Rwanda - Bwishaza Anaerobic Fermentation
Varietal – Red Bourbon
Preparation – Anaerobic Fermentation
Location – North of Kibuye
Altitude – 1600+ masl
Importer - Horsham Coffee Roaster
This is a special preparation limited edition micro-lot produced using a technique known as anaerobic fermentation. The full process is detailed below and has created a coffee with wonderful acidity and intense but well-balanced fruit notes.
Our Rwanda natural coffee has been directly traded with producers and we are able to offer full transparency and detailed information on these coffees. For more information on how we source coffees take a look at our Transparency Report.
We first visited Rwanda in 2014 and over the last few years, we've developed some very close relationships within the Rwandan coffee community. We first visited Bwishaza co-operative in 2015 and have been buying coffee from them every year since our first visit.
Harvesting and Processing:
Bwishaza washing station is co-operative owned works with around 500 small-hold farmers. Most of these producers have just a few hundred trees and will harvest coffee every few days during the season which runs from March to June. During the harvest, we asked Bwishaza if they would be able to produce some experimental micro lots using techniques we learned during our visit to Costa Rica and when taking the SCA processing course. We sent them a detailed PDF explaining the process below:
1) Harvest only very ripe cherry with careful sorting as seen in the image below:
2) Use flotation to remove defects and to wash the cherry.
3) Place cherry into sacks and seal so that no air can get into the sacks.
4) Store in a cool shady place for 48 hours.
5) Remove and pulp the coffee as you would with any washed coffee but don’t remove all the mucilage.
6) After pulping put the coffee back into the sacks, seal and store for 48 hours in a cool place.
7) Remove coffee from sacks and wash to remove all the mucilage.
8) Shade dry the coffee for 24 hours and hand sort.
9) Move coffee to dry in the sun on tables.
Once dried the coffee is rested in sacks in a cool storage room for several weeks before being transported to the dry mill for processing to remove the cherry and parchment and prepare the coffee for export. This process has created some incredible flavours and we are very happy with the results.
A lot of additional work went into creating this unique coffee and Bwishaza co-operative was paid a significant premium for this coffee. The global coffee C-price is very high at the moment at around $2.42/lb but we paid $4/lb to Bwishaza for this incredible coffee. You can read more about this in our
transparency report.
Tasting Notes:
This is a stunning coffee with complex juicy fruit notes and wonderful acidity. The anaerobic fermentation process has changes the acidity and helped to developed and enhance the flavours that are typically found in washed coffees from Rwanda. Tasting notes include raisin, orange, plum and caramel.
Brewing:
This coffee works well for all brew methods.
Filter: Dose 15g, water 250g.
Espresso: Dose 17 gram to 40 gram yield over about 30 seconds.
This coffee is available as wholebean and pre ground but we recommend always grinding fresh before brewing. We sell a range of grinders if you would like to grind this coffee fresh at home.
