Flavor and taste characteristics of coffee varieties in Jinchu Valley, Kenya: introduction to high-quality coffee beans

On an international scale, the increase in the number of Kenyan coffee is obvious, with exports of 800000 bags in 1969-1970 and increased to 2 million bags in 1985-1986. The general yield is stable at 1.6 million bags, with an average yield of about 650kg per hectare. Even before coffee prices skyrocketed, the average price of coffee in Kenya had been rising. Prices in 1993-1994 were 50% higher than they were 12 months ago. The rise in prices is mainly the result of increased demand.

Some buyers, especially Japanese businessmen, have expressed dissatisfaction with the Kenyan coffee industry system. Some businessmen say that the quality of coffee in the country has declined, and point out that buying directly from farmers may be a way to improve the quality. But in any case, Kenya's detailed rules and regulations and sound procedures are a model for all coffee-producing countries.

Kenyan Coffee became more famous with the sensation of the Hollywood movie OutofAfrica.

Karen, the heroine played by Meryl Streep (MarylStreep), is a writer and coffee plantation owner. Many people may still remember the beautiful scenery and the magnificent sunset in the film, but what is even more unforgettable is Karen's dream of having a coffee plantation in Africa, fragrant, rich and fruity. Kenyan coffee has a wonderful fruit flavor, tastes like BlackBerry and grapefruit, and is a favorite of many coffee gluttons. This coffee has an excellent medium purity, crisp and refreshing taste. It has a fresh flavor and is most suitable for drinking iced coffee in summer. When tasting this coffee, if it is paired with sour fruits such as grapefruit, it will certainly give me the best coffee experience. "not much like coffee, but a bit like fruit tea" is the common feeling of many people about this kind of shallow roasted Kenyan coffee. In addition to having obvious and charming fruit acidity, Kenyan coffee is mostly from small coffee farmers, planted in a variety of different environments, encounter different climate and rainfall every year, and bring a variety of distinct and unique personalities. Take the AAPlus "KenyaAA+Samburu" as an example, there are two types of coffee farms in Kenya. One is a large planting farm covering an area of more than five acres, but the average elevation is low. As far as Kenyan coffee is concerned, the coffee beans of the large farms are of medium quality. The best Kenyan beans come from small farms, most of which are located in the foothills or volcanic slopes above 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Each small farmer has a capacity of only 20 to 70 bags per season and cannot afford to invest in expensive washing plants, but small farmers are very United. Hundreds or thousands of households are gathered to set up a cooperative farm, which is funded by the government to build a washing treatment plant, and the coffee fruits picked by small farmers are sent to the cooperative farm for unified processing. First remove the half-ripe or rotten fruit, then peel, ferment, decompose the flesh, remove the coffee beans, then dry and polish, the whole process is supervised by the official Coffee Administration, which ensures the quality of Kenyan coffee. The washing technology and high quality control of Kenyan beans have always been an example of small farmers in Kenya, who are no less than ant soldiers, with an overall production capacity higher than that of large farms, which is about six to four, which is very rare in bean-producing countries. Kenyan coffee is widely appreciated by connoisseurs, thanks in large part to small farmers guarding the foothills and producing high-quality coffee. In addition, Kenya beans must have a strict grading system. Coffee beans taken out by washing plants are divided into five grades according to size, shape and hardness, with the highest being PB, followed by AA++, AA+, AA and AB. This grading system is similar to Colombia, mainly in terms of particle size and shape, but selling well does not necessarily lead to good flavor. This is what coffee fans should know. The current international evaluation of Kenyan beans is not as good as in previous years. It is believed that this has something to do with the abnormal climate, which is not conducive to the growth of coffee, but the matter is not so simple. This is related to the Kenyan authorities' efforts to promote the new variety Ruiru11 with stronger disease resistance and higher yield per unit. According to the taste test, the new variety with higher economic value has a worse flavor than the traditional variety, and to make matters worse, Ruiru11 is about to replace the traditional Arabica and Bourbon varieties. In addition, the quality of coffee is declining, the auction price is not good, and the income of small farmers is reduced. Coupled with the fact that the coffee management bureau is not a paradox, farmers' enthusiasm for coffee will be greatly reduced, which will of course affect the quality of coffee. In addition, Kenya's outstanding washing technology has also declined, which is the killer of strangling quality.