2018 Uganda Championship Coffee Bean Information: Discover Uganda's Premium Coffee Varieties

2018 Uganda Coffee Bean Championship Champion - Uganda TOH Champion Kawahibi/Kabeywa

Every year, major coffee-producing countries in Africa hold national green bean competitions called "Taste of Harvest" (TOH), similar to the Cup of Excellence in Central and South America. TOH has become the arena for discovering the best coffees from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Congo.

In the 2017 Taste of Harvest competition held in Uganda, "Kawacom/Kabeywa" won the championship!

Many people assume that Uganda only produces Robusta, but in the Mount Elgon region of Kapchorwa province in eastern Uganda, adjacent to Kenya, the coffee is as exceptional as premium Kenyan varieties. The "Kawacom Farmers' Group" that won the Taste of Harvest championship is located on Mount Elgon. Established in 2000 with 5,000 farmers, it has now expanded to include over 10,000 farmers. Individual farmers operate on a very small scale, owning between 200 to 500 coffee trees, intercropped with other crops such as bananas and soybeans, with an average farm area of only 0.5 hectares. Previously, farmers tended to process fresh cherries using simple depulpers. After Kawacom built first-class washing stations, they strongly encouraged farmers to deliver cherries to central processing plants to improve quality.

The varieties grown by Uganda farmers are SL14 and SL28. The SL varieties come from research and selection by Scott Laboratories. Kenyan coffee became world-famous for SL28 and SL34, leading the Ugandan government to vigorously promote and distribute SL seeds to farmers. Among these, SL14 not only offers excellent flavor but also possesses drought resistance and can be harvested just two years after planting, making it quite suitable for farmers' needs.

Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano, said to have once been Africa's highest peak. Local people believe that deities reside on the summit, far beyond mortal reach. When the deities are pleased, there is sufficient rain and dew, benefiting the entire mountainside where all things flourish with lush greenery. The coffee gardens of Kawacom members are scattered across Mount Elgon. After volcanic activity ceased, a massive crater formed at the summit of Mount Elgon, which then accumulated water to become a lake. Streams flowing from this lake irrigate the crops on the mountainside. During the rainy season, streams swell dramatically, forming spectacular waterfalls, among which the "Sipi" waterfall is the largest, with water cascading down 200 meters.

Kawacom Cooperative was the first organization in Africa to participate in an organic sustainability program. The "Sipi Organic Project" was launched in 2002, becoming the first coffee in Africa to receive UTZ CERTIFIED certification. Compost is used as fertilizer, and shade management is excellent. Kawacom's washing stations feature first-class equipment, centrally processing cherries delivered by farmers, with mechanical depulping performed on the same day, following strict washed processing protocols. Kawacom collects fresh cherries from nearby farmers at 9 locations, naming them according to different altitudes and collection points. The Kawacom that won this season's championship was collected at "Kabeywa." The runner-up bean also came from Kawacom, collected at Masira. In fact, in the 2017 new season, different batches from Kawacom secured 7 out of the top 10 positions in the TOH competition, including the top three positions being different batches of "Kawahibi" - truly remarkable!

Since 2015, Kawacom has not only produced washed processing but also small-batch natural processing. After removing unqualified floating beans, they undergo 3 weeks of natural sun-drying, during which the fresh fruits are constantly turned to avoid fermentation or mold, achieving very clean and rich flavors.

This Uganda TOH champion bean was grown by farmers near Kabeywa and naturally processed at Kawacom washing station. From the roaster:

"This bean completely transformed my perception of Ugandan coffee. Compared to Ethiopian and Kenyan origins, Ugandan coffee is like a rising star in the African specialty coffee scene. In today's world where natural processing is popular, elegant natural flavors combined with the unique characteristics of coffee origin are what fascinate me most. This Ugandan coffee is the first coffee that excited me in this year's new season. During the roasting phase, I used a smaller starting heat and a slower roasting rhythm to express the multi-layered flavors of this coffee. - agtron89"

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

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