Exploring 10 Highly Rated African Coffees You Probably Don't Know About

African coffee is celebrated for its unique flavors and rich history. While many coffee enthusiasts are familiar with famous varieties like Ethiopian Sidamo, Harrar, and Yirgacheffe, there's a world of lesser-known, highly-rated African coffees waiting to be discovered. Let's take a journey through the coffee farms of Sidama, Harrar, Yirgacheffe, Pamwamba, Kirinyaga, Rwenzori, Ngoli, Boyo, Twende, and Kayanza, and uncover what makes each of these hidden gems so special.

1. Sidama Coffee (Ethiopia): Sidama coffee hails from the Sidamo region in Ethiopia and is celebrated for its bright acidity, floral notes, and citrusy, lemon-like zing. This coffee's flavor profile often includes subtle sweetness, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a unique coffee experience. Ethiopia, often referred to as the birthplace of coffee, is known for its rich coffee heritage.

2. Harrar Coffee (Ethiopia): Ethiopia's Harrar coffee is distinct for its bold and spicy flavors, complemented by earthy undertones. What sets Harrar coffee apart is its natural processing method, which involves sun-drying the cherries with the fruit still intact, contributing to its unique, fruity flavor. Ethiopia's coffee culture dates back centuries, making it one of the world's oldest coffee regions.

3. Yirgacheffe Coffee (Ethiopia): Yirgacheffe coffee, another gem from Ethiopia, offers a delicate, tea-like quality with bright acidity, floral notes, and hints of citrus and peach. Ethiopia is not only famous for its coffee but also for its diverse coffee-growing regions, each with its flavor nuances.

4. Pamwamba Coffee (Malawi): Pamwamba coffee, grown in the picturesque hills of Malawi, delights with its vibrant, medium-bodied taste featuring bright acidity, fruity notes, and a hint of cocoa. A fun fact about Malawi: it's often called the "Warm Heart of Africa" due to its friendly people and beautiful landscapes.

5. Kirinyaga Coffee (Kenya): Kenya's Kirinyaga coffee stands out with its bright, juicy acidity and bold fruitiness, often reminiscent of blackcurrants. Kenya, known for its stunning landscapes and wildlife, also produces some of the world's most vibrant coffee beans.

6. Rwenzori Coffee (Uganda): Rwenzori coffee is grown at high altitudes in the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda, resulting in a medium to full-bodied cup with bright acidity and notes of tropical fruits and cocoa. Uganda is home to diverse landscapes, including mountains, savannahs, and the stunning Lake Victoria.

7. Ngoli Coffee (Zambia): Ngoli coffee is celebrated for its medium body, bright acidity, and flavor profile often featuring citrus and floral notes. Zambia is famous for its copper mines and also boasts a growing coffee industry.

8. Boyo Coffee (Cameroon): From Cameroon's Boyo region, Boyo Coffee offers a medium to full-bodied cup with bright acidity and hints of tropical fruits, citrus, and cocoa. Cameroon, often referred to as "Africa in Miniature," showcases a diverse range of landscapes and cultures.

9. Twende Coffee (Democratic Republic of Congo): Twende Coffee from the DRC boasts a medium body, lively acidity, and notes of dark chocolate, berries, and citrus. A fun fact about the DRC: it's the second-largest country in Africa, known for its rich history and vast resources.

10. Kayanza Coffee (Burundi): Kayanza coffee, hailing from Burundi, is celebrated for its exquisite taste with bright acidity, floral notes, and citrusy flavors. Burundi, often called the "Land of a Thousand Hills," offers stunning landscapes and a burgeoning coffee scene.

    Some of the coffees listed above may not be as well-known as their counterparts, but they offer a world of unique flavors and experiences waiting to be explored. Each cup tells a story of the region it comes from, making every sip an adventure. So, why not embark on a coffee journey and savor the distinctive flavors that Africa has to offer? You may just discover a new favorite brew that will keep you coming back for more.

Exploring the Rich Flavors of African Coffee Beans: ChatGPT's Top Picks

When it comes to coffee, Africa holds a special place in the hearts of coffee enthusiasts around the world. The continent is known for its diverse and unique coffee beans, cultivated in various regions, each with its distinct flavors and characteristics. In this blog post, we'll explore the best African coffee beans according to ChatGPT, an AI language model. Get ready to embark on a virtual journey through Africa's coffee landscapes and discover some extraordinary brews.

