Rwanda Coffee and Tanzania Coffee Beans: Flavor Characteristics, Taste Comparison, and Story Introduction

When it comes to African coffee, FrontStreet Coffee doesn't need to say much - most people will immediately mention Ethiopia and Kenya. After all, these two countries are the pillars of African coffee, the top leaders. However, other countries not deeply embedded in our memory are not without excellent coffee; they simply lack high recognition, making their names less prominent. Rwanda and Tanzanian coffees are both excellent African coffee choices that shouldn't be missed. This time, FrontStreet Coffee has generously put these two beans to the test, showing why FrontStreet Coffee chose these particular beans.

Rwanda

Rwandan Coffee Development

Rwanda is located in central Africa and is a landlocked country, with neighboring countries all being major coffee-producing nations. In the early 20th century, Rwanda successively became a colony of Germany and Belgium, with coffee first introduced by German missionaries. During colonial times, coffee production increased significantly, but exploitation of labor, suppression of coffee crop prices, and high export taxes meant that the quality of coffee beans was not ideal - a common phenomenon in commercial coffee development at that time. FrontStreet Coffee found that Brazil, which also experienced colonial rule, once produced coffee beans that emphasized quantity over quality, leading to a period where it carried a reputation for poor coffee quality.

It wasn't until after Rwanda's independence and the establishment of the first official coffee organization OCIR that attention gradually turned to coffee bean production. Rwanda's coffee production continued to grow from the 1960s to 1980s, reaching an unprecedented peak in 1986. It wasn't until political instability began in the early 1990s (Rwandan genocide) that the coffee industry stagnated. FrontStreet Coffee has recently acquired several batches of Rwandan coffee beans from different regions for two reasons: first, Rwanda's coffee industry is developing rapidly with guaranteed quality, and second, Rwanda is gradually forming distinct regional flavor profiles that differ from Ethiopia and Kenya.

Rwandan Coffee History

FrontStreet Coffee, through historical research, discovered that Rwanda was a German colony in the early 20th century, with coffee first introduced by German missionaries around 1904. By around 1930, coffee production had increased significantly. Rwanda was once the 9th largest Arabica coffee exporter in Africa, with approximately 450,000 small farmers, each averaging less than 1 hectare of cultivation area (about 165 coffee trees per farmer), totaling about 28,000 hectares. Coffee production areas are mainly distributed in the western half of the country and the central region near the capital Kigali.

Rwandan Coffee Processing Methods

In 2000, Rwanda, having just experienced political turmoil, received funding from USAID for two major coffee development programs, PEARL and SPREAD, aimed at supporting Rwanda's reconstruction. After implementation, Rwanda built 46 coffee washing stations, leading to significant economic growth through strong coffee bean exports. Therefore, Rwandan coffee beans currently mainly use the washed processing method. Ripe coffee cherries are hand-picked, pulp and skin removed, undergo 12-18 hours of washed fermentation, pectin thoroughly cleaned, and finally dried to below 14% moisture content.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that when Rwandan coffee beans were in their early development stage, establishing washed processing as the main method was a choice that could clearly highlight coffee flavors. Because washed processing is the method that best expresses the essential flavors of coffee, when FrontStreet Coffee recommends a particular coffee region, it also recommends washed coffee beans to customers first, allowing for a clearer understanding of that region's flavor characteristics. In the 2008 SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) annual coffee competition, Rwanda Aromec's premium washed Bourbon beans defeated Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 and Sumatra Mandheling G1 to win the 2008 Cup of Excellence championship, thereby establishing its reputation and price in the coffee world.

Tanzania

Tanzanian Coffee

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, stands in the northeastern part of Tanzania. FrontStreet Coffee, through online historical research, learned that Tanzania was under British colonial rule after World War I and gained independence in 1964. Bourbon variety coffee was first introduced in 1893, with green bean processing mainly using washed methods. High-altitude Tanzanian coffee of good quality, like Kenyan coffee, shows lively and bright acidity. Tanzania is located in central/eastern Africa and generally processes coffee using washed methods, resulting in bright (acidic) and quite delicious flavors. In East Africa, Kenya is certainly the main coffee producer, but Tanzania is actively catching up and producing many coffees of the same quality as Kenya. The uniqueness of Tanzanian coffee comes from three different plantations in northern Tanzania. One plantation is even located in the Mount Kilimanjaro range, Africa's highest mountain and the largest independent mountain foothill on Earth. This coffee grows at altitudes of 1,150 to 1,500 meters.

Washed Processing Method - FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzanian southern coffee beans are washed processed. Steps: After harvesting, select high-quality, sufficiently ripe fruits, complete depulping, naturally ferment for 12-24 hours, clean, soak in water for 24 hours, clean again, and finally sun-dry.

Variety - In 1898, Bourbon variety coffee was introduced to Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region by Catholic missionaries. Then Kent variety was also introduced in 1920. Currently, Tanzania has both Kent and Bourbon varieties. FrontStreet Coffee's beans from the southern region are Bourbon variety. Bourbon coffee cherries are short, round, with dense pulp and seeds. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that Bourbon coffee usually has high sweetness and bright acidity. This coffee's yield is 20-30% higher than Typica, but it's still considered a low-yield variety and equally susceptible to leaf rust disease.

Tanzanian Coffee Bean Grading System

Tanzania's coffee grading system is the same as Kenya's, graded by bean size, including AA, AB, PB, etc.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans input

Rwanda

Since Rwandan coffee beans have fresh acidity, to highlight this flavor, FrontStreet Coffee recommends medium-light roasting. The darker the roast level, the more the fruit acid tones will be lost.

When FrontStreet Coffee cupped this Rwandan washed coffee bean, the aroma showed clear citrus, cherry tomato, and grass notes, with overall flavors expressing bright acidity, citrus, berries, nuts, and a honey-sweet aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee: Rwanda · Gaseke

Region: Nyamasheke region, Rwanda

Processing Station: Gaseke Washing Station

Altitude: 1500m

Variety: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai

Processing Method: Washed processing

Tanzania

FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzanian coffee is washed-processed Typica variety. Typica is recognized as a high-quality coffee variety. Tanzania uses a coffee bean grading system similar to Kenya's, based on bean size, and FrontStreet Coffee's Tanzanian coffee is AA grade, meaning 90% are screen 18 or larger, so the coffee beans appear large, plump, and uniform.

FrontStreet Coffee's cupping of this bean showed flavors of citrus, berries, honey, and tea-like notes.

FrontStreet Coffee: Tanzania · Kilimanjaro

Region: Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Altitude: 1300m～2000m

Variety: Typica

Processing Method: Washed processing

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Dose: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15

Grind: EK43s setting 10 (80% pass-through on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing Recommendations: FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. Using a small stream, pour in a circle to 125g, then segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop pouring. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. Extraction time is 2'00" (starting from bloom timer).

Flavor Descriptions

Rwanda

Floral and berry aromas, with distinct citrus, berries, and plum on entry, nutty notes in the middle, and caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.

Tanzania

Floral, berries, citrus, nuts.

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Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473