Brewing & Grinding
Kahoa's Kenyan beans reward precision. Choose your method and follow these steps to bring out the blackcurrant brightness, floral aromatics, and wine-like complexity in every cup.
Grind to a medium-fine consistency, similar to coarse sand. Grind just before brewing, within 15 minutes, to preserve the volatile aromatics that define Kenyan brightness. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Bring water to 93 to 96°C (200 to 205°F). Avoid boiling water, which scorches the delicate fruit acids. A gooseneck kettle gives you the control needed for an even pour.
Pour twice the weight of water over the grounds (e.g. 30g water for 15g coffee) and wait 30 to 45 seconds. Watch the coffee bloom and release CO2. This is freshness made visible.
Pour steadily in a slow spiral from the centre outward, keeping water level consistent. Complete all pours within 3 to 3.5 minutes total brew time for peak flavour extraction.
If the cup tastes sour, grind finer or brew hotter. If bitter, grind coarser or reduce temperature. With this coffee you're chasing brightness, not bitterness.
For the Nairobi Sunrise, try a slightly longer bloom (45 seconds). The high density of high-altitude beans benefits from the extra time to degas fully, releasing those blackcurrant and grapefruit top notes.
Target: medium-fine, like coarse salt. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 3 to 4.
Grind coarse, like rough sea salt or breadcrumbs. Too fine and the plunger will be hard to press and the cup will be muddy. Consistency matters more than precision here. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Pour hot water into your French press, swirl, and discard. This keeps your brew temperature stable throughout the steep and prevents a jarring temperature drop at first contact.
Add grounds, then pour water at 92 to 95°C in one steady pour. Stir gently once to ensure all grounds are saturated. Place the lid on but do not press yet.
Let it steep undisturbed for exactly 4 minutes. Set a timer. Over-steeping brings out bitter tannins; under-steeping misses the full-bodied depth that makes French press so rewarding.
Press the plunger down slowly and steadily over 20 to 30 seconds. Pour immediately into your cup. Leaving brewed coffee on the grounds continues extraction and turns bitter.
The Ngong Dark Reserve is exceptional in a French press. The full-immersion method amplifies the dark cocoa and brown sugar notes while the metal filter lets the natural oils through, creating a silky, full-bodied cup.
Target: coarse, like rough sea salt. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 7 to 8.
Grind fine, like powdered sugar but not talcum. Dose 18 to 20g into a double portafilter basket. Consistency of grind size is critical for even espresso extraction. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Use a distribution tool or finger to level grounds evenly in the basket. Tamp with 15 to 20kg of pressure, keeping the tamper level. An uneven tamp causes channelling and sour shots.
If your machine allows, enable pre-infusion for 3 to 5 seconds at low pressure. This gently saturates Kenyan's dense high-altitude beans before full pressure, improving extraction evenness.
Extract at 9 bar pressure. Target a yield of 36 to 40g of espresso from 18g of grounds (a 1:2 ratio) in 25 to 30 seconds. Watch for honey-golden crema forming steadily.
Too sour and fast? Grind finer. Too bitter and slow? Grind coarser. Expect intense stone fruit and wine notes, unusual and remarkable in espresso form.
Nairobi Sunrise as espresso is a revelation. The Nyeri especially produces a vivid, wine-forward shot with a brightness most espresso drinkers have never tasted. Pull a ristretto (1:1.5 ratio) to concentrate the blackcurrant notes even further.
Target: fine, like table salt. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 2 to 3.
Fill the bottom chamber with pre-boiled water to the pressure valve. Starting with hot water shortens brew time, preventing the coffee from over-heating on the stovetop and turning bitter.
Grind finer than drip but coarser than espresso. Fill the basket level. Do not tamp or press down. An overfilled or tamped basket can build dangerous pressure and cause over-extraction. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Screw the chambers together tightly. Place on a medium-low flame. A low, steady heat gives you control. High heat forces water through too fast, producing a harsh, scorched cup.
Keep the lid open and watch the coffee flow into the upper chamber. It should emerge as a steady, honey-coloured stream. A spluttering or spitting flow means heat is too high.
As soon as you hear a gurgling sound, remove from heat. That sound means steam is forcing through. Any coffee extracted after that point will be harsh and over-done.
The Ngong Dark Reserve is exceptional in a Moka Pot. Its deep cocoa and brown sugar profile amplifies beautifully under steam pressure. Try it over ice immediately after brewing for a quick, intensely flavoured iced coffee.
Target: slightly finer than pour over. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 3 to 5.
