Rwanda

Karisimbi Lot 630 - Rwanda

250g

*Terroir Best Lot*

Cup Notes
Verbena / Cranberries / Honey / Orange / Caramel

Suggested for espresso and filter

QUALITY SCORE: 88.50


when we roast

We freshly roast to order all coffees on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding national holidays), and ship the same day! Cut-off time is 11:59pm (UTC+1) of the day before the roast day. *We only ship whole beans*

Details

Producer
Several small farmers
Country
Rwanda
Terroir
Gicumbi
Altitude
2000-2200 mt
Process
Classic Washed - Raised Beds
Arabica cultivar
Red Bourbon
Picked in
July 2017
Arrived in
January 2018
Shipped in
Jute + GrainPro
Roast profile by
Rubens Gardelli

THE STORY BEHIND

Karisimbi coffee is located in a truly beautiful part of Rwanda.

Coffee in the northern province is grown at high altitude, even by Rwanda's standards, and Karisimbi is one of the highest washing stations in the country!

Based at approximately 2000 meter above sea level, Karisimbi's altitude is an advantage when it comes to drying washed coffee as it is slightly cooler, and this condition allows for more even and longer drying.

Karisimbi was established in 2015 and it processes coffee cherries from around 300 smallholder farmers in the local vicinity, who deliver their coffee during harvest season.

During harvest, cherry is processed in the evening and night-time, with the fruit being removed by machine before the beans are pulped in a penagos depulping machine, dry fermented, washed and graded.

We selected this lot for its great sweetness and bright character, being the best lot we tasted from Rwanda washed samples of 2017 harvest.

THE VARIETY

Bourbon is one of the most culturally and genetically important C. arabica varieties in the world, known for excellent quality in the cup at the highest altitudes.

It is one of the two main cultivars from which new cultivars are bred, the other being typical. Historical records indicate that Bourbon was taken from the coffee forests of Southwestern Ethiopia to Yemen, where it were cultivated as a crop; recent genetic studies have confirmed this.

Bourbon coffee was first produced in Réunion, which was known as Bourbon island before 1789. It was later taken by the French to mainland Africa and to Latin America.

Bourbon grows best at heights between 1,100 and 2,000 meters and gives a 20-30% higher yield than Typica. It has a commercially viable level of yield potential and growth habit but is generally susceptible to disease and pests.

THE FERMENTATION PROCESS

Washed coffees focus solely on the bean. They let you taste you what’s on the inside, not the outside. Washed coffees depend almost 100% on the bean having absorbed enough natural sugars and nutrients during its growing cycle. This means the varietal, soil, weather, ripeness, fermentation, washing, and drying are absolutely key.

Washed coffees reflect both the science of growing the perfect coffee bean and the fact that farmers are an integral part of crafting the taste of a coffee bean. When looking at washed coffees, it becomes apparent that the country of origin and environmental conditions play a vital role in adding to the flavour.

During wet processing, the pulp (i.e.the exocarp and a part of the mesocarp) is removed mechanically. The remaining mesocarp, called mucilage, sticks to the parchment and is also removed before drying. During this process, the sugars present in the mucilage are removed through natural fermentation or mechanical scrubbing. Mucilage is insoluble in water and clings to parchment too strongly to be removed by simple washing. Mucilage can be removed by fermentation followed by washing or by strong friction in machines called mucilage removers. Fermentation can be done by stacking the coffee outside or placing them under water and allowing nature to take its course. After the sugars are removed, the beans then can be taken through a secondary washing to remove any additional debris, or taken immediately to the beds for drying.