in central Kenya. It is produced by a selection of small farmers. It's flavour notes are berries and wine with hints of tropical fruit.
While this coffee can have a rich flavour, it is almost always tempered by a bright and refreshing acidity. With a medium body but great depths of flavour that leaves a well rounded sweet taste in the mouth.
Why Kenyan coffee is so special to us here at Well Roasted Coffee.
A quote from William Scott, owner and roaster:
"When the earth was flat back in the late 60’s as a young 17 year old ‘man’ experiencing new sites, sounds and customs around the world (like the Rolling Stones ‘Lets spend the night together’ and other such music), it was my time spent in Kenya that was perhaps the most significant and eye opening. The introduction to coffee was in the early morning as we were awoken in our accommodation with ‘our man’ entering the unit with what can only be described as an aroma that I had never experienced before and once we drank this black hot liquid I was hooked. It was that first introduction to coffee which dictated to me that the only way to drink it was without any ingredients such as milk and/or sugar to spoil it.
During that time in Kenya I also had the opportunity to go ‘Up Country’ and stay with the Frost family in Thika, not too far away from Nairobi, where I experienced my first sighting of ‘real’ wild animals on a trip into the bush. It was whilst on the farm in Thika I was shown the ‘famous’ African Drying Beds, these are still used around the coffee world as part of the drying out phase in producing green coffee beans. This perhaps goes some way in explaining my love of single origin coffees with a slight bias towards the Kenya coffees." William.
We hope you enjoy our Kenyan AA Coffee as much as we do! Never tried it before? Just add a 200g bag to try when you next order...Enjoy!