Kenya Asali AA TOPCoffee Bean Intro:

Qianjie Coffee: Kenya Asali Coffee Beans

Country: Kenya

Region: Thika Region, Asali Factory

Altitude: 1550-1750m

Process: Washed

Variety: SL28 & SL34

Flavor: Asian pear, black plum, brown sugar, plum, cherry tomato

As a renowned coffee-producing country in East Africa, Kenya is also a major global source of specialty coffee beans. Kenyan coffee boasts rich and distinctive flavors, and its trade system is highly sophisticated. The grading of coffee beans by size, such as AA or AB, does not necessarily correlate with flavor. The Coffee Board’s auction lots are evaluated based on cupping profiles, and premium Kenyan auction prices remain consistently high, with intense competition among international green bean buyers.

Kenya’s excellent reputation stems from academic research and development, meticulous farmer education on cultivation practices, and rigorous quality control. The microclimates suitable for coffee growth, fertile soils, and high-altitude environments contribute to the beans’ hardness. The traditional 72-hour Kenyan washed process further enhances the bright fruity acidity characteristic of Kenyan coffee.

For Kenya’s famed berry-like acidity, Qianjie sourced a washed lot from the Asali Factory in the Thika Region, featuring the SL28 and SL34 varieties. SL refers to Kenya’s Scott Laboratories. In the 1930s, when Kenya faced a widespread outbreak of coffee berry disease, Scott Laboratories was commissioned by the government to develop disease-resistant varieties. Among their research, varieties 28 and 34 demonstrated strong resistance and outstanding flavor, leading to their widespread adoption by farmers.

"Asali" means "honey" in Swahili (Kenya’s official languages are English and Swahili). The Honey Factory (The Asali Cooperative) is located in the Thika Region of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, near the Aberdare Mountains, bordering Ethiopia to the east. The Honey Factory is a washed processing unit composed of 155 smallholder coffee farmers, with all cherry sourced from neighboring farms. Nestled between Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon, notable regions include Meru, Thika, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Embu.

The Asali Factory processes green beans primarily through washing, grading by bean size, and finally determining value via cupping. The highest-grade beans are AA (those retained on a 7.2mm sieve), followed by A (retained on a 6.8mm sieve), B (retained on a 6.2mm sieve), C (smaller than B), PB (peaberry), and finally the lighter, smaller TT and T grades. Generally, A and B grades are blended for export, commonly referred to as AB grade.

Kenya’s authorities (CBK) maintain stringent requirements for coffee beans—not only in quality and texture but also in packaging consistency. It’s no wonder coffee enthusiasts never forget to savor a cup of Kenyan coffee.

Kenya’s coffee-growing regions are primarily concentrated in the highland areas, represented by Mount Kenya. The tropical climate and acidic red volcanic soils provide an ideal environment for coffee cultivation. The seven most famous regions include Nyeri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Ruiru, Murang’a, and the western slopes of Mount Kenya, with major producing areas such as central Nyeri and Ruiru.

The Kenyan washed process involves repeated cycles of fermentation and washing. On the day of harvest, the highest-quality coffee cherries are selected for depulping and fermentation, which lasts 24 hours, followed by rinsing with clean river water. The process is then repeated—another 24-hour fermentation with clean water, another rinse—cycle repeated three times for a total of 72 hours, hence the term "Kenyan 72-hour fermented washed process," or K72. This method allows the beans to ferment at low temperatures over an extended period, resulting in brighter, cleaner, yet fuller flavors.