- Kenya AA
- Espresso
- Uganda Kigezi Special
- Rwanda Lake Kivu
- Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
- Decaf Arabica
- Gold Label Tea
- Java Love Cookies
- 7 Best Kenyan Coffee Brands For A Rich And Intense Brew
- 1. Java House
- Kenyan Coffee: Flavor Notes and Best Coffees
- Kenya’s Growing Regions
- The Central Region
- The Western Region
- The Eastern Region
- The Nyanza Region
- The Great Rift Valley Region
- Kenyan Coffees to Try
- Volcanica Kenya AA
- Java House Kenya AA
- Out of the Grey Kenyan AA
- Screen 18 Kenya AA
- Allegro Coffee Kenya Grand Cru Light Roast
- Recent Posts
- About Us
Kenya AA
Kenya AA Arabica coffee is harvested from rich volcanic soils found in the high altitude regions of Kenya.
Our in house coffee experts lovingly hand-roast the finest Kenya AA beans daily to a nutty chocolate brown color just for you. Every cup of Java House Kenya AA promises an aromatic, balanced coffee with a light finish perfect for your daily brew.
TASTING NOTES: Lively, blackcurrant, grapefruit
Espresso
Our Java House coffee experts lovingly dark roast the finest AA Arabica coffee beans daily just for you.
Uganda Kigezi Special
Carefully hand-selected from the Kigezi Mountains in South-Western Uganda, famous for its abundant Arabica coffee.
Rwanda Lake Kivu
Our Rwanda Lake Kivu coffee is the finest hand-selected, high grade Arabica coffee harvested from 1600-meter hills in Western Rwanda.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Hand selected and lovingly roasted by our in house coffee experts to bring to you an exquisite coffee.
Decaf Arabica
Hand selected, lovingly roasted daily and carefully decaffeinated so you can savor a cup of coffee at any time of the day.
Gold Label Tea
Our Gold label Loose Leaf Tea is sourced exclusively from Kenya’s most fertile tea growing regions in the Aberdare Ranges, Kericho and Kisii highlands.
Java Love Cookies
It all began as a “little gift” to our guests for every coffee they are served to now a 300g freshly baked and beautifully packed to share the Java Love with friends and family at home.
7 Best Kenyan Coffee Brands For A Rich And Intense Brew
Kenyan coffee is gradually taking the world by storm thanks to its full body, balanced complexity, and beautiful acidic profile. As a beginner to Kenyan coffee searching for the best brands, you normally see them graded as E, PB, AA, AB, C, TT, T, and MH/ML. Grades are given to define the size of the beans before they are roasted.
Amongst them, AA-graded coffee is by far the most sought-after type and one of the largest Kenyan coffee beans. It tends to have a light body, bright, and sweeter than MH/ML graded coffee, which is low-quality with a stronger sour note. For some people, Kenyan coffees are the most consistent African beans. When brewed with the filter method, it produces a clean and crisp profile that really shines. If you’re looking for the best Kenyan coffee brands, here are the top picks.
1. Java House
Speaking of the best Kenyan coffee brands, Java House should be the first name to be called. For those who are new to the scene of Kenyan coffee, Java House is known as a top-notch producer with a lighter roasting process. Therefore, its coffee will deliver a distinct spicy and fruity note. There are several products to choose from: East Africa Blend, Decaf, French Roast, Ground, and Whole Bean. One of my favorite items from Java House is the Specialty Medium Roast, which is full-bodied, organic, and single-origin.
- Kenya AA Coffee Beans
- Specialty Whole Coffee Beans
- Medium Roast
- Fair Trade
- Single Origin Coffee
- 13.23Oz/375g
Kenyan Coffee: Flavor Notes and Best Coffees
Even if you’re a coffee novice, you’ve likely heard about Kenyan coffee. Though it makes up less than 1% of the world’s coffee market, it has earned a noble reputation with coffee enthusiasts. Kenya’s third-highest export is coffee, making it a foundational product for the country’s economy. An average of 50,000 tons of Kenyan coffee is produced annually, thanks to the area’s warm climate and well-timed rainy seasons. Coffee beans are grown, harvested, and processed by approximately 250,000 workers in Kenya, most of which are small landholders.
Kenyan coffee beans are certified SHG (strictly high growth) and SHB (strictly hard bean) status. To qualify, coffee beans must be elevated above 1300 meters or 4500 feet. Kenyan beans hit that quota and then some. Most of their coffee plantations are between 1400 to 2000 meters ( 4590 to 6500 feet) altitude, sometimes higher.
The higher the elevation, the slower a coffee plant will grow. This means less energy is spent on the reproductive cycle, and the plant focuses its attention on its beans, giving us a more robust final product. This, in combination with the great drainage at high altitudes, allows for a higher concentration of sugars in the bean. These sugars are responsible for the berry flavors you’ll notice in a well-made cup of Kenyan coffee. Kenyan coffee is also almost exclusively arabica. Have you ever wondered why “100% Arabica beans” is such a point of pride for coffee makers? Broken down to basics, there are two types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. While Robusta beans are hardy and easier to grow, but tend to have a flat, bitter taste when compared to their cousin Arabica. They’re often used for “filler” in blended coffees to drive down costs.
