The number one question we get asked at Farmer’s Markets, or at meetings with cafe owners is why we sell Kenyan coffee. There are a couple reasons for this.
Reason number 1 is that Crispin, and Sahil - the two other co-founders of Kooky Koffee are Kenyan. As such, they get to visit Kenya quite frequently. This gives us the opportunity to personally meet with the farmers and co-ops we purchase our coffee from, and talk to them at length about the ways in which we can assist them in doing what they do best. It allows our impact to be direct and tangible.
Reason number 2 is simple. Kenyan coffee tastes amazing, and we want our customers to try it.
Through this short post I will attempt to offer you the basics of Kenyan coffee, why it tastes the way it does, and what makes the Kenyan coffee experience so unique.
Why Kenyan coffee tastes the way it does
Kenya primarily grows Arabica beans at high elevations on volcanic soils with cool nights and steady rainfall. Coffee growing areas in Kenya are located in the central highlands (Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu), near Mount Kenya. That slow, high-altitude ripening builds dense beans and lively acidity. In the cup, that shows up as blackcurrant, citrus, florals, and a clean, crisp finish. To add to this, the way in which the green beans are processed at washing stations or “factories” as they are locally referred to help keep flavours well-defined. Our video here offers a great overview on how Kenyan beans are processed
What AA and AB actually mean
You’ll notice our website, and bags mention “AA” and “AB”. These letters are used as a grading system in Kenya. They refer to the size of the green bean after milling. AA refers to the beans that pass through larger screens (17/18), AB to the next size down (15/16). The reason this matters is because the size of the bean influences density, roasting behavior, and sometimes how a coffee extracts, but farming and processing ultimately set the ceiling. Peaberries (PB) show up now and then as well—these are single, round beans formed when one seed develops instead of two within the coffee cherry.
At Kooky Koffee, Kuoka is a Kenyan AA, while Kafeini is a Kenyan AB.
What’s the best way to brew Kenyan beans?
My starting recipe for both is 20 g coffee to 300 g water (about 1:15). I grind medium-fine for V60, use 92–95 °C water, bloom with ~60 g for 30–45 seconds, then finish with two steady pours to 300 g for a total time of around 2:45–3:15. If the cup leans too sharp, I nudge the grind coarser or brew at 92 °C; if it tastes flat, I go a touch finer. Kuoka often rewards that slightly finer grind with extra clarity, while Kafeini is more forgiving.
A brief history of Kenyan coffee
If you’ve made it this far—congrats. You’re basically a coffee snob now. So next time you're brewing a bag of Kuoka and chatting with friends, here’s a little historical nugget to throw into the conversation.
Despite sharing a border with Ethiopia—the birthplace of coffee—Kenya didn’t actually start cultivating it until the late 1800s. It was introduced in 1893 by French missionaries, who brought bourbon varietals from Réunion Island and planted them near Nairobi. Under British colonial rule, coffee quickly became a cash crop, but growing it was tightly regulated. African farmers were barred from planting it themselves and could only work as laborers on European estates.
Things began to shift after Kenya gained independence in 1963. Land reforms slowly opened the door for local farmers to grow coffee on their own plots—often just a few acres in size. Today, most Kenyan coffee is produced by smallholder farmers organized into co-ops, and it’s their careful picking, processing, and dedication that give Kenyan coffee its signature taste.
At Kooky Koffee, we work directly with many of these smallholder producers in Kirinyaga County—visiting them regularly, chatting over chai, and exploring ways we can support their work beyond just buying beans. When you drink our coffee, you’re not just tasting the terroir—you’re tasting the legacy of a country that reclaimed coffee production and made it world-class.