•  Ethiopian Coffee Beans: Ethiopia, often considered the birthplace of coffee, boasts an incredible coffee culture and a wide range of flavor profiles. The country is home to heirloom coffee varieties grown at high altitudes, resulting in exceptional quality. Ethiopian coffee is known for its vibrant acidity, fruity and floral notes, and sometimes even hints of wine-like flavors. Notable Ethiopian coffee regions include Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Harrar.

• Kenyan Coffee Beans: Kenya is renowned for producing some of the finest and most complex coffee in Africa. The country's coffee beans are often described as bright, with a pronounced acidity and a rich, full-bodied taste. Kenyan coffees feature flavors ranging from black currant and berries to citrus and wine-like acidity. The unique processing method called "Kenyan washed" contributes to their remarkable taste.

• Tanzanian Coffee Beans: Tanzania is another African country that offers an array of exceptional coffee beans. The region of Mount Kilimanjaro, in particular, produces coffee with a well-balanced acidity, medium body, and notes of chocolate, citrus, and sometimes even nuttiness. The coffee beans from the Mbeya region are also highly regarded, known for their smoothness and bright acidity.

• Rwandan Coffee Beans: Rwanda has been making a name for itself in the specialty coffee industry in recent years. The country's coffee beans are recognized for their delicate floral aroma, bright acidity, and a flavor profile that often includes notes of tea, lemon, and berry. Rwanda's coffee production has been steadily increasing, showcasing the nation's dedication to quality.

• Ugandan Coffee Beans: Uganda is one of the largest coffee producers in Africa and offers a diverse range of coffee varieties. The coffee beans from Mount Elgon region, in particular, stand out with their unique fruity and floral notes, balanced acidity, and a smooth, velvety texture. Ugandan coffee is gaining recognition for its high quality and distinctive flavors.

Are you ready to embark on an African coffee safari? Check out African Coffee Club selections

My Journey from Bean to Cup With Kirinyaga Coffee - The King’s Cup

Most of us who enjoy and require a morning cup of coffee, want to ensure that it is the best that it can be for good reason—it is the fuel for our day! It is also an enjoyable pastime; an inexpensive way to treat ourselves whether we are working at a computer, reading a good book, visiting with friends, or watching a beautiful sunrise. Our mug of java is not only a treat, but it is also a staple in our otherwise boring, hectic or unpredictable lives. It is the one pleasure that we can count on! If coffee is that important to us, then it should be exquisite. And since most coffee lovers are willing to pay a bit more for an excellent brew, how do we know if we are truly getting our money’s worth?

Recently, I read an article on the African Warrior Magazine website where Laban Njuguna, an owner of an African coffee auction talks about one brand of coffee that he feels is a “cut above the rest.” He went so far as to say that if God drank a cup of coffee every morning, it would be Kirinyaga coffee—the king’s cup of coffee.

That was all I needed to hear! I had to try this coffee! I did a search on online coffee of coffee shops that stock freshly roasted Kirinyaga coffee. I came across African Coffee Club and made my purchase. The ordering process was very simple. I ordered two bags—one for myself and one for a coffee connoisseur, who is a friend of mine—because if you love coffee as much as I, you must spread the love.

In a few short days, my coffee was delivered to my door. My anticipation was so great that I couldn’t grind those beans fast enough to make my “king’s cup.” I stared at my mug like it was the Holy Grail. The aroma of my first-ever brew of Kirinyaga coffee was amazing. As I slowly sipped this delicious coffee, I was able to taste its deep-bodied richness. Kirinyaga coffee has an intensely opulent flavor accompanied by slightly sweet fruit overtones. Its acidity amplifies its bold flavor. Black cherry along with suggestions of cedar resonate in the finish. This coffee sparkles!

When purchasing specialty coffee, I am always curious about its origin and history. I learned that Kirinyaga coffee is grown in the shade of the towering overstory on majestic Mt. Kenya, and is widely regarded as one of the most complex and flavor-dense coffees in the world. The unique combination of climate, altitude, and the volcanic soil is what gives Kirinyaga coffee its rich flavors.