Kenya grows both varieties, but Arabica is more common to the area. The soil there tends to be fertile, volcanic, and loamy, which is ideal for these particular beans. More recently, Kenyan coffee farmers have been working on disease-resistant varieties of Arabica. Hopefully, this will make it easier to produce greater quantities of arabica coffee, no filler required. Lastly, Kenyan coffee producers wet process their beans almost exclusively. While a matter a personal preference, those who prefer wet-processed coffee like it for two main reasons: The first is quality control. The first step in the wet (or “washed”) process involves soaking the coffee cherries. While the cherries soak, a natural sorting process occurs. Ripe beans sink to the bottom, while unripe cherries (along with any twigs/debris) will float to the top, allowing inferior beans to be skimmed away.
The second is that wet processing does more to preserve the natural flavor of the coffee. Wet processing maintains the acidity and particular tasting notes. A discerning palate will be able to tell exactly where a washed coffee bean is from, making it the choice processing method for single-origin coffees. Now, let’s take a look at Kenya’s growing regions and how the coffees produced in them differ.
Kenya’s Growing Regions
The Central Region
60% of Kenya’s coffee comes from its Central region which includes the Counties of Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Muranga. This region is home to Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges, which are rich in that volcanic soil coffee trees tend to love. Most people associate Kenya’s coffee with the sharp, citrus top notes and chocolate berry undertones of Kirinyaga and Nyeri’s beans. In the rest of the Central Region, the acidity is a little more mellow.
The Western Region
The West is home to Mt. Elgon, an extinct volcano that straddles the Uganda/Kenya border. This is where much of the Western Region’s coffee is grown. Other coffee growing Counties in the region include Vihiga and Kakamega. Similar to above, the coffee from the West tends to have a full-bodied flavor with sharp citrus notes.
The Eastern Region
The Eastern Region of Kenya is drier, making it less plentiful than the above regions. Coffee is an important part of the economy in this area and grows well in the Mbooni, Kangundo, and Iveti Hills. Coffee from this region is described as fruity with a silky mouthfeel.
The Nyanza Region
Conversely to the East, the Nyanza Region has regular rainfall and rich soil. This densely populated area includes the Counties Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu, and Migori. Coffee from this region is less pungent than other Kenyan varieties. It produces a sweet, creamy cup. Flavor notes are nutty with just a touch of fruit.
The Great Rift Valley Region
The Great Rift Valley is a vast space that runs North to South for 4000 miles, starting in Syria and extending to Mozambique. The highlands just West of the rift are perfect for coffee, with fertile soil and mild temperatures. The coffee in the Rift Valley Region of Kenya has that signature Kenyan flavor, but the acidity is slightly less sharp than some varieties.
Kenyan Coffees to Try
We could talk about coffee beans all day, but what’s the point if you can’t taste them? Here’s a quick guide to some of the best Kenyan coffee beans on the market today. We scoured the internet for highly-rated, accessible, ethically sourced, and most importantly delicious- Kenya beans.
Volcanica Kenya AA
Kenya grades the quality of their beans on several factors before roasting them. They are then distributed at different price points based on their overall quality. AA beans are large, high quality, and have a sweet complex flavor. Volcanica’s beans are at the top of everyone’s list because they’re 100% AA grade Arabica and 100% quality. They’re grown at the highest altitudes in the region- up to 6,800 feet. This coffee is often praised for its complex flavor. It starts with a floral aroma, smacks you with a sweet and top note, tickles your tongue with tartness then surprises you with a savory edge.
Java House Kenya AA
Java House is a café franchise that began in Nairobi, eventually spreading to multiple stores across Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Their coffee is organic, fair trade, and single origin. The company has 6 offerings for beans, their Kenya AA boasting that robust acidic taste from the highlands. Java House’s beans are roasted lightly when compared to other Kenyan coffees, so you’ll enjoy sweeter notes and a smooth finish.
Out of the Grey Kenyan AA
If you’re looking for a high-quality Kenyan coffee with a little special something, consider Out of the Grey’s Kenyan beans. This family-run small-batch coffee house, based in Fairview Pennsylvania, does things a little differently. Their Kenyan AA beans boast floral notes with flavors of blackcurrant, fennel, and black tea. A curious combination, but the 5-star reviews on their website can’t be wrong. Not a fan of single-origin coffee? This company features custom blends, so you can customize to your heart’s content.
Screen 18 Kenya AA
Screen 18 has been in business for 75 years, so they must be doing something right! Referring to the screen size used to sift out the finest coffee beans, Miami, Florida based company Screen 18 is dedicated to serving up the best to loyal consumers and newcomers alike. Their Kenya AA beans are a Medium to Dark roast with that full-bodied flavor and wine-like acidity signature to Kenya’s coffee.
Allegro Coffee Kenya Grand Cru Light Roast
Looking for all of the flavors of Kenya, but a little less bold? Check out this light roast from Allegro, a small company with a passionate dedication to ethical practices. Their Kenya Grand Cru beans come direct from small landholders in Nyeri. This light roast isn’t light on taste, either. It allows some more subtle notes to come to the foreground, boasting flavors of red wine, currant, and blackberry with a soft finish.
Jay Arr Jay Arr is passionate about everything coffee. What began as a simple interest in the history, production, and brewing of coffee led him to a job as a barista at a national coffee chain. That’s not where Jay’s story with coffee ends, however. Roasting and brewing day in and out, he continued to gather knowledge about all things coffee.
Recent Posts
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About Us
Today, Jay aims to share his knowledge and get others excited about coffee—from cappuccinos to pour-overs to Turkish. From reviews of popular coffee drinks, to informational posts on the ecology of the coffee plant, to step-by-step guides on troubleshooting bad flavor, this page (and its blog) is here to help you foster your knowledge about—and your love for—coffee. At JayArr Coffee, a particular focus of ours is single origin coffee. We want to help you find an origin that matches your preferences in acidity, body, and flavor notes!