Coffee From Africa: Popular Varieties and What They Taste Like

The origin of coffee has a significant effect on what flavors come through in your cup. Coffee from Africa is varied, but it’s known to have bright acidity and highlight fruit flavors rather than the dark, chocolatey, and nutty flavors associated with coffee from other continents.

In this guide, I’ll explain where coffee grows in Africa and what it tastes like, and I’ll discuss some of the more popular coffee varieties from Africa and why they’re desirable.

History of Coffee From Africa

Coffee has a long history in Africa. The coffee plant is indigenous to the continent, with its origins traceable back to Ethiopia around the 15th century, when coffee cherries were first harvested from wild coffee trees in Ethiopia. Side note: coffee “beans” are really the seeds from cherries that grow on coffee trees.

The stimulating effects of the coffee bean were discovered, and word of this energizing new beverage quickly spread.

Coffee production expanded across Africa over the following centuries. By the 18th century, coffee had become a major export crop in east Africa. Plantations were established in colonies like Kenya and Tanzania to supply Europe’s growing demand for coffee. Africa remains a major player in global coffee production today. The continent accounts for about 13% of worldwide coffee output.

Coffees from Africa are prized for their bright, fruity, and floral flavors. They’re somewhat similar to Hawaiian coffee, but usually with more acidity and fruit-forward flavors. The combination of growing conditions and processing methods brings out these tasting notes. The varietals developed in Africa also contribute to the characteristic flavor profile.

What Are the Most Popular Coffees From Africa and What Do They Taste Like?

Coffee from Africa is dominated by brightness, crisp acidity, and fruit-forward flavors. You can often pick up tasting notes like lemon, berry, stone fruit, and jasmine. Here are five of the major coffee varieties from across the continent:

• Ethiopian coffees like Yirgacheffe are known for their intense fruit and floral character. You can expect tangerine, honeysuckle, and bergamot notes. They have a light body and bright acidity.
• Kenyan AA is one of the most popular African coffees, sometimes fetching prices in line with Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, one of the most sought-after varieties in the world. It has a medium body with a pleasant, forward acidity. The flavors are very fruity, with notes of blackcurrant, pineapple, and melon.
• Tanzanian Peaberry has a wine-like, berry-driven flavor profile. It is a light-bodied coffee with notes of black cherry, red grape, and lemon zest. The acidity is vibrant but smooth.
• Rwandan coffee is often deeply aromatic, with jasmine and lemongrass notes. The acidity is crisp and the body can range from light to medium. Common flavor notes include Meyer lemon, nectarine, and white grape.
• Ethiopian Harrar is known for its wild, exotic flavor. It has intense notes of blueberry, strawberry, and red wine. The body is medium and the finish is winey and complex.

Most roasters will use light to medium roasts when working with coffee from Africa. Less exposure to heat means the characteristics of the coffee’s origin are front and center rather than the flavors imparted by the roasting process. A light roast helps highlight the flavors that African coffee is well known for.

Where Does Coffee Grow in Africa?

Coffee cultivation is concentrated in two main regions of Africa: East Africa and West/Central Africa. Specific coffee-growing countries include the following.

• Ethiopia: Coffee’s birthplace, where arabica coffee originates from and where wild arabica trees still grow. Major growing regions include Limu, Yirgacheffe, and Harrar.
• Kenya: A major producer known for its AA bean. Main growing areas are the Central Highlands and eastern regions like Embu and Thika.
• Tanzania: Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Northern Highlands are ideal for growing flavorful, acidic coffee.
• Rwanda: Volcanic soil on the mountainous terrain produces bright, well-balanced coffee.
• Uganda: Another East African country producing top specialty coffee. High-elevation regions like Mt. Elgon are key.
• Democratic Republic of Congo: Exports mostly robusta as opposed to the more popular arabica coffee, but also some rare, heirloom arabica.
• Cameroon: Key areas include Mt. Mandara and the Bamileke Highlands. Wet processing is common.
• Cote d’Ivoire: Known for mild, well-balanced robusta with cocoa notes. Also produces full-bodied arabica.
• Madagascar: Grows mostly arabica known for its fruit-forward flavor.

