Kent Coffee Variety: Typica’s floral cultivar
While most people think all coffees taste the same, coffee aficionados know to chase the perfect cup. Guess what? Kent coffee variety comes pretty close.
What is it? Keep reading to learn more.
Typica Coffee Varieties and Mutations
If you’ve been a specialty coffee connoisseur, you’re familiar with Arabica coffee. Arabica coffee varieties and mutations share similarities in flavour and caffeine content. However, compared with their Robusta counterparts, there is still a great deal of variation between them (1).
Typica generally has bright acidity with a sweet, lingering finish and is the basis for wide varieties, cultivars, and mutations.
These Typica varieties include the Hawaiian Mokka and Sumatra. The Ethiopian Harrar and Yirgacheffe mutations are also highly rated in cup quality.
Kent Growing Regions
While the origins of the Kent coffee variety aren’t entirely clear, most coffee historians pinpoint its origins to either India or Kenya (2). This Typica cultivar was widely grown in parts of India and various East African countries. But, as of the 1940s, Kent is primarily cultivated in Uganda and Indonesia (3).
However, according to Daily Coffee News:
Kent has “lost” its resistance and is no longer considered well-suited for the virulent strains of rust that have emerged in recent decades.
Want to geek out on coffee varieties and mutations? Check out this video from Project Origins.
Kent Cup Profile
These naturally-processed beans are cultivated around 1800 metres above sea level alongside other trees. Because they’re considered strictly high-grown coffees, these beans take longer to mature and are more complex in flavour.
Overall, Kent has balanced, mild acidity with a medium body. The fruit trees growing around these coffee plants can take on tropical fruit and spice notes.
Best Brew Methods
While most brew methods will work for this cultivar, we suggest using the Aeropress with either a super-fine metal filter or two paper filters for the cleanest, purest cup. We suggest a medium to medium-light roast and a medium-fine granularity to preserve the best flavour.
Final Thoughts
Kent is a relatively unknown Typica cultivar, but it’s a cup worth chasing. With a medium body and sweet, mild tropical acidity, this makes a great cup for your afternoon coffee pick-me-up.
FAQs
The Kent coffee variety is a cultivar developed as a hybrid between Typica and another sub-species, which has been lost to history (4).
Kent is one of the genetic parents used in the creation of the S795 Arabica cultivar. This Arabica variety is important because it was one of the first rust-resistant strains developed in the early twentieth century.
Yes, the Kent coffee variety is great for lattes because of its floral, tropical finish and its mild acidity.
References
- Varietals Panamavarietals. (2015). Panamavarietals. https://www.panamavarietals.com/varietals
- Coffee Plants of the World. (n.d). Sca.coffee. https://sca.coffee/research/coffee-plants-of-the-world
- Arabica Coffee Varieties | KP423. (2022). Worldcoffeeresearch.org. https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/kp423
- Wright, M. C. (2014, December 8). Coffee Variety: S795. Oil Slick Coffee. https://oilslickcoffee.com/library/s795/
