Rwanda Honey Process Kibrizi

I have to admit I didn't like this at first. Then I did. Then I didn't. Then I did. Seriously.

This is one of those opens up as the coffee sleeps from the roasting process. I'm not telling you that this is some kind of outer world insane coffee however. It's just a coffee ok. What I would land on is this coffee goes from sour to juicy in a brew. You're going to have to embrace the sour somehow or not and just email me big mad. There's stone fruits to be had as it cools and a really pronounced grape juice sweetness. Play around with this as espresso despite the sour warnings - just give it a solid 10+ days of rest if not more.

The Rwanda Honey Process Kibrizi, offered by Royal Mile Coffee, represents a distinct approach to Rwandan coffee production. While many coffees from this region are traditionally washed, this lot utilizes the honey process, a method that leaves a portion of the coffee cherry's mucilage on the bean during drying. This technique often bridges the gap between the clarity of washed coffees and the intensity of natural-processed beans, frequently resulting in a syrupy body and enhanced sweetness.

In this specific offering, the roaster highlights notes of stone fruits and grape juice. To better understand how these characteristics align with broader sensory profiles, you can consult our flavor wheel. For those interested in the technical nuances of how the honey process influences the final cup compared to other techniques, our processing methods explainer provides a detailed breakdown of the impact that mucilage retention has on the development of fruit-forward acidity and mouthfeel.