While SL varieties have long been popular in Kenya, today most coffees from Kenya – whether they’re from a single estate or smallholder group – are a blend of SL, Ruiru and sometimes Batian varieties. It is understandable to be wary about a new variety\u2019s potential to change the classic Kenyan profile. However, we have a bit more of an optimistic outlook and believe this unique blend of varieties has immense potential.<\/p>\n
Customers sometimes ask us for 100% SL variety coffees. However, while most farms still have the traditional SL varieties, most also have Ruiru 11 and, increasingly, Batian. Most farms are far too small to be able to handle lot separation by variety. This means that most lots coming out of Kenya \u2013 whether single estate or smallholder group \u2013\u00a0are a blend<\/a>\u00a0of SL, Ruiru and (sometimes) Batian.<\/p>\n It is understandable to be wary about a new variety\u2019s potential to change the classic Kenyan profile. However, we have a bit more of an optimistic outlook.<\/p>\n Nights in midwinter are long and spring is so. far. away. But there is a spark of warmth on the horizon. With New Crop Kenya selection season upon us and arrivals expected by May, we thought we\u2019d explore some of the coffee varieties that have helped give the country its reputation for amazing coffee.<\/p>\n It is sometimes tempting to write a detailed list of exactly what you\u2019re looking for in a great Kenyan coffee. While knowing your needs and likes can be a reliable way to find a good coffee choice, sometimes your new favorite can be found where you least expect it.<\/p>\n Every year, SL varieties in Kenya are on everyone\u2019s wish list. We get it. The SL28 and 34 varieties have a great reputation for quality; however, you may find that expanding your search to other popular Kenyan varieties may just surprise you.<\/p>\n Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) was founded by the Kenyan Colonial Government (run by the British) in 1903 as a research institution to study a variety of agricultural products. SAL released several important cultivars and the name of the laboratory is immortalized in the two most popular varieties: SL-28 and SL-34, where SL stands for \u201cScott Laboratories.\u201d<\/p>\n SL-28 and SL-34 were just two of the cultivars released by SAL in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers due to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease resistant.<\/p>\n Soon, SL varieties were ubiquitous across Kenya. However, despite being more resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) than French Bourbon, SL varieties are still quite susceptible. Many farms experienced increased difficulties with scourges of CLR and CBD as the coffee sector developed. As Kenya experiences bi-annual rainfalls coinciding with harvest seasons, the problems of CBD attacking the ripening cherry is especially exacerbated. When the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) (which replaced SAL after independence) released Ruiru-11 in 1985, the coffee sector was primed. Ruiru 11, a hybrid of Catimor and SL cultivars, was both CBD and CLR resistant, plus it could be planted at a much higher density than the SL varieties, making optimal use of small plots of land.<\/p>\n Ruiru 11 slowly \u2018took root\u2019 across most of Kenya\u2019s coffee-growing landscape. The only issues were that with a shallower root structure, many farmers found the plant less hardy in drought conditions, and the trees required a more intense feeding program. Over time, farmers have found that by grafting Ruiru-11 to SL varieties they could take advantage of SL trees\u2019 expansive root system and still reap the increased yields and higher immunity to disease of Ruiru-11.<\/p>\n Due to the grafted Ruiru-11\u2019s growing popularity, most farms in Kenya today, both big and small, have a mixture of Ruiru-11 and SL varieties. As SL trees age, many farmers are opting to turn more towards Ruiru-11 (or the grafting solution) thanks to its ease of use and higher resistance to diseases.<\/p>\n Other farmers are experimenting with Batian, a relatively new variety introduced by Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity \u2013 cropping after only two years. Some challenges (such as vegetative structure) have prevented it from becoming widespread so far, but its popularity is certainly growing.<\/p>\n Customers sometimes ask us for 100% SL variety coffees. However, while most farms still have the traditional SL varieties, most also have Ruiru 11 and, increasingly, Batian. Most farms are far too small to be able to handle lot separation by variety. This means that most lots coming out of Kenya \u2013 whether single estate or smallholder group \u2013 are a blend of SL, Ruiru and (sometimes) Batian.<\/p>\n It is understandable to be wary about a new variety\u2019s potential to change the classic Kenyan profile. However, we have a bit more of an optimistic outlook.<\/p>\n Michael Sheridan, formerly of Catholic Relief Services, led a study in Colombia that evaluated two popular Colombian coffee varieties, Castillo and Caturra. The situation in Colombia is strikingly similar to that in Kenya where an older variety renowned for specific flavors and a consistently high quality is increasingly being replaced by a newer variety that is more resistant to diseases but with an unknown impact on quality.<\/p>\n Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it\u2019s important to note that while the situations between Colombia and Kenya are similar, we won\u2019t know the whole story about variety changes in Kenya until a similar study is done in Kenya. However, the Colombian study can help us draw some initial hypotheses.<\/p>\n Sheridan\u00a0presented his results<\/a>\u00a0at the 2015 SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America, now\u00a0SCA<\/a>)\u00a0Symposium. You can find his recap of his findings\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0as well as a more detailed explanation of the study itself and its findings, also written by Sheridan, on the\u00a0SCA website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sheridan wrote that: \u201cFor farmers choosing between Castillo and Caturra, what they choose to plant may have less impact on cup quality than where and how they grow it.\u201d<\/p>\n What he means, he explains, is that there was little significant statistical evidence that Caturra consistently produced a higher-scoring cup than Castillo. Instead, they found that \u201cThe data from both the cupping panels\u2026show that cup scores are more strongly correlated with environment and management than with variety.\u201d<\/p>\nA Light in Midwinter<\/h3>\n
Something Borrowed, Something New<\/h3>\n
The Rise of SL Varieties in Kenya<\/h3>\n
Revisiting Your Wishlist<\/h3>\n
Show Me the Evidence<\/h3>\n
What the Colombian Study Tells Us<\/h3>\n