Intego, Anaerobic Natural, Rwanda

Lime, kiwi, dried strawberry

Producer: Smallholder Farmers Origin: Nyamasheke, Western Province, Rwanda Varietal: Bourbon  Elevation: 1600-2100 masl

About This Coffee

This special 'Resolution Intego' anaerobic natural is from Gasharu washing station in Wimana. Situated on the shores of Lake Kivu, Nyamasheke-Gatare district, Western Rwanda, Gasharu work with 1,075 smallholder farmers in the region, which is just a stone's throw from Nyangwe Forest National Park, one of the largest and best preserved mountain rainforests in central Africa.

Gasharu washing station is managed by Valentin Kamenyi. Growing up in rural Rwanda in the 1990s, coffee had a mythical quality to it. "I was told coffee beans were sold abroad to make bullets. This was intriguing to me as I always imagined bullets to be magical, small and yet so noisy and powerful,” he recalls. Of course these child hood tales are now a thing of the past, yet coffee still carries special significance to him as the heart of his community. Valentin goes on to say about this coffee:

"Intego (Resolution) experimental coffee is the result of our curiosity to explore new methods of fermenting naturals to attain the best flavours and tastes. The final recipe of this coffee was selected after a series of trials in which we slowly refined the process that finally resulted in this flavour profile. We named it “Resolution” to celebrate our team's dedication and effort.

This coffee is beyond a simple cup of coffee because of the intentionally created fermentation medium that gives it a strong body and clear taste which we believe will provide a unique and memorable experience to coffee lovers."

The Procees

Ripe cherries are carefully selected - first by hand and then by floatation. The cherries are then fermented in an oxygen-deprived environment for 72 hours, then dried in the sun on raised African beds for 30-40 days (dependent on the weather). During the drying period the coffee is sorted by hand to remove any physical defects, and is regularly turned to ensure even drying and prevent over fermentation or mould formation. The coffee is covered during rain or midday sun to protect it from damage.

Every day a quality controller tests the relative humidity until a value of 12% is reached, after which the coffee is bagged and stored in a cool, dry warehouse to rest pending secondary processing (hulling, grading, sorting etc.)

History of Coffee in Rwanda 

The commercialization of coffee came about gradually in Rwanda and coffee was always produced on smallholder farms. Independence brought some improvement to the coffee infrastructure as the government established more modern and centralizing processing. But this meant the government set the price they would pay for coffee and farmers had no other options. There was no focus on quality because there was no incentive whatsoever. Despite much of the coffee being Bourbon, there was no sorting or grading so all the coffee was commercial grade. Rwanda exported 642,000 bags of coffee in 1993 and 447,000 in 1994. Then, as something of a stark reminder of the genocide, Rwanda exported a mere 22,000 bags in 1995. Today, Rwanda exports only 43% of what it did in 1993, but current exports represent much greater value because for the last 20 years the focus has been on quality rather than quantity. Rwanda’s ideal growing conditions are no longer wasted on poor processing. New washing stations have opened in all coffee growing regions, innovative cupping labs that arrive built into shipping containers, and cooperatives have been established. For the last 10 years, Rwandan specialty coffees consistently rank among the finest in the world.

Produced by smallholder farmers in the Nyamasheke region of Rwanda’s Western Province, the Intego lot represents a sophisticated approach to traditional coffee cultivation. This coffee utilizes the Bourbon varietal, a plant historically prized for its balanced sweetness and complex profile. By employing an anaerobic natural processing method, the producers have pushed the boundaries of the bean's inherent characteristics, resulting in a cup defined by vibrant acidity and distinct fruit-forward qualities, specifically lime, kiwi, and dried strawberry.

Sourced by Outpost Coffee, this selection highlights the unique terroir of Rwanda’s high-altitude landscapes. While anaerobic processing often introduces intense, fermented fruit notes, the underlying Bourbon genetics provide a structured foundation for these flavors to shine. For those looking to better understand the nuances of these tasting notes, consulting a flavor wheel can be an excellent way to identify and categorize the specific sensory experiences found within this complex Rwandan offering.