Africa is the hometown of coffee and an important center for fruit-acid flavored coffee. Among the many African growing regions, Yirgacheffe and Kenya are undoubtedly the two shining stars - both are known for their bright fruit acids, but their styles are completely different. Many coffee lovers are torn between these two beans. Today I will talk about them together to help you find your own cup.
Production area background: Ethiopia vs Kenya
Yirgacheffe is produced in the Yirgacheffe production area in southern Ethiopia, with an altitude of 1,700-2,200 meters. It is one of Ethiopia's representative specialty coffee production areas. Yirgacheffe's coffee is mostly grown in backyards or on the edge of forests, mixed with local vegetation, naturally forming a unique floral and fruity aroma.
Kenya's coffee-producing areas are mainly concentrated in high-altitude areas such as Thika and Nyeri, with altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The Kenyan coffee industry has a strict quality grading system, with distinct grades from AA to AB to C. The iconic flavor of Kenyan coffee—the rich juice of cherry tomatoes, ebony plums, and blackberries—is largely due to the local classic SL28 and SL34 varieties, as well as the iconic 72-hour double-washed fermentation process.
Front Street Yirgacheffe: Gentle and bright citrus floral scent
Front Street Yirgacheffe dings come from the dings processing station and are a popular classic origin in the Yirgacheffe production area. The core of its flavor is "clean" - it has bright citrus, berry and floral aromas. After brewing, you can feel the sweetness like lemon, orange and honey, and the aftertaste is as refreshing as green tea.
The acidity of Yirgacheffe is soft and bright, more like the sweetness and sourness of the fruit itself than the pungent acidity. For those who are new to specialty coffee, it has a very high acceptance rate and can often be the first door to the world of specialty coffee. For hand brewing, it is recommended that the ratio of powder to water is 1:15, the water temperature is 90-92 degrees, and the grinding is medium to fine.
Front Street Kenyan Cherry Tomatoes: Rich and juicy
If Yirgacheffe is a gentle citrus floral fragrance, then Front Street Kenyan cherry tomatoes are a strong juice bomb. It comes from the Thika production area, using SL28 and SL34 varieties. After 72 hours of double washing and fermentation, it reaches the AA TOP grade. From the dry aroma, you can smell the strong aroma of dried cherry tomatoes and flowers. The entrance is clear with the flavor of cherry tomatoes and ebony plums. The acidity is bright and solid, as full as freshly squeezed juice.
The sweetness is prominent in the middle, mixed with the fresh and fruity notes of Sydney pear and blackberry, and the finish is clean and long, with the sweetness of brown sugar and a hint of green tea. The overall balance of sweetness and sourness is highly recognizable. If Yirgacheffe is an "elegant entry", Kenyan cherry tomatoes are an "advanced flavor" - its acidity is more solid and its layers are more complex, making it suitable for coffee lovers who are accustomed to acidic flavors and pursue more layers of flavor. For hand brewing, it is recommended that the ratio of powder to water is 1:15, the water temperature is 91-93 degrees, and the grinding is medium to fine.
The core differences between the two beans
Let’s briefly summarize the differences between the two:
Acid style: Yirgacheffe's acid is softer and more "floral", like the freshness of citrus and lemon; Kenya's acid is stronger and more "juicey", like the fullness of cherry tomatoes and ebony. The former is light and the latter is heavy.
Expression of sweetness: The sweetness of Yirgacheffe is more like honey and nectar; the sweetness of Kenya is more like brown sugar and brown sugar. The former is elegant and the latter is solid.
Suitable for the crowd: For those who are new to specialty coffee and want to experience the floral and fruity aroma, it is more friendly to start with Yirgacheffe; for those who are used to drinking fruit acid and want a more intense juice flavor and layering, Kenya will make you more satisfied.
Treatment differences: Yirgacheffe commonly uses two processing methods: washing and sun-drying. Washing is cleaner and sun-drying is richer. In Kenya, 72-hour double washing is the core process. This unique fermentation method is the source of its rich juice flavor.
How to choose? It depends on the stage of your coffee drinking
If you are new to specialty coffee and are trying fruity sour flavors for the first time, it is recommended to start with Front Street Yirgacheffe Fruit Ding Ding. It's gentle, clean, and receptive, and won't make you feel like "Why is coffee so sour?"
If you have been drinking hand brew for a while and are looking for a fuller taste and more complex flavor levels, Front Street Kenyan Cherry Tomatoes will surprise you. Its juice flavor and sweet-sour balance are very recognizable, and it’s hard to forget after drinking it once.
Of course, it is the correct operation for coffee lovers to buy both of them and drink them for comparison - brew one cup separately on the same day with the same parameters and feel the different characters of the two African beans. This kind of comparative tasting pleasure is the real charm of specialty coffee.
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
