Sun-Dried Burundi Flavor Profile and Aroma: Burundi Coffee Varieties and Prices

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Pour-over Burundi coffee. Using 15g of coffee grounds and a medium grind (ground with a Fuji Royal ghost-tooth grinder #4), with a V60 dripper at a water temperature of 88-89 degrees Celsius. First pour 30g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds. Continue pouring until reaching 105g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g in total. Discard the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, with a total extraction time of 2:00.

Burundi Coffee Origin

Burundi lies in the southern part of the equatorial region in East Africa. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, with Lake Tanganyika along its southwestern border. The country consists mainly of plateaus and mountains, largely formed by the eastern side of the East African Rift Valley highlands. Its average elevation is 1,600 meters, earning it the nickname "Mountain Country." More than half the country sits above the famous Lake Tanganyika. The capital is Bujumbura. The western lakeside and valley areas, as well as the eastern regions, have a tropical savanna climate, while the central-western region has a tropical highland climate. Average annual temperatures range from 20-24 degrees Celsius, with highs reaching up to 33 degrees. March to May is the heavy rainy season, October to December is the light rainy season, and the other months are the dry season.

Burundi Coffee Characteristics

Burundi coffee bears a striking resemblance to that of neighboring Rwanda, and coffees from the two countries are often confused. Burundi's coffee cultivation is dominated by the Bourbon variety, using traditional wet processing for the cherries. The main characteristics of its specialty coffee are elegant sweetness and bright citrus aromatics. This particular batch is a Bourbon variety micro-lot.

Variety: Bourbon

Processing Station: Pengjia Processing Station

Flavor Notes: Grape skin, orange wine, fermented fruits

This batch is a natural processed Bourbon micro-lot, with the production area at Pengjia Processing Station on Maldadi Peak in Kabuye District, Kayanza Province. The elevation is very high, with some mountain areas exceeding 2,000 meters above sea level. The soil is fertile and gravelly, making it extremely suitable for coffee cultivation, and the station is widely recognized as the best coffee processing station in Burundi.

Burundi Coffee Industry

Burundi has one of the world's most diverse and successful coffee industries, with its own unique character. Coffee was introduced by Belgian colonizers in 1930 and is now grown only on small farms. Unfortunately, many of these farms sit in areas bordering the frequently conflict-ridden Rwanda, which puts pressure on coffee production. Nearly all coffee produced in Burundi is Arabica, with trees in the Ngozi region planted above 1,200 meters. Burundi coffee has a rich, aromatic flavor and excellent acidity, with most exports going to the United States, Germany, Finland, and Japan.

Flavor Profile

Flavor Description: Rich aromas of raisins, blackberry jam, and ripe peaches. The front notes feature the sweet flavors of cranberry, citrus, and peach juice, while the rich sweetness of caramel and orange jam fills the entire cup. The fermented, wine-like aroma from natural processing is also very prominent, reminiscent of orange wine or peach flavors - truly a distinctive Burundi specialty coffee.

Bourbon Coffee

Bourbon coffee (French: Cafe Bourbon) is coffee produced from trees of the Bourbon cultivar of Arabica. It was originally cultivated on Reunion Island, which was called Ile Bourbon before 1789. The island was later occupied by France to connect with the African continent and Latin America, and it is now one of the two most popular Arabica coffee production regions in the world. Bourbon coffee is typically grown at elevations between 3,500 and 6,500 feet (1,062-1,972 meters).

Factory: FrontStreet Coffee
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
State: Roasted coffee beans
Origin: Other
Roast Level: Medium roast

Burundi Kayanza Kabuye Natural

Country: Burundi

Elevation: 1,750 meters

Region: Kayanza Kabuye

Roast Level: Medium roast

Processing Method: Natural

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For the tropical, ferment-forward character of a natural process, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Huakui is a natural companion to this Burundi micro-lot. It is defined by an extremely vivid tropical-fruit aroma of strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, and even lychee, with marked sweetness and almost no bitterness. Smooth and full of juice on the palate, it is often described as "the coffee that tastes least like coffee," and it can completely reset the expectations of anyone who dislikes bitter coffee.

If you prefer a cleaner, more floral cup, FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Yirgacheffe Gedingding Cooperative shows jasmine and bright citrus acidity, with green tea and honey notes from a medium-light roast. Because local smallholder yields are small, the cherries are centralized at the cooperative's skilled processing team from Gedingding village, and the washed method draws out its delicate, clean character. It is well suited to pour-over, cold brew, and espresso.

For those who enjoy a fuller, low-acid style, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Indonesia Golden Mandheling uses a deep roast with very little acidity and a thick, lingering body. The cup is full of herbal and dark chocolate aroma with a faint earthy note, and its rich layering suits drinkers who like a bold cup and shy away from acidity. PWN applies strict standards - beans of 18 screen and above, fewer than 3 defects per 300g green sample to meet the top G1 grade, and three rounds of hand sorting - which makes for a remarkably clean, sweet Mandheling.