Too good to keep in the blend
We bought this Kenyan to add sweetness to our blends. Then we tried it on its own.
5 min read
The coffee in your bag
- Origin
- Nyota, Kenya
- Grade
- AB
- Varietals
- SL28, Ruiru 11, Batian
- Process
- Washed
- Altitude
- 1,500 to 2,000 metres
- Score
- 84+
- Roasted for
- Filter
- Roast date
- 28 August 2026
- Imported by
- Cofinet
- Roasted on
- Probat P25, 20kg
Tasting notes
- Tangerine
- Grapefruit
- Black tea
- Brown sugar
- Shortbread
AB is a Kenyan size grade. Varietals are types of coffee plant. Washed means the fruit was removed before drying. Scores are out of 100, and 80+ is specialty.
The surprise
Chris has always loved Kenyan coffee. It’s bright, fruity and sometimes even savoury, and not many roasters in New Zealand use it. When customers asked for a Kenyan in their blends, this was our pick.
Then we roasted it as a filter coffee, just to see. The fruit was there, but the sweetness stopped us. Brown sugar, a syrupy body and a finish like shortbread.
“That incredible sweetness. That was the big surprise.
It’s just a really easy drinking coffee.”
Taste along
Brew a cup first. Flavour notes are a guide, not a test.
First sip, while it’s hot: brown sugar and a round, syrupy feel.
As it cools: tangerine comes forward, then a little grapefruit bite.
The finish: black tea dryness and something buttery, like shortbread.
It’s forgiving to brew. We mostly uses an AeroPress, but any filter method works.
How we roasted it
Chris has roasted Kenyans before and went in with a clear plan. The first batch hit the mark, and that’s the one you’re drinking.
More heat early. Kenyan beans are dense and need extra energy to get going.
Then gentle. Less heat and a little more time, so flavour can build.
Kept light. Go too dark and the fruit disappears.
Explore the roast
In your cup
What’s next
Kenya AB is available as a single origin for a short time to try out, and it’s going into blends for some of our wholesale customers.
Want to roast it yourself? It’s available through our roasting classes, one-on-one training and roastery hire.
More from Common
We’re a shared coffee roastery in Auckland. We roast our own coffee, roast for cafes and brands, and open our roaster to anyone who wants to learn or roast their own. Open roast is where we share what we’re roasting and learning.
