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George
February 9, 2025
I have roasted through 20 lbs. of this in the last year and eagerly await restocking after this year’s harvest. I live in Panama, home to world-class Gesha (considered by many geeks to be the best coffee in the world), Caturra, Catuai and Typica. I also have ready access to world class Bourbon from Colombia as well as a world of options from Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Galapagos. Yet this Kenyan AA from CBC is my favorite. And a favorite among my Panamanian friends (a local cafe does coffee discovery experiences for visiting tourists and she regularly hits me up for batches of my light/medium roast to use as a comparison to her Panamanian offerings…and her customers preferred my Kenyan). I roast on a Nucleus Link and a Hot Top for larger quantities. It has been a joy working with CBC, who have done test roasts for me on a number of coffees in order to provide me with suggested profiles. You just don’t find that kind of service anywhere. In the world. Which is why, even though I live in one of the world’s coffee Mecca, I still order 3 or 4 times a year from CBC. This coffee is truly amazing.
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Daniel
June 13, 2024
A new favorite. I like light/medium roasts, and this one does not disappoint. I take it a minute or so past the first crack, about 8-9 minutes in my Fresh Roast SR800. Let it rest for 3 days and enjoy in a pour over. Can't beat it!
I've also recently tried in in a blend with various other leftovers. Always comes out tasting good.
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Zachary
January 13, 2024
I believe I need to experiment with this coffee to find it's perfect roast. It is so really good.
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Mike Rothwell
November 18, 2023
For years Kenya has been one of my favorite beans for espresso. Roasted to a Full City + on a Behmor 2000. I get very tasty full bodied shots. CBC has never disappointed me.
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Lori
September 19, 2023
It’s my favorite EVER!!! Every cup is so good and never bitter.
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Don
September 15, 2023
Pretty much roast to medium.Solid cup-nice body,feels good on the palette and balanced flavor.I however am still training to find that AA that delivers that cabarnet flavor.o
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Jim Alexander
July 19, 2023
Roasted 2 mins into 1st crack, and allowed to de-gas for 3 days. Gave beans as gift to four different families and each raved how good it was! I must say…it was!!
A must have in your inventory!!
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George
June 30, 2023
Absolutely the best cup I've had! I like to just tickle first crack when roasting. This bean is so fruity that when enjoyed with a touch of cream you will think there is a syrup added. I would move this above any of my Africans (I have many) and IMO, Africans are already my favorite.
DO NOT RUN OUT!!
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Peter W
June 29, 2023
Threw in air fryer for my standard 9 minute dark roast. Very very nice cup of coffee. Kenya is my go to bean.
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Carolyn Burns
April 10, 2023
I fell in love with Kenyan AA coffee 25 years ago while in South Africa. I could generally find the roasted beans from time to time; however, as they began to get harder and harder to find, I found your website and bought a small roaster. I have not been disappointed! The beans have been consistently flavorful and the service in shipping has been very good. Thank you!!
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Carolyn Burns
April 10, 2023
I fell in love with Kenyan AA coffee 25 years ago while in South Africa. I could generally find the roasted beans from time to time; however, as they began to get harder and harder to find, I found your website and bought a small roaster. I have not been disappointed! The beans have been consistently flavorful and the service in shipping has been very good. Thank you!!
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Daniel Brenneise
March 26, 2023
Something was missing, tried a number of roasts with this light, medium light and medium and couldn’t get it to truly shine. I have had other Kenya AA/auction lots that blew my socks off and were roasted very similarly but this one didn’t hit home. Not going to give up on the beans I have left but I’m going to move on especially since it’s pushing $9 a pound. The best description out of all the other reviews was the pour over comment tasking weak. I’ve never considered Kenya mediums as weak, but it was almost tea like, I made 3 pour overs all with increasingly more grind and higher temps to enhance extraction but still got the almost watery taste and mouth. What I could taste was good enough (tasted like a Kenya) but it was a lot of work to coax what flavor I could get out of it. I couldn’t sell this because most people wouldn’t be able to tweak and diagnose and first impressions are way too important. Maybe a French press might be a better option, but this will be the first coffee I’ve ever had (out of dozens and dozens) that had this unfortunate condition across all ranges of roast and brew methods.