Another factor that is important to me when deciding what brands of coffee to support is whether or not their product is ethically sourced. I feel better about my purchase when I am reassured that the farmers, who are providing me with the luxury of coffee, are being paid fair wages. The African Coffee Club makes it abundantly clear that they care about their farmers and certify that their suppliers are on the same page.

Knowing that the African Coffee Club not only provides superb African coffees but also helps the struggling farmer, makes me feel confident about my purchase. They also offer monthly subscriptions that conveniently provide the buyer with coffee sourced from twelve different regions in Africa. And to give you the satisfaction of being able to personally help the farmer directly, they had a novel idea of adding a digital tip jar to their website that forwards your tip to the farmers who grow and process your coffee https://www.africancoffeeclub.com/our-farmers. So for those of you who want a Hug in a Mug, a Captivating Cappuccino, or if you just want to Espresso Yourself by helping the Kenyan coffee farmer receive a living wage, the African Coffee Club is for you!

Kirinyaga Coffee Beans: Kenya

$24.00

Meru Arabica Beans, A True Taste of Kenya's Rich Coffee History

Coffee makes us equal and has no equal.

When African Coffee Club partnered with Crowd Farm Africa for our Central Kenya coffee beans project, our main focus was getting living-wage certified beans. See, our emphasis is that farmers who work hard to get the crop ready must earn a fair share for their effort. But we got more than we bargained for!

The Meru Arabica coffee beans are grown in Central Kenya at the bast of Mt. Kenya (the tallest mountain in Kenya). This is a high-altitude region known for some of the best, quality, and flavorful coffee as the high altitude allows a slower respiration process meaning higher sugar concentration in the beans.

The beans are specifically from Mukarimu Coffee estate, a combination of 10 small and medium farms totaling 33 acres (13ha) and owned by Charles Mutwiri. Coincidentally Mukarimu translates to the Swahili word for generous or hospitable and this embodies the spirit of Charles Mutwiri. 

The name Mukarimu is derived from the first two letters of Charles's ancestral lineage. 

Muthuuri – Great Grand Father 

Kaguora – Grand Father 

Rintagua – Father 

Mutwiri – Son and current administrator. 

Charles Mutwiri is not your ordinary Kenyan coffee farmer. He is a man with a vision to transform his community and inspire future generations. He is frustrated by the ‘poor coffee farmer’ tag. He will tell you that he is not a poor coffee farmer. He believes in hard work and receiving a fair share of his work.  

In 1979, Charles inherited 150 coffee trees, producing 700 kgs of coffee cherry from his father. Coffee farming was established in the 1970s by his father Mr. Rintagua. Mukarimu farm now comprises 17,000 coffee trees producing about 80,000 kgs of the coffee cherry. Despite the volatility of the coffee market, the 1986 global collapse of coffee prices, and the collapse of the Kenya coffee cooperative movement, Charles has remained committed to coffee and has never thought about abandoning the crop. His incredible work ethic, resilience, and commitment to his community have seen him inspire other farmers in the Meru region to get back to coffee farming. The passion for coffee runs through his family. His daughter is a coffee farmer with 500 coffee trees, and his other daughter is in college pursuing a degree in coffee management and farming. 

Social Impact: 

Charles is a change missionary. Using coffee farming, he is involved in community projects that empower coffee farmers through education, mentorship, leadership, and character development. In 2017, together with Rev. Jacob Keega they started Thuura Coffee Growers and Thuura Organic Women Coffee and distributed 30,000 coffee seedlings to over 150 farmers. The first harvest of this coffee will be available in 2022. Charles is also the coordinator for IMENYA, a partnership of 32 estate coffee farms in Imenti and Nyambene region of Meru County experience sharing, learning, and moral support.   

He has helped establish Thuura Women Organic Coffee growers. This group comprises 70 women who are either widows, divorced, or have been abandoned by their spouses. Each of these women has 150 coffee trees. Giving them an opportunity to earn income, be owners of capital, and make independent decisions on how to invest this capital was the inspiration behind the coffee. 

Farm Bio:

Location: Meru County, Kenya.  

Altitude: 1640m - 1740m ASL. 

Rainfall: 1250mm – 2500mm 

Main Season Harvest: June - November 

Variety: SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru11.  

Primary Processing: Wet processed on a 2-disc wet mill located at his factory farm and dried on raised beds.