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Taste Notes of African Coffees


Coffee drinkers regularly talk about the fruity, sweet notes or other flavors of coffee. These are not chemically infused flavors. These are the natural properties of grains. They come from the environment in which coffee is grown and the way it is processed. For example, coffee in Africa is different from coffee in Latin America. Coffees in countries like Brazil and Colombia tend to have features that remind people of a classic coffee.

African coffees are often as exotic as the countries they come from. Many African coffees are processed by natural drying, which adds fruit flavors and mucilages to the beans. These coffees usually have a large body enriched with a strong sweetness. The aromas of cafes in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi are often fruity or floral. Their acidity can fall anywhere between a good breakfast merlot or a tannic English tea.

Africa is obviously a big continent, over 30 million kilometers; The United States is larger than China and India combined. So let's remember that when we say "coffee in Africa" ​​we are talking about many different regions. This leads us to believe that there are different types of coffee depending on the region. However, it is generally known that African coffees are fruity, sweet and floral. This means you can get all sorts of notes, from an African coffee to blueberries to citrus.

What are the flavors of coffee in Ethiopia?

It is not surprising that Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, has a strong culture in both coffee production and consumption. As always, processing changes the flavor, and because Ethiopia processes coffee both naturally (drying) and through washing, flavor profiles may differ. Washed coffees are slightly lighter and contain more floral notes such as jasmine, while natural (or dried) coffees tend to have slightly heavier, more fruity and syrupy, blueberry-like flavors.

Unlike the rest of Africa, which has only a century of history in most coffee production, Ethiopia has been producing and exporting coffee for over a millennium. While most African countries rely on wet (washed) processing, Ethiopia also produces a significant amount of dried processed coffee, known as "natural" coffees. Dry processing takes a lot of work, but can yield heavy, fruity flavors accompanied by citrus-like acidity. Blueberry is a common identifier.

What are the taste notes of Kenyan coffees?

Kenya produces high quality Arabica coffee that is recognized worldwide for its unique and refined taste. The favorable climatic conditions in Kenya's highlands make it easy for the country to produce some of the world's finest coffee beans. Kenyan coffee is known for its complexity and often contains a full-bodied bean with a sharp, fruity acidity: think of a fine coffee with a pretty tropical flavor. Coffees in this region are mostly grown at medium and high altitudes, and the country is known for its system of coffee cooperatives. Many are grown at high altitudes around Mount Kenya.

What are the taste notes of coffee in Tanzania?

Somewhat similar to Kenyan coffee, Tanzanian coffee also has a vibrant acidity that is sometimes sharp and deep, with a rich and strong flavor. The aroma of Tanzanian coffee can have a rustic note and sometimes a sweetness characteristic of brown bread.

Tanzanian coffee has slightly lower acidity levels compared to Kenyan coffee and is also less consistent with a softer body. Ground and dried coffee from Tanzania can have a slightly floral, sweet molasses scent with hints of apple fruit.

What are the taste notes of Rwandan coffees?

There are many facets, flavors and subtle differences between Rwandan coffee varieties. However, there are certain elements that tend to come up no matter where the coffee comes from.

The aroma of Rwandan coffee includes notes of orange blossom and lemon, a floral taste mixed with fruit, red currant and strawberry aromas, and the aftertaste is rich caramel and white chocolate.

What are the taste notes of Burundi coffees?

Like its northern neighbor Rwanda, Burundi grows the Bourbon variety in mountainous terrain. Farmers often wash seeds thoroughly by soaking them both during and after fermentation. Application promotes a clean taste because the protective mucilage is well removed. Burundi coffees are known for their sweet fig and fruit flavors and juicy acidity.

Regardless of South America, Central America, Africa or Asia, every region of the world produces coffee of unmatched quality. When choosing a coffee, we must consider where it comes from and what its unique characteristics are.

For this reason, Africa is recognized worldwide as one of the most diverse regions where coffee with unique and different flavors is produced. The conditions for growing and harvesting coffee in Africa are ideal. Soils rich in volcanic minerals, mountainous regions, high altitudes and close to the equator

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