Tanzania Coffee

When people talk about Tanzanian coffee, they often mention peaberry coffee. While it’s true that Tanzanian peaberry coffee is an excellent choice, it’s not the only type of single-origin coffee grown in Tanzania (East Africa).

In this article, we'll discover the interesting history of Tanzania coffee, review what great coffee from Tanzania tastes like, how to roast and brew a wonderful drink, and which growing regions there are. As Tanzania is famous for its Tanzanian peaberry coffee, we'll also look at this type of coffee and what to expect from it.

Tanzania produced coffee for a few centuries as the precious bean was introduced via Ethiopia in the 16th century. As the coffee bean was such a great stimulant, tribal leaders ensured that the cultivation of coffee trees was only under their control. Back then, coffee wasn’t drunk, but the bean was chewed, sometimes mixed with herbs.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that Tanzanian coffee received international attention. The Germans arrived, colonized Tanzania, and encouraged farmers to coffee plants. This eventually led to Tanzania entering the coffee export market in the 20th century. 

The British took over control of Tanzania after World War I and, like the Germans, were interested in Tanzanian coffee. African coffees were promoted as a cash crop, but even though Tanzanian coffee gained more recognition worldwide and a bigger quantity was exported, it was a slow journey.

In 1961, Tanzania became independent, and the coffee industry underwent many changes, not many of them permanent. 

The 2000s weren't any less turbulent. There were some significant changes in the Tanzanian peaberry coffee industry. Coffee production was privatized, and the government formed the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) to oversee and review coffee auctions.

Fortunately, that change also came with permission to sell to foreign buyers directly and bypass auctions. This was supposed to make the farmer's life easier and get fairer prices for a bag of coffee cherries (farmers often sell a quantity of cherries and leave the processing of cherries to co-ops).

The Tanzanian coffee market still faces challenges today, especially after some financial upheavals in the late 2010s, but the country is doing fairly well. Tanzania peaberry coffee provides income to many families and is the country's biggest export crop. 

Peaberry beans can be grown in many countries, but Tanzania is particularly well-known for Tanzanian peaberry coffee. But what is it? Instead of two seeds, each Tanzania peaberry coffee fruit only grows one single round seed. Unlike the other coffee beans you're used to, peaberry coffee seeds are round like a pea and have a ridge on one side. 

People believe Tanzania peaberry coffee beans are superior to normal coffee beans because one Tanzania peaberry coffee has the flavor and boldness of two beans in one. Tanzania peaberry coffee also needs a slightly different roasting because its roundness reacts to the roasting process differently than a flat bean.

Tanzanian coffees have a few things in common with other coffees from East Africa, e.g., Kenyan coffees. However, Tanzania coffee tends to be less acidic than Kenyan coffee, which makes it less likely for milk to curdle in it. 

Tanzanian coffee generally has a wine-like, bright acidity with a medium body. Flavors in a delicious cup of Tanzanian coffee include notes of dark fruits like blackberry and black currant and hints of citrus fruit and kiwi. Some Tanzanian coffees also have notes of brown bread, chocolate, and cedar.

Tanzania peaberry coffees are similar but have a brighter acidity and a more intense, concentrated flavor.

While you can use your favorite roasting process for Tanzanian coffee, a medium roast is generally a safe choice, especially if you're new to roasting Tanzanian coffee beans, especially when it comes to peaberry coffee. 

A medium roast balances acidity, flavor, and a smooth body. It brings out the fruitiness and floral notes but also adds some caramel or nutty undertones that you usually won't get in a light roast. A light roast is best if you want to get as many terroir flavors as possible from a particular coffee. 

Arusha

Altitude: 1,200 to 1,800 meters above sea level

Varieties: Bourbon, Typica, SL28, and Kent

Taste: Coffee from Arusha has a bright acidity and distinct flavor. It features fruity and floral notes, with hints of citrus, berry, and floral aromatics. 

Good to know: The region's farms often benefit from the proximity to Mount Meru, the fifth-highest mountain in Tanzania, which provides fertile soil and favorable microclimates. Arusha is also known as the "Safari Capital of Tanzania".

Kilimanjaro

Altitude: 1,400 to 2,100 masl

Varieties: Bourbon, SL28, Blue Mountain, and Kent

Taste: Coffee from the Mount Kilimanjaro region has a bright acidity and rich flavor with citrus notes, floral aromatics, and a well-balanced body.

