Africa/Arabia

There is evidence to suggest that coffee beans were used to make a primitive ‘energy bar’ before they were actually brewed as a hot drink. Mountain tribes like the Galla mixed ground coffee with ghee (clarified butter), these bars were consumed by the tribe’s warriors to heighten aggression and increase their stamina during battle and are still eaten today in Ethiopia’s main coffee growing regions of Kaffa and Sidamo.

It is believed that coffee may have been introduced to Yemen during the invasion of the country by Ethiopia during the mid 6th century AD. The Ethiopians left Yemen just 50 years later, but they left behind their precious coffee. The Yemenites soon started to cultivate coffee in the nearby mountains, they named called it qahwa (the Arab word for wine) some believe this is the origin of the name coffee.

As the Koran forbids Muslins from drinking alcohol, the soothing, cheering and stimulating effects of coffee made it a popular substitute in Islamic countries for wine. Wherever Islam went coffee followed. The Arabs were the first, not only to cultivate coffee but also to begin its trade. In an effort to maintain complete monopoly in the early coffee trade, they closely guarded their coffee production. Coffee beans exported from the Arabian ports of Mocha and Jidda, were rendered infertile by parching or boiling.

Though the Arabs jealously guarded the cultivation of their precious coffee, it was only a matter of time before others would want a piece of this lucrative business. In 1616 the Dutch took a coffee plant from Mocha in Yemen to the Netherlands, they began large scale cultivation in Sri Lanka in1658.

Sometime around 1650 Baba smuggled seven seeds strapped to his body out of Mecca. Planted near Chickmaglur in southern India, these trees are parents of most coffee trees in the world today. This region of India today still produces great coffee (Mysore).

In 1878 the story of coffee’s journey around the world came full circle when the British laid foundations of Kenya’s coffee industry by introducing plants to British East Africa right next to neighbouring Ethiopia, where coffee had first been discovered a 1,000 years before.

African coffees tend towards the exotic in flavours as compared to the more well know Latin American coffees. These flavours include what’s described as fruity and floral with high acidity and medium body. Let’s review several of the more popular African coffee growing countries.

Kenya

Washed Arabica Kenya coffee, is considered overall to be of the highest quality on the continent as a result of very high standards, superior milling facilities and coffee experts.
About 70% of Kenyan coffee is produced by small scale holders. It is estimated that six-million Kenyans are employed directly or indirectly in the coffee industry.

The famous Rift Valley of Central Kenya is where most of the people live. A fertile land from the tropical coasts, semi-desert north and the savannahs in the south, Kenya’s agricultural products, primarily tea and coffee, contribute to half of the country’s exports.

Main coffee growing regions are located around Mt. Kenya.

Characteristics include a high acidity, full body, intense floral and fruity flavours.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is located in northeast corner of Africa just north of Kenya, next to Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan. It is interesting to note that Ethiopia is the leading coffee consuming country in Africa, consuming almost half their annual production.

Characteristics depending on the variety may include: balanced medium body and acidity with winey sweet or floral flavours and blueberry notes.

Tanzania

The mainland is primarily a savannah plateau lying east of the famous Rift Valley. In the north Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti National Park. With its tropical climate people are concentrated on the coastal region and in the north. Coffee is one of its main exports.

Characteristics include a balanced body with bright acidity and flavour. In the south we find more fruity flavours.

Burundi

This very small, but densely populated country borders Tanzania, Congo and Rwanda with a mountainous high plateau and tropical climate. A very poor country, most of its population survive through subsistence agriculture. Its coffee and tea earn 90% of its export dollars.

Characteristics include a full body and bright acidity, typical of east African coffees. A long way from the ocean, processed coffee must be transported across land through Tanzania to the port of Dar es Salaam or through Kenya to Mombasa.

Zambia

Like Burundi, Zambia is a landlocked country lying just north of Zimbabwe, but actually bordering seven countries in all. With its tropical climate and high savannah plateau, Zambia has a long rainy season which goes from November through May.
The harvest season extends from October through March producing a full-bodied washed Arabica coffee with the general qualities of an average African variety. Raising quality is a priority and government experimental farms are helping to improve growing, harvesting and production techniques that are being shared with the coffee growing community.

Malawi

Located at the southern end of the famous Rift Valley between Zambia and Tanzania, Malawi produces a small but good quality washed Arabica coffee harvest. With a subtropical climate, its economy is primarily agricultural. Coffee production is difficult as irrigation is required as a result of recent drought conditions and unpredictable rainfall. This situation restricts coffee production resulting in a small but quality coffee crop each year.

The washed Arabica beans are processed as fully washed coffee harvested from April through September producing a coffee of medium acidity and light body.