The arabica coffees most prized for specialty coffee grow best at high elevations, usually between 1,500 and 2,000 meters (4,900 to 6,500 feet) above sea level. The climate is ideal in East Africa’s equatorial highlands.

Rainfall, sunshine, and temperature range create excellent conditions for growing flavorful arabica. Of course, soil chemistry also has an impact, with nutrient-rich volcanic soils being prized for the flavors they impart.

What Gives African Coffee its Unique Flavor Profile?

Several key factors give coffee from Africa its characteristic bright, fruity profile:

Elevation: Since the best arabica coffee grows at high elevations, many African coffees come from mountainous regions, often over 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) high. The elevation creates slower maturation and development of sugars and acids that bring out fruit flavors.

Soil: Much of the coffee in East Africa is grown in rich volcanic soil that enables excellent bean development. The nutrients in the soil affect the flavors.

Processing: Wet processing is common, especially in East Africa. This method includes fermenting the bean, which brings out fruitiness.

Drying: Many African coffees are sun-dried after wet processing. This enhances fruit notes compared to mechanical drying.

Varietals: Heirloom varietals that originated in Africa, like Ethiopia’s indigenous Typica, produce a brighter, more complex cup.

Climate: The right altitude and weather patterns of sun, rain, and temperature enable balanced bean growth and flavor development.

Farming: Smallholder farms and manual labor yield high-quality cherry selection and processing.

All these natural conditions and traditional techniques coalesce to produce coffee with a clean, sweet, fruity profile. From the terroir to the varietals to the processing, Africa’s coffees highlight aromatics, brightness, and fruit character.

How Does Coffee From Africa Compare to Coffee From Other Areas?

Coffee from Africa stands out for its bright, complex fruit flavors compared to the chocolate, nutty flavors more common from South America and Indonesia, specifically in Brazilian coffee brands. Here’s a brief rundown of how African coffee compares by region:

South/Central American coffees are often characterized by moderate acidity, heavy body, and notes of chocolate, nuts, and baking spices. Regions like Brazil and Colombia produce these smooth, balanced coffees.

Indonesian coffee is low in acidity with an earthy, herbaceous quality. Wet-hulled Sumatra and Sulawesi coffees have dark chocolate, tobacco, and woody notes.

Coffee from other Asian origins tends to have lower acidity with a nutty or spicy character, like the chocolate and walnut notes common in Indian Monsooned Malabar.

In general, African coffees are prized for their complex fruit character, crisp acidity, and light-to-medium body compared to the heavier, darker profiles typical of other origins. The natural growing conditions and processing in Africa yield this distinct, desirable flavor profile that specialty coffee enthusiasts crave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does coffee from Africa taste different than coffee from other regions?

Coffee from Africa stands out for its bright, fruity flavors thanks to the natural growing conditions across the continent. The high elevations, nutrient-rich volcanic soil, wet processing techniques, and heirloom coffee varietals all contribute to the characteristic profile. Other origins like South America and Indonesia more often produce chocolaty, nutty flavors due to differences in terroir, cultivars, and processing.

What are the most common flavors found in African coffee?

Coffees from Africa are dominated by fruity, floral flavors like blackberry, lemon, jasmine, and stone fruit. This is attributed to the processing methods as well as the elevation and climate where coffee is grown. Bright acidity and medium body are also typical attributes. Sweetness and complexity round out the tasting experience. While specific flavors depend on the variety and origin, African coffees overall tend to possess this fruit-forward character.

Which African country produces the most coffee?

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and remains a major producer today. Other top African coffee origins are Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Ivory Coast in West Africa. While Ethiopia dominates production, Kenyan AA and Tanzanian Peaberry are also popular specialty coffee exports known for their bright, acidic taste. The equatorial East African highlands provide prime arabica coffee growing conditions.