Rwanda: Milles Collines Peaberry

This coffee lot incorporates peaberry selections from several coffee washing stations in Rwanda's southern and western provinces. Peaberries are considered an abnormality, however they occur in small amounts on every tree. It's when only one of the two coffee seeds inside a coffee cherry germinates, and proceeds to mature inside the cherry as a small, rounded seed. When peaberry lots are purchased from a single farmer in say, Guatemala, the final bag count is usually only a couple bags due to the small farm sizes. But in Rwanda, our broker is able to buy from many cooperative stations that collect coffee from hundreds to thousands of cooperative members, who between them, produce considerably higher volume of this small bean rarity. "Milles Collines", as Rwanda is commonly referred to, French meaning "the land of 1000 hills". The cooperatives and washing stations who contributed to this blend are situated in the villages at the tops of some of these "collines", affording access to the higher elevation coffees, and offering ease of delivery for these coffee farm members.

This is also another beautiful Farm Gate coffee that is great as espresso. 

Cupping Notes:  Honey and raw sugar, aromatic of Sencha and Rooibos teas, dark cherry, and a hint of cinnamon stick notes

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

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

Varietal: Bourbon 

Region: Nyamasheke, Western Province

Processing: Wet Process (Washed) 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 Nyamasheke district in Rwanda’s Western Province, the Rwanda: Milles Collines Peaberry represents a distinct selection from Keia & Martyn's Coffee. This lot features the Bourbon varietal, a plant type historically celebrated for its balanced sweetness and complex acidity. Because these beans are peaberries—a natural mutation where only one seed develops inside the coffee cherry—they often exhibit a unique density that can influence the roasting process and final cup profile.

The coffee undergoes a washed process, a method typically employed to highlight the inherent clarity and brightness of the bean. In the cup, this specific offering presents a nuanced interplay of sweetness and spice, characterized by notes of honey, raw sugar, and cinnamon stick, alongside the delicate, herbal qualities of Sencha and Rooibos teas and a hint of dark cherry. To better understand how these specific descriptors align with broader industry standards, consult the flavor wheel.