Top 5 African Coffee Beans

Gesha Village Coffee Estate – Redefining Excellence in Coffee Cultivation Gesha Village Coffee Estate is a world-renowned coffee farm located in western Ethiopia, near the border with South Sudan, in a region known for its lush forests and rich biodiversity. Founded in 2011 by Rachel Samuel and Adam Overton, who transitioned from careers in photography and documentary filmmaking to coffee farming, Gesha Village is dedicated to preserving and elevating the legacy of Ethiopian coffee.

Spanning 471 hectares, with 341 hectares dedicated to coffee cultivation and 27% of the land preserved for natural conservation, the estate is home to over 730,000 coffee trees. Gesha Village is best known for cultivating Gesha 1931, a variety traced back to the nearby Gori Gesha forest, where the legendary Gesha variety was originally discovered.

The estate employs meticulously controlled processing methods, including both natural and washed techniques, resulting in coffees with exquisite flavor profiles characterized by jasmine, brown sugar, and raspberry notes. Beyond coffee production, Gesha Village is committed to sustainability and community development, as demonstrated by the establishment of the first high school in the area in 2021, providing essential educational opportunities for local families.

The estate has gained global recognition, achieving record-breaking auction prices, including a remarkable $105 per pound, the highest price ever paid for an African coffee. Their mission is to connect the world to Ethiopia through an exceptional coffee experience while preserving the environment and improving the livelihoods of the surrounding community.Expand

Ngororero Coffee Washing Station is owned and operated by Rwacof Exports Ltd, a subsidiary of the global trading company Sucafina. Rwacof is one of the largest coffee processors and exporters in Rwanda, with significant investments in the coffee sector, including operations at 22 out of the country’s 300 coffee washing stations. Ngororero focuses primarily on fully washed coffee processing, while also experimenting with honey and natural processing in smaller quantities.

After purchasing ripe coffee cherries from farmers, a strict selection process is conducted, which includes flotation to remove lower-quality cherries and visual inspection by trained staff. Following this, the cherries are pulped, fermented, and dried on raised beds, with regular sorting to ensure consistent quality.Expand

Founded in 1965, Karatu Coffee Factory is a renowned processing facility located in the heart of Kiambu County, Kenya, near the town of Gatundu. The factory operates under the Gitwe Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd and collaborates with approximately 800 small-scale farmers from the villages of Karatu, Gitwe, Kibiru, and Kigaa.

Each of these farmers cultivates an average of 150 coffee trees, following traditional methods that ensure premium quality. Karatu Factory is well known for its wet processing methods, which enhance the coffee's unique flavor and aroma. Karatu Coffee Factory is a symbol of quality, tradition, and sustainability – a true experience of exceptional Kenyan coffee.Expand

Arabica is considered the first species of coffee that today makes up about 60% of total coffee production. It is native to the southern highlands of Ethiopia but today is grown in many parts of the world, namely parts of Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India, China, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Since the bean only succeeds in wet and dry tropical climates, with constant temperatures, where it grows at high altitudes and gets lots of indirect sun, all of the countries in which Arabica is grown are located between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer, which is an area also known as The Coffee Belt. Arabica coffee is a delicate plant that is difficult to cultivate, does not stand frost and harsh climate changes, and produces a lower yield compared to robusta, for example. It has a mild and rich flavor, with hints of chocolate, fruit, nuts, and berries, and has very little caffeine and fine acidity. The bean is oval, slightly bigger than the robusta bean, and develops an uneven and s-shaped groove when roasted. Because of these characteristics, including the growing conditions needed to produce it, Arabica is the most sought-after, prized, and most expensive coffee bean. At present, there are about 70 different varieties of Arabica coffee, the most noted of which are Typica and Bourbon. Expand

Robusta is a coffee species characterized by its high acidity, bitterness, and woody and nutty taste. The Robusta bean is smallish and round, with a straight line down its center. It was first discovered in Congo but is native to Central and West Africa, in countries like Angola, Liberia, and Tanzania. Scientifically, Robusta is identified as caffea canephora and has two varieties, robusta and nganda. Robusta production makes for about 30% of total coffee production. The plant grows at low elevations, can withstand many harsh conditions, has a greater crop yield, and is less prone to disease, making it easier and cheaper to produce than the more prized Arabica. However, despite the benefits when it comes to cultivation and price, Robusta is considered subpar in the taste department when compared to Arabica. Some would even go as far as to say it tastes like burnt rubber. Because of this, it is often used as filler in lower-grade coffee blends and instant coffee. In fact, in Italy, espresso is usually and traditionally made with a blend of 85-90% Arabica and 10-15% Robusta. One reason for this is that Robusta produces a honey-colored, long-lasting, and stable cream on top of the shot Italians call crema. The other reason is Robusta's woody, bitter, earthy taste and high caffeine amount. Today, Vietnam is the world's largest producer of Robusta coffee, followed by Brazil, Indonesia, and India.Expand

