Burundi Coffee Beans: Varieties, Flavor Profiles, and Growing Regions

Burundi Coffee: A Hidden Gem from the Heart of Africa

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Burundi coffee shares remarkable similarities with its neighboring country Rwanda, and coffees from these two nations are often confused. Burundi's coffee cultivation is predominantly Bourbon variety, using traditional wet processing methods for coffee cherries. The main characteristics of its specialty coffee are elegant sweetness and bright citrus aromatics. This particular batch is a Bourbon variety micro-lot.

Coffee Details

Variety: Bourbon

Processing Station: Pangya Processing Station

Flavor Notes: Grape skin, orange wine, fermented fruits

This batch is a natural-processed Bourbon micro-lot, from the Pangya Processing Station in Maldati Peak, Kabuye District, Kayanza Province. The growing region has extremely high altitude, with mountainous areas exceeding 2000 meters above sea level. The soil is fertile with gravelly texture, making it exceptionally suitable for coffee cultivation. It's widely recognized as Burundi's best coffee processing station.

Burundi's Coffee Heritage

Burundi has one of the world's most diverse and successful coffee industries, with its own unique characteristics. Coffee was introduced to the country by Belgian colonists in 1930 and is now grown only on small farms. Unfortunately, many of these farms are located in border areas adjacent to conflict-ridden Rwanda, which creates pressure on coffee production. Nearly all coffee produced in Burundi is Arabica, with coffee trees in Ngozi planted at altitudes above 1200 meters. Burundi coffee is known for its aromatic richness and excellent acidity, with most exports going to the United States, Germany, Finland, and Japan.

Tasting Profile

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

Bourbon Coffee Heritage

Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) is coffee produced from Arabica coffee trees of the Bourbon cultivar. Bourbon coffee was initially cultivated in Réunion, which was called Bourbon Island (Île Bourbon) before 1789. It was later occupied by France and connected to the African continent and Latin America. It remains one of the two most popular Arabica coffee production regions globally. Bourbon coffee is typically grown at altitudes of 3500 to 6500 feet (1062–1972 meters).

Burundi Geography & Climate

Burundi is located in east-central Africa, south of the equator. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, with southwestern shores along Lake Tanganyika. The country consists mainly of plateaus and mountains, largely formed by the eastern plateau of the East African Rift Valley. The national average altitude is 1600 meters, earning it the name "mountain country." More than half of its territory lies on the famous Lake Tanganyika. The capital is Bujumbura. The western lakeshore, valleys, and eastern regions have a tropical savanna climate, while the central-western region has a tropical mountain climate. The average annual temperature is 20–24°C, with highs reaching up to 33°C. March to May is the heavy rainy season, October to December is the light rainy season, and other months are dry season.

Product Information

Brand: FrontStreet Coffee

Address: No. 10, Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou

Contact: 020-38364473

Shelf Life: 90 days

Net Weight: 227g

Packaging: Bulk coffee beans

Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans

Origin: Other

Roast Degree: Medium roast

Coffee Specifications

Burundi Kayanza Kabuye Natural

Country: Burundi

Altitude: 1750 meters

Region: Kayanza Kabuye

Roast Level: Medium roast

Processing Method: Natural

Brewing Instructions

Hand-pour brewing for Burundi coffee: Use 15g of coffee grounds, medium grind (Fujimaru grinder #4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g and pause, wait until the water level drops to half, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Avoid the final tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio: 1:15. Extraction time: 2:00.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473