Rwanda: Honey Process Kibirizi

Kibirizi is the name of the town this coffee comes from, as well as the coffee washing station where it was processed ("CWS"). The wet mill sits at 1770 meters above sea level, and is buying cherry from small holder farmers in the surrounding villages of Nyamagabe. Most farmers have less than 1 hectare of coffee planted in Bourbon, as is largely the case for Rwanda. Kibirizi CWS does many different types of processing, including honey. The honey process involves depulping the outer cherry, but leaving some of the fruit intact to the seed. Unlike the wet process method, the green seeds bypass a fermentation/washing step, going straight to the raised beds to dry. While not always true, honey processing can bring fruit flavors to the cup, which is true of this coffee. This is another beautiful Farm Gate coffee that is good for espresso.

Cupping Notes: Stone fruits, pear jam, and berry juice, along with rustic sugars, and balanced bittersweets

Brew Recommendations: Drip, French Press, pour-over, espresso.

Farm Gate Coffee: Farmers paid at least 50% above Fair Trade

Varietal: Bourbon

Region: Kibirizi Village, Nyamagabe

Altitude: 1770 meters

Process: Honey processed and raised bed sun-dried

Equity Pricing (EP) Levels

Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Sourced from the Kibirizi Village in the Nyamagabe region of Rwanda, this Bourbon selection showcases the distinct character of the country’s high-elevation coffee production. Processed using the honey method, this lot sits at an elevation of 1770 masl, a technique that often bridges the gap between the clarity of washed coffees and the intensity of naturals by leaving a portion of the fruit mucilage on the bean during drying. You can learn more about how these processing methods influence the final cup profile in our guide.

Roasted by Keia & Martyn's Coffee, this offering presents a complex profile defined by stone fruits, pear jam, and berry juice, rounded out by rustic sugars and balanced bittersweets. When evaluating these nuanced characteristics, we recommend referencing the flavor wheel to better identify the interplay between the fruit-forward acidity and the deeper, sugar-derived notes inherent in this specific Rwandan harvest.