TECHNICAL DETAILS
Origin: Rwanda, Nyamasheke District
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1600 - 1650 masl
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Washing station: Kilimbi
Harvest: 2024
Tasting notes: Red apple, milk chocolate, hazelnuts.
WHY WE LIKE IT
This coffee stands out for its intense sweetness, which reminds us of milk chocolate and a ripe red apple.
This fruity note brings it a bright yet delicate acidity , and a juicy, round texture. The creamy, chocolatey sweetness is a hallmark of Red Bourbon. It provides a sensation of warmth and body in the mouth, with a comforting aftertaste.
Notes of nuts enhance the complexity and give it a velvety touch, with a balanced finish.
It is a coffee with a complex profile and medium body , but very easy to drink. It is perfect both alone or with milk.
RECIPE
For filter:
We used 18 grams of ground coffee and 290 grams of final water at 93 ºC, in a total time of 2'30". We make three pours:
-
Pouring 50g of water in 30"
-
Pour up to 185 gr of water in 1'10-1'30"
- Pour up to 290 gr of water up to 2'30"
EXPERIMENTATION VARIABLES | |
Rest : 2 weeks (15-20 days) | |
Method: V60 | |
Mill : EK43 | |
Water : Pentair Everpure 70ppm |
For espresso:
It uses 17 grams of dry coffee to extract 43 grams of total beverage in a cup in a time of 27 to 30 seconds.
VARIABLES TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT: | |
Rest : 2 weeks (15-20 days) | |
Temperature : 92.5ºC | |
LaMarzocco Classic Line | |
Mill : Mahlkonig E68S | |
Scoops : VST 17g | |
Water : Pentair Everpure 70ppm | |
Pressure : 7 bars |
HISTORY
Kilimbi is one of the first two washing stations to receive NAEB approval to produce natural and honey processed coffee in Rwanda. Kilimbi’s altitude is ideal for the production of exceptional washed, honey and natural coffees. The drying beds are spread across a large open plain, where airflow and sunlight have maximum exposure to the coffee as it dries. Built in 2016, this washing station is the birthplace of Muraho Trading Company, being its first washing station.
A peculiarity of Kilimbi is that it is only accessible by boat, and farmers cross Lake Kivu to deliver the harvests from their farms. Its estimated annual production is approximately 33,300 kg of ground green coffee, each harvest processed into volumes of natural, washed and honey coffees.
Muraho Trading Co. helps member cooperatives improve the quality of their production, obtain a higher price for their coffee and access new markets. This will be an ongoing work over the coming years, as a greater understanding is gained of the particular challenges faced by coffee producers in Rwanda.
Through this process, a model is developed that creates incentives to engage producers while maximizing impact.
VARIETY AND PROCESS
The varietal of this coffee is red bourbon.
Bourbon is an ancient variety, originally from the island of Bourbon (now Réunion) and derived from Arabica coffee plants that arrived from Yemen in the 18th century.
Red Bourbon is a specific sub-variety characterized by producing red cherries when ripe. It has been widely cultivated in Rwanda, where the climate and volcanic soils maximize its potential. It represents a standard of quality and tradition in the region.
The process is natural. All cherries are hand sorted prior to a pre-pulping flotation process, removing any green or damaged cherries, along with any foreign objects. They are then submerged in pre-pulping flotation tanks to remove any that float and are subsequently pulped.
They are evenly distributed on raised beds, which provides a constant airflow and keeps them at a sufficient height to avoid contact with moisture and animals. They are dried for 30 days, constantly turning them when the sun is at its highest and covering them at night. Once dried, the dried outer fruit is removed, leaving the coffee beans ready to be sorted and packed.