Coffee Rwanda Karisimbi

Coffee beans Rwanda Karisimbi, Nyamasheke County

Our coffee from the Seasons line is a traditional, stable and recognizable coffee of fresh harvest, where terroir is in the first place.

Philosophy and taste profile

The seasonal harvest from Rwanda is washed from small farms in Nyamasheke County, the main variety in the country is red bourbon.

Flavor profile: dense juicy coffee from Rwanda with bright notes of prunes, cherries, raisins and dark chocolate.

About the country of growth

The land of a thousand hills. Rwanda is a small country on the African continent, located next to Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and the Republic of the Congo. Rwanda is an agro–industrial country, more than 90% of the population is employed in agriculture, including tea and coffee cultivation. The temperate and mild climate with two rainy seasons combined with mineral-rich volcanic soil is ideal for coffee plantations.

Rwanda is a country rich in fertile lands. The landscape of the central part of the country is characterized by hilly terrain, swamps and sunny savannas predominate in the east. It is located at a relatively high altitude, the lowest mark is 950 meters above sea level. Coffee is grown at an altitude of 1700-2200 meters above sea level.

About processing station

The Kilimbi processing station is located in Nyamasheke County, one of the central coffee producing areas in the country, on the shores of Lake Kivu. The station was founded in March 2016. The station is located at an altitude of 1650 meters above sea level; the height of the neighborhood, from where the berries are brought, reaches 1850 meters. The station employs 4 permanent employees; the station manager is Joseph Ntarindwa.

At the station, the berries are processed in washed, natural and honey ways. With any method of processing, the berries are first sorted by hand, removing any defective, green or overripe ones, and then placed in water tanks to separate the floaters from good mature berries with high density. With the natural method of processing, the berries are then spread in a thin layer on African beds (usually between 7.00 and 8.00 in the morning, while it is not very hot) and dried for 10 days, turning them over every 30 to 40 minutes. At this stage, the berries are covered at especially hot temperatures to avoid overdrying them. Then they are placed in bags and left in the shade for 2 days, which allows fermentation to take place at its own pace and increase the level of sugars. Next, the berries are placed on the tables again and dried to a standard humidity of 12.8%. When washed, the berries are depulped after soaking and sent to fermentation tanks, which can last from 8 to 12 hours. The fermentation process during the washed processing is always accompanied by a ritual called Ikinimba, and literally represents the trampling of grain with feet, accompanied by singing. After the fermentation process is completed (this is checked by the station manager), the grain is washed and sorted by grades, and then sent to dry on African beds, which can take up to 25 days. When processing honey, the berries are first placed in bags for 24 hours, and then they are laid out on African beds and dried for 32 days. Regardless of the processing, the grain is either in a parchment shell or in a berry entirely for 30 days before hulling and final sorting.

Photos of the Kilimbi Coffee processing Station in Rwanda

Video about the country where coffee grows - Rwanda

Packing, grinding and storage of coffee

Packing options: 250 grams, 1 kilogram and in drip bags. We can grind coffee for any brewing method, just check the Grind checkbox and select the grind size for your brewing method.

Thanks to packing in a nitrogen environment, coffee retains its bouquet unchanged for up to 6 months in a closed pack. After opening, store the coffee beans in a dry place without direct sunlight and grind immediately before cooking. It is best in our zip-fastener pack or in a jar with a vacuum function. Remember: oxygen is the main enemy of coffee, especially if it is ground in advance. If you are going away for a long time, coffee can be frozen once in the freezer.