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Rwanda Washed Bourbon Coffee Bean Characteristics and Rwanda Washed Bourbon Coffee Brewing Methods

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional barista exchanges welcome to follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style). Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) is coffee produced from Arabica coffee Bourbon cultivar trees. Bourbon coffee was initially cultivated in Réunion, which was also called Bourbon Island (le Bourbon) before 1789. It was later occupied by the French to connect with the African continent and Latin America

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Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) is a coffee produced from Arabica coffee Bourbon cultivar trees. Bourbon coffee was initially cultivated in Réunion, which was also called Bourbon Island (Île Bourbon) before 1789. It was later occupied by France and connected to the African continent and Latin America. It is now one of the two most popular Arabica coffee production regions in the world. Bourbon coffee is typically grown at altitudes of 3,500 to 6,500 feet (1,062–1,972 meters).

Bourbon Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Bourbon

Related: Heirloom variety

Origin: Bourbon Island

Best grown at: 800 meters and above

Type: Heirloom variety

Commonly found in: Suitable coffee-growing regions worldwide

Main color: Red, yellow, and orange, but primarily red

Fruit size: Medium

Leaf characteristics: Broad and short

Processing method: Washed, dried on raised African beds

Rwanda Coffee Processing

Like many African countries, Rwanda coffee is primarily produced by small-scale farmers. During the annual harvest season, farmers gather ripe coffee cherries and send them to processing stations. Farmers pick ripe coffee berries and concentrate them at processing stations for treatment. First, manual selection ensures no unripe or damaged fruits are mixed in. Next, the fruit skin is removed, followed by a 12-18 hour washed fermentation process in cool, low-temperature environments. Then, the attached mucilage is thoroughly cleaned in channels. During the drying process on raised beds, processing station members manually turn and carefully tend to the beans, ensuring that under sufficient sunlight, the parchment beans do not lose moisture or experience uneven drying until the bean's moisture content stabilizes below 14%.

Brewing Recommendations

Hand-pour Rwanda: 15g of coffee, medium-fine grind (Fuji Royal grinder #3.5), V60 dripper, water temperature 90-92°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the water level drops halfway, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Avoid the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Mushonyi Coffee - A Premium Selection

We have imported several specialty coffees from the Nyamasheke region of Rwanda. This carefully selected Mushonyi comes from the Rutsiro region, located north of Nyamasheke, also situated on the shores of Lake Kivu. High altitude, fertile volcanic soil, and excellent climate create premium coffee quality. We will continue to deeply explore this gem-like producing region of Rwanda. This batch is a direct trade batch purchased from the processing plant - the latest fresh harvest from the 2015 season (approximately June to September)!!

Coffee Details

Variety: BM-139 (Bourbon)

Processing Station: Mushonyi Washing Station

Farm Owners: 1,756 member smallholders (each smallholder farms approximately 253 trees)

Flavor: Red apple, cherry, cinnamon, honey

[Mushonyi Washing Station's award record is truly impressive. Besides winning the Cup of Excellence championship in 2010, they secured four positions in 2011 alone: championship, 12th place, 16th place, and 28th place!!!]

Rwanda's Rising Coffee Excellence

Rwanda can be described as a rapidly developing specialty coffee-producing country in East Africa. In addition to the fresh memory of its tragic genocide story, the quality of its specialty coffee has also improved rapidly. This year, we cupped several Rwandan coffees with fresh textures and very elegant, refined acidity worth noting.