Kent Coffee Variety: A Crucial Step In The History Of Coffee
You probably haven’t heard of the Kent coffee variety, but I promise it deserves your attention.
Even among coffee geeks, the Kent variety isn’t as well known as other Arabica cultivars, which is surprising given its historical significance. Kent is best known as the first coffee selected for its resistance to coffee leaf rust. But I think its lovely flavor profile deserves equal recognition.
What Is The Kent Coffee Variety?
Kent is a variety of Arabica coffee – specifically, in the Typica group.
In the early history of coffee, Arabica plants were exported from their native Ethiopia to Yemen for commercial cultivation. Eventually, Dutch merchants smuggled some of these plants to Java to start their own plantations, and this became the Typica line. Others were taken to Bourbon Island (now Reunion) by French missionaries and became the Bourbon line.
Kent is a selection of Typica thought to originate on the Doddengooda Estate in Mysore, India, sometime in the early 20th century. It takes its name from the estate’s owner, Mr. L.P. Kent (1).
Plants were specifically selected for their resistance to coffee leaf rust, a potentially devastating coffee disease.
For this reason, Kent is a genetic parent to many other varietals bred for disease resistance, including KP423 and S795.
Where Is Kent Coffee Grown?
By the 1930s, Kent was widely grown in India, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Along with being resistant to coffee rust, it was relatively easy to grow, high-yielding, and tolerant of drought – all valuable factors in those regions. Unfortunately, its popularity wasn’t built to last (2).
“Kent has “lost” its resistance and is no longer considered well-suited for the virulent strains of rust that have emerged in recent decades.”
Today, you are more likely to find Kent in the form of its descendants. S795 is a Kent selection widely grown in Indonesia, while KP423 is common in Uganda.
What Do Kent Beans Taste Like?
Kent is a relatively mild coffee with low acidity and a natural sweetness. It’s a gentle brew that lacks the flavor complexity and vibrant acidity of specialty coffee darlings like Ethiopian Harrar and Yirgacheffe – or even Hawaiian Mokka, another Typica varietal. Instead, it’s more of a crowd-pleaser, with a medium body and balanced profile, frequently featuring notes of nuts, spice, or tropical fruit.
Best Brewing Methods
Kent’s balanced favors make it a relatively versatile cultivar suitable for all brewing methods. Because it lacks the crisp acidity and complexity of a higher-rated specialty coffee, it doesn’t require a pour-over method to bring out its subtleties. I think it makes a delicious espresso shot or immersion brew, so consider an espresso maker, Moka pot, French press, or Aeropress.
Final Thoughts
Kent is a relatively unknown Arabica cultivar despite its importance as the first coffee leaf rust resistant variety. While its cup profile isn’t necessarily exciting or unusual, it’s crowd-pleasing and drinkable – the sort of coffee you can sip all day long.at cup for your afternoon coffee pick-me-up.
FAQs
The four main types of coffee are Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. Botanically, Excelsa has recently been reclassified as a type of Liberica, but most coffee experts and roasters speak of them distinctly due to their very different cup profiles.
The best variety of coffee is widely considered to be Arabica coffee, which is known to be sweeter and more complex than the other three. Among Arabica cultivars, Gesha is arguably the most prized. Known for compelling fruit and floral flavors, Gesha beans hold the record for the most expensive coffee sold at auction (3).
Kent Rollins – not to be confused with the Kent coffee variety – is known for Cowboy Coffee, a blend of beans from Colombia, Brazil, and Ethiopia. It’s a smooth and balanced combo that’s well suited to all brewing methods, though (of course) Kent himself recommends cowboy-style.
References
- World Coffee Research. (n.d.). KP423. Retrieved from https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/kp423
- Kornman, C. (2019, February 7). The Coffee Roaster’s Complete Guide to Coffee Varieties and Cultivars. Retrieved from https://dailycoffeenews.com/2019/02/07/the-coffee-roasters-complete-guide-to-coffee-varieties-and-cultivars/
- Newsroom Panama. (2024, September 20). Boquete’s Geisha Coffee Sets Record at Private Auction: 13,518 Dollars per Kilogram. Retrieved from https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/20/boquetes-geisha-coffee-sets-record-at-private-auction-13518-dollars-per-kilogram/
