Just like different varieties of grapes produce wines with different flavors,The variety of coffee beans is also one of the key factors that affects the flavor of the coffee in the final cup.. Panama's T2722 Geisha is the best example. It has attracted much attention because of its white floral aroma and citrus fruity notes.What Front Street wants to share today is the star variety that also has excellent flavor performance - SL28, which comes from Kenya. The famous plum flavor and bright acidity of Kenyan coffee are all due to it.SL28 is one of the most representative varieties in Kenya. It is a direct line of Bourbon selected and bred in Kenya in the early 20th century. The Scott Laboratory is responsible for screening and cultivating SL28. The "SL" of SL28 isThe abbreviation of Scott Laboratories, "28" is the number of this variety in the experiment at that time.In the 1930s, the Kenyan government commissioned the Scott Laboratory to conduct research on coffee breeding, with the goal of finding varieties that could adapt to Kenya's terroir, be used for large-scale planting, and have commercial value. Then from 1935 to 1939, the Scott Laboratory collectedfrom different originsThe 42 different varieties brought back were studied on their yield, quality, drought resistance and disease resistance, and many varieties stood out in the end. SL28 and SL34 are the two most well-known varieties, and they are also the key varieties in creating "Kenyan flavor" today.
According to records reviewed by Front Street, in 1931, senior officials from the Scott Laboratory were in Tanganyika.(now Tanzania)Monduli(Monduli)A coffee variety was discovered that seemed to be tolerant to drought, disease and pests, and was brought back to Kenya for research, where its drought resistance was confirmed. So in 1935, this variety was put into the ranks of breeding, and it was SL28.In addition to being drought-resistant, SL28 also has excellent yield, flavor and bright acidity.This made him a hot rising star after being released by the Kenyan authorities. It started with Uganda, and later even the major producing countries in Central America began to plant SL28, which shows that its popularity is extraordinary.However, SL28 also has shortcomings. Like SL34, it is not disease-resistant and is susceptible to various coffee diseases.The study also found that SL28 belongs to the bourbon gene group, which means that SL28 evolved from bourbon, so its bean appearance is round and short like bourbon, making it highly recognizable.Today's Kenyan coffee is mostly produced from a blend of SL28 and SL34.The appearance of the two is very different.（SL34 is a variant of Typica, with a slender body and an oval shape)So we can distinguish the two very easily from a serving of Kenyan coffee.So far, Front Street has tasted SL28 produced in various producing countries, such as SL28 from El Salvador and Costa Rica. They all have obvious sour blackberry aroma and very bright acidity. However, compared to the SL28 produced in Kenya, their texture is not that thick. And this has to mention the unique growing environment and processing methods of Kenyan coffee. They, like the varieties, are indispensable in creating Kenyan flavor.So that’s it for now, Front Street definitely has to make a pot of coffee to get some flavor! The Front Street Kenya Asalia in the Front Street Bean List is the object of brewing this time. It comes from the Asalia Processing Plant in the Thika production area. It is a single-origin beans produced by a mixture of SL28 and SL34. The processing method is classic Kenyan washing.Front Street Coffee: Kenya Azalea
Origin: Thika
Treatment Plant: Azalea Treatment Plant
Altitude: 1550~1750 meters
Variety: SL28, SL34
Treatment method: washed
Flavor: ebony plum, cherry tomato, brown sugar, blackberry
When grinding this bean, you can smell the obvious sour aroma of black plums and cherry tomatoes. With the injection of high-temperature hot water, the coffee begins to exude the sweetness of brown sugar. When you taste it after brewing, you will find a very thick acidity in the mouth. The flavor is mainly black plum, cherry tomato, and bulin, with an obvious sweetness of brown sugar, and a slight aftertaste of oolong tea. The taste is round and thick, making you feel comfortable and happy when drinking~
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