Grind even coarser than French press, almost like coarse ground pepper or rough breadcrumbs. A coarser grind prevents over-extraction during the long steep and keeps the cold brew clean and sweet. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Add 100g of grounds to 800ml of cold, filtered water in a jar or dedicated cold brew maker. Stir well to ensure all grounds are saturated. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours. Shorter steeps (12h) give a brighter, fruitier concentrate. Longer steeps (16h) deepen into chocolate and caramel. Do not steep at room temperature. It ferments.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter. Do not squeeze the grounds. This pushes bitter compounds into your concentrate. Let gravity do the work.
This is a concentrate. Dilute 1:1 with cold water or milk before drinking. Serve over ice. Keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, though it won't last that long.
The Savanna Gold is the best Kahoa bean for cold brew. Cold water extraction strips the bitterness and leaves only the honey sweetness, stone fruit, and cedar warmth. No sugar needed, often no milk needed either.
Target: extra coarse, like rough peppercorns. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 8 to 9.
Grind to a medium-coarse consistency, slightly coarser than pour over. Think coarse sea salt. The thick Chemex filter needs a coarser grind to allow proper flow without over-extraction. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
Open the Chemex bonded filter with three layers facing the pour spout. Rinse with hot water to remove any paper taste and pre-heat the vessel. Discard the rinse water before adding coffee.
Bring water to 93 to 96°C (200 to 205°F). The Chemex rewards precision. A gooseneck kettle gives you the slow, controlled pour needed to saturate grounds evenly.
Pour twice the weight of water over the grounds (e.g. 60g water for 30g coffee) and wait 45 seconds. The Chemex bloom is longer than most methods because the thick filter slows CO2 release.
Pour in slow concentric spirals, pausing between pours to let the bed drain slightly. Add water in three equal stages over 4 to 5 minutes total. Never let the water level drop completely between pours.
Once dripping stops, pinch the filter at the three-layer side and lift cleanly. Swirl the Chemex gently to mix the brew and serve immediately. Chemex coffee stays hot longer thanks to the thick glass walls.
The Chemex makes Kenyan coffee shine. Its thick filter removes oils and fines, producing a tea-like clarity that lets the Nairobi Sunrise blackcurrant and citrus notes come through clean and bright. Try it with no milk first.
Target: medium-coarse, like coarse sea salt. On a burr grinder dial of 1 to 10, aim for 5 to 6.
If you bought whole bean and don't own a grinder, ask your local grocery store to grind a bag for you on a medium setting. Pre-ground works perfectly here. Avoid extra-fine grinds — they'll slip past the cup's edge when pouring. (Skip this step if you bought pre-ground coffee.)
In a small saucepan, bring 350ml (about 1.5 cups) of water to a rolling boil. Then remove from heat and let it sit for 30 seconds — pouring boiling water directly onto coffee scorches the grounds and creates bitterness.
Add 22g of grounds (about 3 tablespoons) directly into the saucepan. Stir gently with a spoon to make sure all the grounds are wet. The grounds will float at first, which is normal.
Place a lid on the saucepan and let it steep off the heat for 4 minutes. The grounds will gradually sink to the bottom as they release flavor and oils.
Tap the side of the saucepan a few times to encourage the last grounds to sink. Pour slowly into your mug, stopping before the bottom inch — that's where the sediment lives. A little grit at the bottom is part of the experience.
For an even smoother cup, pour the brewed coffee through a fine mesh tea strainer or a paper towel folded inside a sieve as you fill your mug. This catches the fine grounds and gives you an almost French-press-quality cup with zero special equipment.
Target: medium, like coarse sand. Pre-ground store-bought medium works perfectly.
You don't need a coffee filter. Any of these work: a paper towel folded in quarters, a clean cotton cloth or cheesecloth, a fine mesh tea strainer, or even a clean cotton handkerchief. You'll use it to strain the coffee at the end.
Spoon 2 heaped tablespoons (about 14g) of medium-ground coffee directly into a 12oz mug. If you only have whole beans, ask any grocery store to grind them on a medium setting — most do it free.
Heat 250ml of water in a kettle, microwave, or pot until just before boiling. Pour over the grounds slowly. Stir once with a spoon to fully wet all the grounds.
Cover with a small plate or saucer to retain heat. Wait 4 minutes. The grounds will sink to the bottom as the coffee steeps and develops flavor.
Hold your improvised filter over a second mug and slowly pour the brewed coffee through it. The filter catches the grounds and gives you a clean cup. If you don't have a second mug, just sip carefully and leave the last sip behind.
This is how coffee was made for centuries before machines. It's also great for travel, hotel rooms, and camping. The Nairobi Sunrise blend handles this method beautifully — its bright citrus notes shine even with rustic brewing. The only "wrong" way to drink Kahoa is to not drink it at all.
Target: medium. Bagged supermarket grind is exactly this.