In the Harenna forest in the Ethiopian region of Oromia, wild arabica coffee grows in the shade of tall trees. For the local farmers, selling this coffee is the main source of income. They harvest the ripe fruit by hand, a process that is quite often obstructed by cheeky baboons. After the harvest, these berries don’t need to be stripped or washed – they are simply dried in the sun. The preparation of coffee in Ethiopia is a daily ceremony including all social classes. The coffee beans are roasted and ground in a mortar, and the obtained powder is traditionally poured into a coffee pot (known as jabana) filled with boiling water. The first coffee, called abol, is sweetened with sugar and served in a small cup without handles to the oldest person. The next two coffees (tona and baraka) are made by adding water to the jabana. All three types of coffee are typically served with wheat, corn, or toasted barley.Expand

Gesha coffee, often spelled Geisha, is a high-altitude variety of the Coffea arabica species characterized by an elongated bean shape and a distinctively floral, tea-like sensory profile. It is defined by its light body and aromatic complexity, frequently exhibiting notes of jasmine, bergamot, and stone fruits. The variety was originally collected in the 1930s from the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia by British colonial administrators and subsequently sent to the Lyamungu Research Station in Tanzania. In the 1950s, it was transported to the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza in Costa Rica, designated as accession T2722, primarily because of its observed resistance to coffee leaf rust. It reached Panama in the 1960s via Francisco Serracin, but remained largely unrecognized in the global market until 2004, when the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda entered the variety into the Best of Panama competition, where it achieved record-breaking prices and international attention. Preparation of Gesha coffee typically involves precision brewing methods designed to highlight its delicate volatile compounds. To maintain clarity, it is most frequently prepared using pour-over methods, such as the V60 or Chemex, utilizing a high water-to-coffee ratio, often between 15:1 and 17:1. The water temperature is usually kept between 92°C and 96°C to ensure optimal extraction without introducing excessive bitterness. Grinding is performed just before brewing to a medium-coarse consistency. Unlike standard commercial coffees, Gesha is rarely roasted beyond a light or "cinnamon" level, as darker roasting would destroy the floral aromatics that define the variety. A specific technical aspect of serving Gesha is the use of specialized glassware, such as tulip-shaped carafes or sensory cups, which concentrate the aromatics at the rim for the consumer. A unique botanical characteristic of the Gesha tree is its thin, brittle branches and sparse foliage, which necessitates careful manual harvesting and specific microclimates, usually above 1,500 meters, to develop its complex sugars. The item is consumed as a standalone beverage to appreciate its unadulterated flavor profile; the addition of milk or sugar is generally discouraged in professional and enthusiast settings as it masks the nuanced acidity. It is served in high-end specialty coffee boutiques, tasting rooms, and competition environments globally. While it is predominantly enjoyed alone, it is occasionally paired with neutral-flavored shortbread or delicate citrus-based tarts, as these do not overwhelm the coffee’s floral notes. For a complementary beverage pairing, still mineral water is served alongside to cleanse the palate between sips.Expand

THIS WILD COFFEE IS RARE AND PROTECTED. Racemosa is a wild coffee endemic to the coastal forests between Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal. This type of coffee is suited for the local climate – it is drought resistant, hardy, and resilient, so much that it grows even in sandy soil and can withstand up to 9 months in drought. Because it is so rare, the tree is protected in South Africa. Many areas where these trees grow are located in inaccessible areas, and the remoteness prevents the trees from destruction. The spherical fruits of this tree become purplish in color when mature, which occurs from October to January. The most well-known trait of Racemosa coffee is its low level of caffeine, making it ideal for caffeine-intolerant people. The flavors are best described as dry, woody, minty, slightly smoky, naturally bitter, light and refreshing, with a slight hint of licorice.Expand