What Are the Flavor Profiles of Rwandan Coffee? Introduction to Twumba Coffee Washed Processing Plant

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Rwanda: The Land of a Thousand Hills and Exceptional Coffee

Rwanda has always been blessed with excellent coffee growing conditions: high altitude, volcanic soil, abundant sunshine, and rainfall. Since many coffee trees are planted on mountains between 1,700 and 2,000 meters above sea level, Rwanda is also known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills." Rwandan coffee offers a world-class experience - more balanced than Kenyan coffee yet distinctly comparable to Central American coffees. Generally, Rwandan coffee features fruity sweetness, floral aromatics, and black tea-like aftertaste.

Coffee production models often vary by producing country, but Rwandan coffee is entirely produced by small farmers rather than large-scale enterprises. Compared to Brazilian farms, where even small ones reach twenty hectares, Rwanda's 0.1-0.2 hectare farms are remarkably modest.

Here, farmers first pick coffee cherries by hand from coffee trees, then deliver them to processing stations where barefoot, singing farmers stomp them. These coffees are sweet, with clear lemon notes, and subtle hints of berries and chocolate.

For these developing countries, when specialty coffee gains attention and demand increases, coffee naturally becomes one of the main development directions for the nation, seeking continuous improvement and recognition in the international market.

After coffee beans are separated from the fruit, farmers use rakes and water to sort the beans individually, followed by sun-drying. Since coffee beans are sensitive to air humidity, whenever a breeze suddenly passes, farmers quickly cover them with tarps.

Twumba Coffee Washing Station

The Twumba Coffee Washing Station is located in Nyaruyaga Village, Gitabura Cell, Twumba Sector, Karongi District, Western Province of Rwanda. The area features highlands with very steep slopes flowing into valleys and adjacent Nyungwe National Forest. The altitude ranges from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level, with an average annual temperature of 18°C, varying with altitude.

In 2014, the owner of Twumba Coffee visited farmers in this region and was inspired by observing the beautiful coffee cultivation. He held brief meetings with farmers from surrounding areas, noting that the region's coffee washing station was distant from their farms. The CWS owner decided to establish a coffee washing station to support these agricultural communities, with the primary goal of encouraging them to collectively harvest coffee and improve agricultural systems, then connect with markets (since there was no favorable market for coffee cherries without washing stations in the area).

The coffee varieties grown in this region are Arabica, processed using clean water from natural springs in Nyungwe Forest, and dried on raised drying beds before being stored under good conditions. Sometimes, coffee cherries from single farms with high production and quality potential are tracked and consciously separated from other coffees to be sold as micro-lots.

Women's Coffee: Empowering Female Farmers

Due to the fact that women are primarily involved throughout the entire value chain, coffee processed in these regions is also known as "women's coffee." Of the collected coffee, 60% is provided by women, 50% of women are farm owners, and in CWS processing, 90% of employees are women.

Women sorting and grading coffee at the coffee washing station

As a member of the Women in Coffee Alliance, Tropic Coffee Company, a partner of Twumba Coffee, has a mission to ensure women are empowered in coffee communities to achieve sustainable livelihoods and to recognize women's participation in the coffee value chain.

With the support of Tropic Coffee Company, we ensure coffee quality is controlled from the farm level, and all farmers know that coffee cherries are harvested when fully ripe (red), and upon arrival at the coffee washing station, they are sorted to ensure the quality of processed cherries.

After the coffee washing station was established, producers and coffee farmers who supply coffee cherries and/or work at the coffee washing station have greatly benefited from their income, contributing to their livelihoods, providing education and insurance for their children. Their entire families and small businesses also support their agriculture.

Coffee Profile and Specifications

Grade: 1

Score: 90.53

Farm: TWUMBA Coffee

Farmer/Representative: YANDAGIYE Marthe

Altitude: 1,800-2,200m

Country: RWANDA

Year: 2018

Region: KARONGI

District: TWUMBA

Processing System: Washed and Natural

Variety: 100% Bourbon Arabica Coffee

Lot: TWUMBA COFFEE LOT 1

Village: NYARUYAGA

Cell: GITABURA

Sector: TWUMBA Area

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with 90-91°C water for about two minutes. This coffee features flavors of cherry, grape, and lime.

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 store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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