Hand Pour Parameters Recommendations for Rwanda Mushuoni Processing Plant Washed Bourbon Specialty Coffee Beans

Pour-Over Rwanda Brewing Method

15g coffee powder, medium-fine grind (Fuji Ghost Tooth 3.5 setting), V60 dripper, 90-92°C water temperature. First pour 30g water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the water level drops to half, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, total extraction time 2:00.

Processing Method

Fully washed, raised-bed sun-drying.

Coffee Production Story

Rwanda coffee, like many African countries, is primarily produced by small-scale farmers. During the harvest season each year, farmers bring their ripe coffee cherries to processing stations. During the harvest period, farmers pick ripe coffee berries and concentrate them at the stations. First, manual selection ensures no unripe or damaged fruit is mixed in. Then the fruit skin is removed, followed by a 12-18 hour washed fermentation in cool, low-temperature conditions. After fermentation, the adhering pulp is cleaned off in channels. During the raised-bed drying process, processing station members manually turn the beans with careful attention, ensuring that under adequate sun exposure the parchment beans do not lose moisture or dry unevenly, until the bean moisture content stabilizes below 14%.

We have introduced several specialty coffees from the Nyamasheke region of Rwanda in the past. This carefully selected Mushonyi comes from the Rutsiro region, north of Nyamasheke and also situated along Lake Kivu. High altitude, fertile volcanic soil, and an excellent climate create high-quality coffee. This batch is a direct-trade batch purchased from the processing plant, the freshest batch from the 2015 harvest season (approximately June to September).

Coffee Details

Variety: BM-139 (Bourbon)

Processing Station: Mushonyi Processing Station

Owner: 1,756 small-scale member farmers (each small farmer grows approximately 253 trees)

Flavor Profile: Red apple, cherry, cinnamon, honey

The Mushonyi Processing Station's award record is astonishing. In addition to winning the Cup of Excellence championship in 2010, they secured champion, 12th place, 16th place, and 28th place with four different batches in 2011 alone.

Rwanda can be said to be a rapidly developing specialty coffee-producing country in East Africa. Besides the fresh memory of the Rwandan genocide, the improvement in its specialty coffee quality has also been very rapid. This year we have cupped several Rwandan coffees with fresh, clean textures and very beautiful, elegant acidity.

Tasting Notes for This Batch

Red apple, cherry, cinnamon, and honey, with excellent sweetness and balance, and a cinnamon, almond, and chocolate aftertaste.

Coffee Specification

Rwanda West Province Rutsiro Mushonyi CWS Bourbon

Country: Rwanda

Region: Western Province, Rutsiro Region

Altitude: 1,827 meters

Rainfall: >1,500mm

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Rwanda's clean, elegant washed coffees have a lot in common with the bright African single origins in FrontStreet Coffee's selection. Their Kenya Small Tomato, a washed Kenyan bean grown at 1550-1750 meters, leads with tomato and sour-plum notes over a juicy body, and the washed Yirgacheffe Gidingding offers citrus, berry, and white florals with a green-tea finish. Both show the crisp, tea-like clarity that makes a well-processed washed coffee so rewarding.