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Burton Bradley
March 10, 2023
I've been roaring for 20 years and this is one of my favorites. I would have to say only Geisha has a slightly better flavor. I normally do a City Roast which for me and my wife works well with these beans. Will stock up for sure.
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Tracy
February 18, 2023
I cannot do justice to describing the aromas coming from my kitchen. I've roasted many coffees since getting my roaster for Christmas, and this one has my mouth watering before I even pour a cup.
My preference is a city roast, but my husband likes medium, so I try to fall just shy of my preference to meet in the middle. The coffee has a very slight citrus note to it, which I usually don't love, but it works well in this one. I still put Kona at the top of the coffees I've gotten at Coffee Bean Corral, but this one takes a close second.
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George
January 19, 2023
This is my second purchase of this coffee and I will keep buying it and roasting it as my daily drinker as long as it is in stock!
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Susanna
December 21, 2022
This is probably one of our family’s favorite coffee beans! Delicious.
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Michael
October 30, 2022
I have tried this coffee with all roast modes it is always smooth and full bodied. Never a bitter taste. When blended with Colombian or Brazilian the flavors really pop. I would recommend this coffee for beginners as you cannot ruin the roast unless you totally burn it.
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eugene
October 14, 2022
I roast at full city plus and it has provided a full body with just enough acidity to give it that bite that I love.
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todd ferris
July 21, 2022
This coffee was not good. Where do all the 5 stars come from?? I would have given it 1 star but i just feel like a nice guy today. I purchased 6 different coffee samples and they were all garbage. I find it real strange that they were all rated 5 stars. I no longer trust these reviews nor this company.
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Elbert J
June 16, 2022
Elbert J
The coffee was excellent!
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Asa
May 16, 2022
Took this to Full City (Just before second crack begins) and had fairly good results. First off, the flavor notes from CBC are on point. However, the main attraction for this one was both the dry fragrance and the wet aroma. Ironically, with the Pour Over (Chemex and Melita cheapy plastic) being the main avenue of enjoying the aroma, the flavor in the cup was comparatively weak. I had a moderately stronger flavor in the Americano and AeroPress (the latter had a longer brew time than I normally utilize with that method). I tried the milk-based route (Flat White is my go-to) and it all but completely muted the flavor profile.
Still, with the aroma and fragrance being as lovely as they are, and certain drinks showcasing the flavor profile a bit stronger than others, this was an enjoyable coffee.
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Daniel Gomez
May 8, 2022
It took me a few samples trying until I found a good balanced coffee. Part of my beans get roasted just into the second crack to get the aromas and distinctive fruit tastes, the other part gets a roast just when the oils start to show, I know it might be not a good idea to let it go to that point, but those oils give it an after taste licorice like, almost subtle numbing; and combined with the lighter roast, make a superb cup of coffee using an aeropress.
Now, if you try it roasted when the oils are fully released..just try it. You'll thank me later.
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Mike R.
April 16, 2022
From medium to dark I love these beans. Bold and smooth shots every time. These are definitely one of my favorites.
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Thalia
April 14, 2022
Its the only bean we buy ~ love the balanced flavor!
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BillN
January 6, 2022
I really enjoy this bean. It has a rich fruity smooth taste and nice strong
flavor. I was surprised at how many times I said this is so good. Will be buying more on my next order. What a way to start the day!!
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FullBodyBrew
November 16, 2021
I just roasted more of this bean from my 1# bag at light roast (city-) with my FR500. Darker roasts were lacking. After sitting 2 days, I must say it is very delicious Kenyan. Buy it!
If you get everything right, the roast, grind and the amount, you will be rewarded!
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Lori
November 1, 2021
I was so thrilled to see this available again. The beans don’t usually give off a lot off chaff when roasting and are easily the best coffee I’ve had. With winter coming, this is the one to have when I sit by the window and watch it snow. YUM!
