Table of contents
Sierra Leone
$ 0.02 - $0.04 per ounce
| Varieties | Robusta |
| How to Serve | Served as instant coffee |
| Flavor | Mild acidity but high bitterness, woody, and ashy flavor |
| Recommended Machine | Pourover, AeroPress |
| Good As | Americano, Lungo, Espresso |
| Price Range | $0.02 – $0.04 per ounce |
| Caffeine Level | 0.5% on average |
Sierra Leone’s major cash crop is coffee, specifically Robusta. It is mostly grown in the Southern and Eastern regions of the country, in tropical rainforest areas. Moyumba and Kailhahun are the major coffee-growing areas.
Sierra Leone’s civil war between 1991 and 2002 dramatically reduced Sierra Leone coffee production from approximately 15,000 metric tons per year to about 2,000 tonnes annually. The war forced coffee farmers to flee their homes and the plants were destroyed.
Many people have returned to coffee farms, but not all of them have been rehabilitated. There are many problems, including a shortage of labor and severe poverty. Also, there is a lack of technology to improve production and process methods. Many coffee plants are now wild, and there are some coffee plantations that have been managed in a moderate manner to increase production.
Currently, the country grows Robustacoffee beans as its plants can withstand higher temperatures. The taste is quite nutty and harsh, especially compared to Arabica. Sierra Leone’s locally produced coffee is much cheaper than whatever’s selling on the international market ranging from $0.02 to $0.04 per ounce. I will be covering the best Sierra Leone robusta brands and their alternatives, growing conditions, and recommended brewing methods.
Sierra Leone’s climate is tropical, but there are many environments that can be found from rainforests to savannah. As we already mentioned, Moyumba and Kenema are the major coffee-growing areas in the country. The Northern Province of Sierra Leone has smaller coffee-growing districts – the Tonkolili and Koindugu.
Sierra Leone is blessed with large areas of land suitable for coffee production. However, it remains unseen if there are possibilities for investments to expand coffee plantations. There is an increase in organic Sierra Leone coffee production due to the high number of wild coffee plants.
Experts believe the Sierra Leone Highland Coffee tastes better than Arabica. It can also grow in hotter and drier conditions which makes it more resistant to climate change. This coffee is a niche-market coffee with high value that could help farmers improve their livelihoods.
The fact that the Sierra Leone coffee beans can be grown at temperatures higher than the 19 degrees Celsius required for the two other varieties is great news. The climate on the other hand is the most appropriate in the highlands of the country. All year, the climate is tropical and humid. It is extremely hot and dry between November and June. However, the coasts are cooled by frequent sea breezes.
As Sierra Leone produces extremely low volumes of domestic coffee, they have very low volumes of coffee export Sierra Leone for international commercial use. Hence, you cannot really find coffee beans from Sierra Leone. However, we have found the closest alternatives to them on Amazon, tested them, and will now present our top choices to you.
| Kenyan Coffee | Liberian Coffee | Mozambique Coffee | Congo Coffee |
Unfortunately, it is very hard to find Sierra Leone coffee beans on Amazon these days, here are some alternatives that kinda taste like coffee from Sierra Leone according to both our personal opinion and users’ reviews.
We pay attention to the following:
For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.
Which brand has the highest quality beans? These products may be easy to find on Amazon, but we encourage you to read our reviews and discover what makes each brand so special. Here is a quick overview of each product that can help you make a good decision.
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Price: $$150 (subject to change) |
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Size: 5 pounds |
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Type: Arabica & Robusta Blend |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Farmer Brothers |
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Beans: Whole |
Farmer Brothers Sierra Blend is made from the finest coffees, including Colombian and Brazilian. From what I have seen, it is rich, smooth, and full of flavor. The 2.5-ounce portions are perfect for foodservice and come in a 128-count case. You can either grind the coffee at home to make a perfect cup of coffee or use it in a coffee maker.
The Medium Roast is pretty rich. This is the same coffee that I’ve found in many of the country’s restaurants and coffee shops. The best coffees from Farmer Brothers Sierra Blend are roasted at their peak of freshness and packaged to give you a full sensory experience. Farmer Brothers Sierra Blend is known for its rich aromatic coffee Sierra Leone and balanced flavors. All coffee is packed in heat-sealed bags. The bags have one-way degassing valves that allow coffee gases to escape but not air. This keeps the coffee fresher for longer, which is definitely good news.
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Price: $$17.00 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Kivu |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: GoCoffeeGo |
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Beans: Whole |
The organic Congo Kivu coffee is mostly described as bright and zesty. This coffee is light roasted and has a sweet, herbaceous taste. It also has a syrupy body with a blood-orange zest finish. Congo Kivu coffee is full-bodied and a great choice for everyone who enjoys light roast coffee.
As I researched the company, it turned out that Organic Congo Kivu coffee is sourced from Virunga Coffee Company. Virunga was founded in 2011. Their mission is to make a difference in the Democratic Republic of Congo by promoting commerce and being a major player in Kivu coffee.