Good to know: The coffee farms in the Kilimanjaro region benefit from the fertile volcanic soil and the shade provided by the nearby slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. In addition to mountaineering tourism at the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, there's a big coffee tourism scene in the region, and visitors can even participate in the harvest.

Mbeya Region

Altitude: 1,200 to 2,000 masl

Varieties: Bourbon, N39, SL28,  and Kent

Taste: Mbeya coffee has a medium to full body, bright acidity, and rich flavor. It often has notes of stone fruit and berries.

Good to know: While Mbeya started peaberry bean coffee production later than other regions, it is now Tanzania's most productive producing region and famous among coffee connoisseurs for growing peaberry coffee beans.

Matengo Highlands

Altitude: 1,200 to 2,000 masl

Varieties: Bourbon, SL28,  Nyasaland, and Kent

Taste: Coffee from the Matengo Highlands has a bright acidity and smooth flavor profile with notes of citrus and sweeter floral undertones.

Good to know: The Matengo Highlands have an interesting cultivation system for coffee plants called "pit cultivation". The system was invented by the indigenous Matengo people (originally for other crops) and helps conserve moisture and provides some protection against pests.

Tanzania Coffee Varietals

N39

N39 was developed in Tanzania at the Lyamungo Coffee Research Station (Kilimanjaro region). It gained popularity in Tanzania because of its disease resistance and potential for producing a high-quality drink with crisp acidity and fruity and floral flavors.

SL28

SL28 is a hardy, disease-resistant Arabica variety developed in Kenya by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (that's why it's called "SL"). It is quite popular in Tanzania, particularly in areas with a history of plant disease problems. The beans have a bright acidity and full body, including fruity, wine-like notes.

Bourbon 

Bourbon is one of the classics. It originated on Bourbon (now Réunion) island in the Indian Ocean and was later introduced to Tanzania. It is one of Tanzania's most cultivated coffee varieties due to its adaptability to various growing regions. These beans produce a coffee with a full body, bright acidity, and a range of flavors, including fruity, floral, and citrus notes.

Kent 

The Kent variety is an Arabica coffee variety believed to have originated in India. Kent coffee is popular in Tanzania because of its adaptability to different altitudes and disease resistance. Tanzanian Kent coffee often has a full body and a bright acidity. The flavor profile can include floral, fruity, and sometimes spicy notes.

While Guatemala has a distinct wet season, many regions in this country only differentiate between wet and wetter weather. While rain is great for coffee plants, it makes the natural process (or dry process) impractical. 

98% of all Guatemalan coffee is processed via the wet process.

The washing process involves removing the skin and pulp from the freshly harvested coffee cherry in a water bath. The process still leaves the sticky layer called mucilage around the bean.

The bean is then fermented for a few days. During fermentation, the bean soaks up the sugars from the mucilage. Once this is done, the beans are washed again to remove the remaining mucilage. 

All that's left now is to dry the beans. In Guatemala, this often happens in two stages: A few days of drying in the sun (if the weather allows it) is followed by time in a coffee drying machine. Once dry, the beans are hulled, sorted, packed, and shipped to their final destination.

You can find some regions in which the coffee cherry is honey-processed or naturally processed, but it is not very common because coffee cherries don't dry well in the Guatemalan climate.

The traditional way to brew coffee in Tanzania is known as "Kahawa ya Kisasa". This method is similar to the French press. If you want to try this, you'll need some coarsely ground Tanzanian coffee beans (medium to dark roast), water, and a tall, narrow coffee pot called a "jezve" or "dallah" (similar to an ibrik for Turkish coffee). Sugar and spices are optional. 

Pour hot water over the coffee grounds in the coffee pot. Stir and then let the mixture sit for half a minute. Then simmer the coffee until it froths and rises. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a bit. You can add some sugar and spices to it. Pour the coffee into cups and then enjoy. Usually, no milk is added.

Of course, using brewing methods you're familiar with is fine. You can get good results with a French Press, which brings out the richness and body of Tanzanian coffee. A pour-over also highlights the Tanzanian coffee's nuanced flavors and acidity. You'll get a clean and flavorful morning cup of your favorite coffee using an AeroPress.