Coffee From Kenya
Kenya is one of the most scenically beautiful countries on the African continent, boasting white sandy beaches on the Indian Ocean, lush highlands, desert, savannah and fertile lowlands. The acidic soil is perfect for the coffee beans to flourish, especially the renowned Arabica bean , Grown at high altitudes.
A good Kenyan is one of the finest coffees available on the market, due to its intensity of body and fruitiness (blackcurrant and grapefruit).
Classification by defects (washed)
PB - Peaberries
AA - Screens: 17 and 18 = 7.2 mm
AB - Screens: 15 and 16 = 6.6 mm
C - Screens: 14 and 15
E – Elephant - when the beans separate during processing, they are chipped and called "Ears". This category also contains large "Peaberries".
TT - Light beans separated from AA and AB by air current
T - Smaller than TT, many fragments. Light beans separated from C by air current
UG - Ungraded: all that does not fit the specific criteria for each official grade
Classification by defects (natural)
PB - Peaberries
M'buni - Deteriorated beans, processed by the dry method
MH - M'buni Heavy = large beans
ML - M'buni Light = small beans
Typical description
Kenya AB FAQ fly crop
Kenya arabica grade AB, based on internal grading system above, fair average quality. There are 10 classes of Kenyan coffee dependent on cup quality, 1 being the best and 10 the poorest. Various descriptions include:
Fine,
Good,
Fair to Good,
Fair to average Quality (FAQ),
Fair,
Poor to Fair,
and finally Poor.
These classes and descriptions are becoming obsolete, and FAQ is the only one still commonly used. Main crop coffee is usually better than fly crop coffee.