Virunga Coffee is determined to reach this goal by increasing the quality and quantity of coffee in North Kivu and South Kivu. Virunga Coffee focuses on areas like implementing Good Agricultural Practices, investing in processing infrastructures, as well as bringing an innovative spirit to create new products. So, by purchasing this product you will not only be buying yourself a high-quality cup of coffee but will also provide a lot to hard-working farmers in Congo.
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Price: $$14.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 16 ounces |
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Type: Kenya AA |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Out of Africa |
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Beans: Whole |
Premium Kenyan Peaberry Arabica coffee beans are loved by the majority of coffee drinkers for their rich, full-bodied, intense flavors and strong fragrance. Peaberry accounts for about 5% of all coffee companies in Sierra leone and worldwide that produce the commercial coffee, making it rare and unique. The beans are grown in shade and hand-picked before being dried. Kenya Peaberry coffee is made from the same coffee beans as regular coffee beans. A coffee cherry usually contains two seeds. A coffee cherry may only produce one seed in rare cases. This is what gives rise to the “Peaberry” coffee beans. Peaberry beans tend to be smaller and more round with a strong flavor.
The first time I tried Kenya Peaberry, I was unsure what it tasted like. It is pretty complex and full of fascinating fruit (berry, lemon) flavors. Kenya Peaberry Coffee has a strong, citrusy aromatic coffee Sierra Leone. It is a Kenyan coffee that boasts a rich body and a zesty, wine-like acidity. Kenya Peaberry is known for its distinctive spice.
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Price: $$24.95 (subject to change) |
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Size: 16 ounces |
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Type: Timor |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: COFFEE LLC |
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Beans: Whole |
Timor coffee is a classic Indonesian coffee with deep flavors and dark chocolate notes. For a truly exceptional cup of organic coffee, I would suggest roasting it to a medium. You will get subtle woody and herbaceous notes with a mild finish.
The Cooperativa Cafe Timor (CCT), which I discovered about the company farm, works with small East Timor farms. CCT was founded in 1994 by the USDA and NCBA. The cooperative was awarded Fair Trade certification in 2001. These farms can be found in Maubesse and Atsabe and therefore, their products are considered reliable and completely safe to consume.
My personal advice for you is to use espresso machines with this coffee, as it has a dark roast and produces the best taste when brewed like this. However, you are free to experiment and try other techniques as well.
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Price: $$13.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 8.8 ounces |
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Type: Bourbon |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Gorilla’s Coffee |
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Beans: Ground |
Gorilla’s Coffee comes from cooperatives of farmers who grow coffee in high altitudes and rich volcanic soil. “Beyond Fair Trade” ensures that coffee grown by farmers is environmentally friendly and completely safe to consume.
The coffee itself is a delicious, rich product that directly comes from Rwanda’s Land of a Thousand Hills. This guarantees the fact that with this bourbon, you will have the possibility to taste authentic & unique flavor which is pretty close to Sierra Leone coffee beans. The main reason behind this fact is that they are grown in a very similar environment.
Although it is 100% Arabica Bourbon this product does not compare to other brands I have tasted in the same category. It is truly unique in taste! The taste is a combination of dark chocolate, spice, and a hint of luscious fruits.
Let’s say you’ve got the coffee beans that you need from Sierra Leone or the alternative products that we have discussed above in the article. Now is the time to decide which machine will work best to brew your premium quality coffee beans and get the best possible taste and flavor out of them. Of course, there are numerous ways you can try to brew your coffee, including the traditional, French Press, or even Espresso machine. But our two favorite options for Sierra Leone coffee beans are Pourover and AeroPress.
Pourover is the best solution to get your Sierra Leone instant coffee. Apart from being extremely time-efficient, it is also very cost-effective. You can get your morning coffee in under 5 minutes using the pour-over method. The best thing about it is the freshness of the coffee that you get. I have tried many other methods, but pour over has become my morning tradition.
It awakens the harsh and nutty flavors of the Sierra Leone coffee and energizes me the very moment I take my first sip. In fact, we found out that many of the cafes in the country themselves use this method to brew local coffee and deliver it to their clients. Furthermore, the pour-over coffee brewer is very easy to get nearby and there are plenty of options from simple and old-fashioned brewers to enhanced and modern ones.
AeroPress is very much like French Press, which also works fine to brew your Sierra Leone beans, but there are several differences between these two. An Aeropress brews in a shorter time than a French press. The Aeropress can be used for as little as 1 minute and 30 seconds. It doesn’t have grit like French press coffee.
Some people might claim that Aeropress coffee has a milder taste but every time I make it, it is still very strong. Furthermore, Aeropress is much easier to clean afterward than a French Press. Aeropress Sierra Leone coffee is clean tasting and has clearly defined flavors thanks to its paper filter. This prevents any oil or sediment from entering the cup which would add unnecessary bitterness to your coffee. Aeropress coffee concentrate can even be made with a similar taste to espresso. The Aeropress is the ideal brewing device to experiment with coffee as it gives you the ability to discover new, unique, and interesting tastes.
Check out our AeroPress reviews
