African Coffee varieties and Taste Guide for beginners Kenyan coffee or Tanzanian coffee tastes better

When winemakers are poetic about where they are allowed to grow grapes, they often cite the region of France. African coffee, such as Charmes-Chambertin from Burgundy or the unforgettable Bai Shinan from Savenni è res in the Loire Valley, has an equally indelible impact on coffee professionals. In fact, Africa is probably the most exciting coffee-producing continent in the world, with incredible varieties, history and high quality. Although nearly a dozen African countries produce coffee, accounting for 12 per cent of global production, most of them are supplied in bulk. The focus here is premium coffee, mainly in East Africa.

Ethiopia

As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has an amazing variety of coffee, perhaps thousands, many of which are wild and uncatalogued. Coffee roasters sometimes label consumers' coffee bags as "heirlooms", indicating that their genetic origin is unknown. (interestingly, Counter Culture has launched a project to catalogue many varieties of Western export trademarks as "heirlooms". )

Unlike other parts of Africa, coffee production in most of these areas is only a century old, and Ethiopia has grown, brewed and exported coffee for more than a thousand years. Ethiopia is the world's fifth-largest coffee producer, accounting for 3 per cent of the world's supply and employs 15 million people-more than 1/4 of the working-age population and 60 per cent of foreign income.

Although most African countries rely on wet (washing) processing, Ethiopia also produces large amounts of dry processed coffee known as "natural" coffee. Dry processing is labor-intensive, but can give a rich fruity flavor-blueberry is a common description-with citrus acidity. By contrast, Ethiopian water-washed coffee is reminiscent of a cup of tea because of its delicate floral characteristics (think of Earl Grey Tea's bergamot oil). However, the differences are not entirely due to processing, as regions such as Sidamo, Yirgacheffe and Harrar are famous for their native soil and the unique flavor of coffee.

Kenya

Ethiopia's southern neighbor Kenya employs 6 million people in the coffee industry. Unlike Ethiopia, it has a relatively short history of coffee production, dating back to the late 19th century. Still, the country of 47.6 million people is famous for its high-quality coffee, most of which grows at high elevations around Mount Kenya. Kenya has traditionally sold products through a relatively transparent auction system to reward higher-quality batches at higher prices, which is an unusual but effective platform for African industry.

Kenyan coffee tends to be medium to full-bodied, with dazzling acidity, and features likened to blackcurrant (think of Cabernet Sauvignon), plus tropical, berry and citrus flavors. Its famous cultivated varieties read like code-SL28 and SL34 (SL stands for Scott Lab, the predecessor of the National Agricultural Laboratory)-were found to be able to tolerate drought, some diseases and many pests.

Tanzania

Specialty coffee from Tanzania grows on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and is famous for its bright, clean, medium full-bodied and complex cups. Although the Hayya tribe is thought to have brought coffee from Ethiopia to Tanzania, commercial coffee cultivation was introduced by German colonists nearly a century ago and now accounts for about 20 per cent of the country's export value. In the United States, Tanzania is famous for its peas. The nickname refers to a coffee cherry with only one seed instead of two normal seeds. In 5% to 10% of coffee cherries, peas are smaller and more round than regular coffee beans, which have a flat side.

Rwanda

For a country that has produced boutique coffee for less than 20 years, Rwanda has risen to fame. Nearly 80% of its total output is professional. Rwandan coffee is usually based on mutations in the coffee variety bourbon, tends to be sweet and full-bodied, and has a wide range of flavor characteristics, from red fruit (apples, grapes) to unique floral aromas. The country's high altitude (3000 feet above sea level throughout Rwanda) produces dense beans. Experienced bakers know to use a high enough temperature to avoid excessive acidification and to bake beans long enough to form a rich taste.

Burundi

Like its northern neighbour Rwanda, Little Burundi (the size of Maryland) grows bourbon varieties in the mountains. Farmers often wash the seeds thoroughly and soak them during and after fermentation. As the protective mucus is completely removed, this practice promotes a clean taste. Burundian coffee beans are famous for their sweet fig and berry flavors and juicy acidity. In the 1990s, the civil war destroyed the coffee industry in Burundi. However, drawing inspiration from the success of post-conflict coffee in Rwanda, Burundi has made considerable progress and improved the quality of coffee-the best example shocked buyers and scored high marks from boutique coffee graders around the world.