Buy the Kenyan if you want a bright, citrus-and-floral cup that is the loudest thing on the counter. Buy the Peruvian if you want a mild, round cup for the whole house. Ours are No. 4 Conjuncture (Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya) and No. 10 Folklore (Piura and Amazonas, Peru), both $28 for a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground, with free US shipping.
How do Kenyan and Peruvian coffee compare side by side?
Both of our bags are fully washed, so the difference is not in the process. It is in where they grew and what the roaster says they taste like. This table comes straight from the two labels.
| No. 4 Conjuncture (Kenya) | No. 10 Folklore (Peru) | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Othaya, Nyeri County | Piura and Amazonas |
| Altitude | 1,700 to 1,890 m | 1,100 to 1,700 m |
| Process | Fully washed, dried on raised beds | Fully washed, sun dried |
| Varietal | SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian | Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Catimor |
| Roast | Not declared by the roaster | Medium |
| Notes | Orange, lemon, floral | Salted caramel, citrus, silky |
| Best for | The cup you make when you want the coffee to be the loudest thing in the room | The second pot, and the one you make for the house |
| Brew with | Pour-over, a touch coarser than usual, 94 °C (201 °F) | Drip or French press at 60 g per litre |
The roaster does not state a roast level for the Kenya, so we are not going to guess one. What the label does tell you is that the Kenyan grew higher (1,700 to 1,890 m, against 1,100 to 1,700 m for the Peruvian) and that it is the one with orange, lemon and floral notes instead of caramel.
Which one tastes brighter?
The Kenyan. The roaster says Kenya is acidic on purpose, and the notes (orange, lemon, floral) read like it. The Peruvian lists citrus too, but next to salted caramel and silky, and the roaster describes it as mild and round. If you think of a cup as a volume knob, Conjuncture is up and Folklore is in the middle.
Our what No. 4 Conjuncture tastes like page goes through a Kenya cup by cup. For the Peruvian, the closest read is our Peruvian coffee beans page. If you want a Kenya compared with another bright African coffee, see Tanzanian vs Kenyan for iced coffee.
Which one is easier to brew?
The Peruvian. Drip or French press at 60 g per litre is the roaster's whole instruction, and a cup like that forgives a slightly wrong grind. The Kenyan asks for more attention: pour-over at 94 °C with the grind a touch coarser than usual. The roaster adds one warning that is worth remembering: if a Kenya tastes sour rather than bright, grind finer.
| Brewer | Conjuncture | Folklore |
|---|---|---|
| Drip machine | Roaster's note is for pour-over | Yes, 60 g per litre |
| Pour-over | Yes, 94 °C, grind a touch coarser | Not in the roaster's notes |
| French press | Not in the roaster's notes | Yes, 60 g per litre |
The full recipes live in the No. 4 Conjuncture brewing guide and the No. 10 Folklore brewing guide, so we will not repeat them here. For the amounts, 60 g per litre is about 21 g for 12 fl oz, and the how much coffee per cup page has the rest of the sizes.
Which one should you buy?
Buy Conjuncture if you already like bright coffee, if you brew pour-over, and if you drink it black. Buy Folklore if one pot has to please several people, if you use a drip machine or a French press, or if you add milk. If you cannot decide, Folklore is the safer first bag and Conjuncture is the one to add when you want a change. Both are in all ten coffees.
Our pick
No. 4 Conjuncture
Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya · 1,700 to 1,890 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
Orange, lemon and floral on the label, for the cup where you want the coffee to be the loudest thing in the room.
Our pick
No. 10 Folklore
Piura and Amazonas, Peru · 1,100 to 1,700 m · Fully washed, sun dried · Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Catimor · Medium
Salted caramel, citrus and silky on the label, mild and round, the kind of cup that does not fight back.
Both bags are roasted by Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California. If you want one of them on repeat, the subscription is 11% off with skip or cancel in one click.
Questions people ask
Is Kenyan coffee more acidic than Peruvian coffee?
Our roaster says Kenya is acidic on purpose, with orange, lemon and floral notes. The Peruvian is described as mild and round, so the Kenyan is the brighter cup.
Which is better for a drip machine, Kenyan or Peruvian coffee?
Of our two, the Peruvian. The roaster suggests drip or French press at 60 g per litre for No. 10 Folklore, and points No. 4 Conjuncture to pour-over.
Do Kenyan and Peruvian coffee taste the same?
No. Both of our bags are fully washed, but the Kenyan lists orange, lemon and floral, and the Peruvian lists salted caramel, citrus and silky.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.