Coffee

Although it is just south of the birthplace – Ethiopia – of coffee, coffee cultivation did not begin in Kenya until the late 19th century apparently under the direction of missionaries. The British, though, significantly ramped up production around the turn of the century. Today, Kenyan coffee production is known for its network of small farms and mills.   More than 6 million Kenyans are said to be employed in the coffee industry. A cooperative system has evolved over the years with at its core an open auction system.   This auction system may be what has allowed Kenyan coffee to maintain its highly regarded quality. 

There is some confusion among drinkers about the much sought after “AA” designation of Kenyan coffee.   The “AA” is not a type of coffee per se, but rather the label refers to the size of the bean itself.   The Coffee Board of Kenya has established a grading system based on the size and form of the bean.   Coffees assigned the grade “AA” are generally the largest bean. The grading scale, from largest to smallest, is AA, AB, PB, C, E, TT and T. One reason quality is often remarked to coincide with the size of the bean is the higher oil content of larger beans.  Kenyan AA beans also are cultivated from the premium Arabica coffee plants, rather than the less flavorful Robusta coffee plants.

After the beans are milled, the coffee is graded according to size.   Samples from each lot are then provided to licensed exporters, who then bid on each lot according to their own evaluations. Weekly auctions are held in downtown Nairobi.  The open, transparent system wherein the highest bidder obtains the lot reinforces a positive price-quality relationship – that is, the best quality yields a higher price. 

Of course, the quality of Kenyan coffee is not based solely on its exporting infrastructure. The quality must originate in the cultivation process. For certain, Kenya has rich, acidic volcanic soil where the coffee is grown at altitudes ranging between 5,000 and 7000 feet above sea level. Production is concentrated on the high plateaus that surround 17,000-foot Mount Kenya.   Here the climate is moderate throughout the year along with a relatively consistent rainfall patterns. Kenya has invested in researching the best cultivation techniques and even the smallest farmer is likely to be knowledgeable about coffee production. 

Premium Kenyan coffee beans – in particular, AA beans – are universally wet processed. The cherry surrounding the bean is removed and then the beans are submerged in a water tank. In the water tank, a natural fermentation process breaks down the cherry residue left on the bean. The final parchment layer is then removed after the beans have been dried by hulling.

So what should you expect from a cup of Kenyan coffee?  While it generally is classified as medium bodied coffee, Kenyan coffee packs an intense flavor and enticing aroma. Multi-faceted in taste a premium Kenyan coffee enthralls with fruit dimensions ranging from citrus to berry along with noted wine-toned acidity. It is a rare Kenyan cup that will leave the drinker with an unpleasant aftertaste.

The next time you are seeking a quality coffee, remember to try the king of African coffees – Kenyan AA. 

Joe Jefferson is the resident coffee expert at World Trader Coffee, which is proud to offer online a fine Kenyan AA coffee as well as a full selection of African coffees.

Author: Joe Jefferson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It’s amazing really how many people love to drink coffee, yet settle for the inferior taste of instant or pre-bought grounds.  While coffee that has already been milled is certainly a step in the right direction, it is a far cry from actually grinding your own.

Only by grinding coffee beans yourself can you ensure a more flavorsome, richer tasting cup of coffee every time.  So, if you love drinking coffee and you want to improve the taste then you need to invest in a dedicated coffee grinder.

The reason is perfectly simpe.  Coffee you buy, either instant of pre-grounded is likely to of already been compromised.  You see, coffee doesn’t react very well to air exposure.  In fact the longer the grounds have been exposed to air the greater the chance that they will have oxidized.  This can result in a very bitter tasting experience and is less than ideal.

The answer is to swap grounded coffee with actual coffee beans and grind them yourself.  The outer-shell of the bean is completely sealed, resulting in perfectly fresh coffee grounds every time you mill your own.

Unfortunately there are a few different types of coffee grinders that we need to analyse before you pay a visit to the local store.  That said, any coffee grinder will produce a much better tasting cup of coffee than any pre-purchased ground coffee. 

Those of you looking for a comparison, here’s what you need to know:

Crusher Style Coffee Grinder:

Works by attempting to compress the coffee beans into grounds.  Although this method does work, it’s not ideal as the grounds tend to be irregular sized and therefore not suitable for making Turkish style coffee that is extremely fine.

Blade Style Coffee Grinder:

Rotates very fast, and much like a juicer slices the coffee beans repeatedly to achieve grounds.  Again, this method isn’t ideal as although the grounds are more consistent than that produced by a crusher grinder they are still not completely uniform.  Also, these types of grinders can be very noisy.

Burr Style Coffee Grinder:

If you’re serious about making decent coffee, then a burr grinder should be the choice you make.  Available in two forms the flat base burr and the conical burr offer any coffee lover the ultimate way in preparing amazing tasting coffee.  They work by grinding the coffee beans between two steel burrs that can be manually adjusted to the desired height to suit almost any coffee recipe you care to make.

The main difference between the two apart from the shape of the burrs is that the conical is able to rotate at far slower speeds.  This is important, not only because the grinder with not be as noisy, but because the potential for heat-build-up is dramatically reduced.  The faster a grinder rotates the more friction is produced; this in turn means more heat is omitted that can be passed directly to the coffee grounds potentially ruining the brew.

Therefore, if you can afford the modest investment of a conical grinder, your coffee will taste better for many years to come.

There is no doubt that conical burr grinders offer any real coffee lover the chance to experience better tasting coffee. For more information, including a must read review of the highly touted Kitchenaid coffee grinder make sure you visit us today.

Author: Robert Funge
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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