Pour-Over Coffee Bean Recommendations: What Coffee Beans to Use for Pour-Over Coffee - Burundi Kayanza Cooperative Buyi

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

Burundi has quietly become one of East Africa's most interesting coffee origins. This article from FrontStreet Coffee looks at a washed lot from the Kayanza region and explains how the country's cooperative system shapes the way its coffee is processed.

FrontStreet Coffee - Pour-over Coffee Bean Recommendations

What Coffee Beans to Use for Pour-over Coffee

Product Name: FrontStreet Coffee Burundi Kayanza Province Kayanza Cooperative Bwayi Processing Station Washed

(Burundi Kayanza Sogestal Kayanza Bwayi CWS Bourbon Washed)

Flavor Description:

Citrus notes, mesona grass, slight minty tones, orange juice-like vibrant acidity, thick and juicy, sweet aftertaste.

Origin Information:

Country: Burundi

Region: Kayanza

Variety: Bourbon

Altitude: 1,800 meters

Annual Rainfall: N/A

Soil: N/A

Grade: AA

Processing Method: Washed

Harvest Period: May to August

Pour-over Parameter Recommendations:

Recommended filter: V60, grinding degree: Fuji 3.5 scale, water temperature: 90-92°C, powder-to-water ratio: 1:15, 15g of powder to brew 225g of water, total brewing time: 2 minutes 10 seconds

Introduction:

Kayanza Province lies in northern Burundi, on the border between Burundi and Rwanda. Kayanza can produce high-quality coffee for two main reasons: first, its high-altitude climate, and second, its excellent washing facilities and equipment.

Coffee grown in Burundi is mostly the Bourbon variety, though varieties such as Jackson have been introduced in recent years. Bourbon has a distinct aroma, and Burundi-grown Bourbon has ample sweetness, with acidity that is elegant rather than bright. It should be quite competitive on the international market, but earlier civil unrest and various other problems slowed the industry's development, and Burundi's reputation is not yet strong enough, so international evaluations remain limited. Burundi's main famous coffee regions include Kayanza, Ngozi, Mumirwa, Buyenzi, and Kirimiro.

Bwayi Washing Station (Bwayi CWS) is one of the washing stations under the Kayanza Cooperative (Sogestal Kayanza). Burundi currently has seven major coffee cooperatives. These seven Sogestals are established mainly by production area and geography, and are responsible for managing washing stations, post-processing, quality control coordination, and sales. They are: Kayanza, Kirimiro, Kirundo/Muyinga, Ngozi, Mumirwa, Sonicoff, and Coprotra.

Each cooperative sets up local washing stations based on geography so it can serve nearby smallholder members. The processed green beans are then handed up to the cooperative for the remaining steps, including dry processing, grading, and sales, all handled by the Sogestal.

Cherries at the processing station all go through complete washing and fermentation. After fermentation, the coffee is moved to a shaded area for preliminary pulping to protect it from direct sunlight. It is then moved to drying racks in the sun and turned constantly to ensure even exposure. Through this stage, the outer skin of the coffee stays intact. The flavor description of this FrontStreet Coffee Burundi washed lot: citrus notes, mesona grass, slight minty tones, orange juice-like vibrant acidity, thick and juicy, sweet aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The V60 is the classic tool for pour-over, and it is a natural partner for the kind of bright, aromatic coffee Burundi produces. FrontStreet Coffee leans toward the resin version of the Hario V60: Hario was founded in Tokyo in 1921 and redesigned the V60 in 2004 before launching it in 2005, and its 60-degree cone and single large hole give the brewer a lot of control over flow. FrontStreet's resin V60 is favored because resin limits heat loss and holds the smallest dimensional error in mass production.

For coffees that sing in a V60, FrontStreet Coffee often points to the Yirgacheffe Guodingding, which carries citrus, berry, and floral notes with a green tea finish, and the Ethiopia Huakui, whose tropical fruit aromas of strawberry, passion fruit, and jackfruit make it one of the most approachable specialty coffees around. If you want a more structured cup, the Kenya Cherry Tomato comes from the Sika region at 1,550-1,750 meters, grown from SL28 and SL34 and given Kenya's 72-hour double washed fermentation; it is roasted light to keep its lively acidity, with cherry tomato and smoked plum up front and a clean yellow-sugar and green tea finish.