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Priest Seraphim Holland
October 7, 2021
I roast my coffee on an outdoor, homemade “Rocket” wood stove. I use a “Whirly Pop”, and stir and shake the beans. I have been doing a lot of that my results are very consistent, and I prefer a medium roast, when it is just getting a little dark. This is the best coffee I have ever roasted. I bring coffee to people and they consistently say it’s the best they’ve ever had and all this coffee is the best that I’ve ever roasted. It is absolutely amazing.
To my palate it is a little bit creamy, has little bit of vanilla and a little chocolate. It has very nice sweetness, no sugary taste at all, but very smooth and pleasant. I use a stainless steel filter, so it has a wonderful mouth you and feels a little thick to me. know some people don’t like that feeling but I love coffee that has a thickness to it. It is absolutely no bitterness at all, but I can taste a little bit of acid in and I love that flavor. It is especially good when it cools down a little bit when the flavor nuances come out. I It is not fruity at all like an Ethiopian coffee. I definitely like the central African coffee and until I roasted this Kenyan, my preference was Tanzanian.
When I purchase coffee again, I’m going to get at least 10 pounds.
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Larry Bradley
September 23, 2021
I have enjoyed Kenya AA Select for several years. I roast the beans in an old Behmor 1600 roaster which I have owned for 10+ years. I do a medium roast which makes a fine cup of coffee. I grind the beans fresh every morning and make the coffee in an older model Bonavita insulated coffee pot. Delicious!
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Greg Godwin
September 9, 2021
I have a super automatic coffee machine. I have to have fresh beans, as oily beans will gunk up the grinder. I love the Kenya beans I get from the Coffee Bean Corral. I roast them lightly as that is the flavor I like, and even in a super automatic my coffee has a very rich, awesome flavor.
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Thalia
August 19, 2021
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Carolyn Burns
August 12, 2021
I have been very pleased with the quality of this Kenyan coffee and I have purchased it over a period of a couple of years now. I just have my small home roaster that works fine. The taste is superb and when I have shared my beans with friends, they say it is the best coffee they've ever tasted. One of these people worked in a coffee house and purchased for the store in the past, so I would say that is a good confirmation on the quality of your beans.
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James P Henley Jr
July 19, 2021
Silky smooth coffee with good body and great mouth feel. As others have mentioned, a hint of pepper and chocolate, and not much acidity. Aftertaste...well, you want it to last forever!
I normally drink Cafe Au Lait to be easy on my stomach, but I could definitely drink this black. Seems like it would make a great espresso. Next time I visit my daughter I have to take some and make espresso.
This has been the easiest Kenya coffee to roast so far. It went into a vigorous and sustained first crack the first time I tried it. There is no fiddling necessary!
I used the technique I developed for big Kenyan beans which were problematic for me in the past - an extended drying phase slowly approaching 400°F and then a constant temperature around 408°F through the first crack. When it got about to the end of the first crack I turned off the heat and let it coast a minute then quickly cooled it down.
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David Crum
June 22, 2021
I am not eloquent enough to write a review, however, this is my favorite coffee to roast. I have tried other African beans, Columbian, Kenya remains my favorite.
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HLL
June 20, 2021
Nice and balanced coffee. Has a slight peppery bight, but has strength and body. Good coffee!
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Lori Champneys
March 31, 2021
This is my all time favorite coffee. It always roasts up nice. Whether it’s city roast or French roast, the beans deliver the smooth and delicious coffee ever. The beans give a somewhat chocolate flavor and no acid. The shaff is easily removed after roasting so there isn’t a lot of skin in the batch. I love to share it with my friends.
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Dude
March 23, 2021
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Mark
February 5, 2021
I found that roasting this up to the 14 minute 30 second mark on my roster which is right before second crack,
Gave me the flavor profile I was hoping for. Great coffee, will be ordering more.
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Mark
January 19, 2021
Roasted to a medium dark- Even though I'm a fan of cream and sugar this one I drink black. Nice mild taste with lots of complexity, low acid, bitterness is only noticeable when brewed extremely strong.
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