If you're looking for an intense flavor with a delicious aroma and an impressive wine-like acidity, Kenyan coffee beans is a great choice for you. Coffee tasters generally regard Kenyan coffee as the purest and the most balanced of all the African beans. Because Kenyan coffee grows at high altitudes ranging from 4,000 to 7,000 feet, it matures and ripens slowly. This gradual maturation makes for a rich, flavorful bean with an impressive complexity. These superior high-altitude beans are known as "Arabica." All of the coffee grown in Kenya is of the washed Arabica variety.

"Washed" (also called "wet processing") refers to a method in which the ripe fruit from the coffee bean is removed one layer at a time before the bean is dry. (Yes, coffee is actually the seed of a small fruit.) Although wet processing is costly, it's generally considered the best method because it safeguards the flavor of the bean.

Kenyan coffee beans are a favorite among home coffee roasters because the Kenyan Coffee Board applies strict quality standards, which results in a consistently high quality unroasted bean. Before coffee can even be sold in Kenya, it's sent to the chief government taster for approval.

The taster conducts a cupping to rate the beans according to aroma, flavor, and acidity. Inspectors also rate the beans by size as well as by flaws, such as overripe or under-ripe. Only beans with virtually no flaws earn the highest rating. At Zach & Dani's, we offer only Kenyan AA, one of the largest beans and the highest grades available.