Colombia Cauca Valley Caicedonia | The Flavor Profile of Sudan Rume RS-510 Variety Exclusive Competition Beans

Colombia Caicedonia, Cauca Valley | Sudan Rume RS-510 Variety Exclusive Competition Bean Flavor?

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What Exactly is Sudan Rume?

Discovered in 1942 in the Boma Plateau region of southeastern Sudan Republic, very close to the Ethiopian border, Sudan Rume is also known to the coffee world by the code RS-510. It is essentially a wild coffee variety native to the African tropical forests of the Marsabit mountain range, characterized by its bronze-colored leaves. When breeding experts need to create new coffee varieties, RS-510 can be said to be the most useful Arabica genetic source. For example, when genes from high-yield, poor-flavor varieties are crossbred with RS-510, varieties with good flavor and better yield can usually be obtained, because RS-510's flavor is extremely stunning, but its disease resistance is average and its yield is very low. Crossbreeding RS-510 with better-growing varieties allows coffee farmers to have new hybrids with high yield, strong disease resistance, and drinkable quality. Many well-known modern varieties, such as Castillo, Centroamericano, or Colombia, were developed using this technique.

Challenges and Cultivation

However, Sudan Rume itself, due to its low yield and small bean size, is difficult to promote for cultivation, and most farms are unwilling to plant it. This is why before Sasa, few people had heard of this bean variety. The Sudan Rume used by Sasa comes from Las Nubes estate in Colombia, located in the Cauca Valley. The Sudan Rume he brought to the world competition was actually Las Nubes' first harvest.

This Sudan Rume from La Cabra comes from "Finca Las Margaritas," under the renowned Granja La Esperanza group in Colombia.

Finca Las Margaritas: Perfect Growing Conditions

Margarita's altitude ranges between 1550-1800 meters, with temperatures between 64℉-74℉, quite mild climate, but the mountain terrain is steep, and when coffee trees are planted until harvest, strict maturity is required. Among several farms in Granja La Esperanza, Margarita is more like a rare variety experimental field. Rare varieties sought by the Granja owner from friends in Latin America or other sources, all rare varieties in Colombia, including Geisha, Mokka, Pacamara, different rare Bourbon varieties such as Pointed Bourbon, and Sudan Rume, are experimentally planted at Margarita.

Exceptional Quality and Advantages

After actual cultivation, they found that Sudan Rume is very suitable for the microclimate of Finca Las Margaritas in the Andes Mountains, especially at altitudes between 1700-1800 meters, where the flavor is even more outstanding, completely not inferior to Granja La Esperanza's Geisha (for example, Blue Hill and Margarita's Geisha)! The difference is that Sudan Rume does not need to supplement soil nutrients as much as Geisha, so for Granja, planting Sudan Rume is much simpler than planting Geisha!

Both Las Nubes and this Margarita are in Colombia's Cauca Valley, but Las Nubes is at 1600 meters altitude, while this Sudan Rume is planted at close to 1800 meters, so even sweeter flavor can be expected!

Cultivation Challenges

But of course, compared to other Arabica beans, Sudan Rume's yield is still much lower, and it very much needs phosphate fertilizer. Like Geisha, Sudan Rume tends to grow very tall, with cherries scattered throughout the branches, requiring frequent pruning to maintain good picking height. Another problem is that the cherry maturity period is very uneven, and when picking, very precise distinction must be made. Sometimes one unripe or overripe cherry can potentially destroy the flavor of the entire cup of coffee!

Coffee Details

Region: Caicedonia, Valle Del Cauca

Estate: Finca Las Margaritas

Farmer: Granja La Esperanza, Rigoberto Herrera Correa

Altitude: 1780 meters

Variety: Sudan Rume

Planting Area: 3 hectares (area planted with Sudan Rume)

Temperature: Average 23°C

Processing: Washed

Flavor: Cranberry, apple, jasmine, vanilla, apricot, very sweet, smooth texture

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder 3.5

Brewing Method: Water to coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee, first pour 25g water, 25s bloom, second pour to 120g water then pause, wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour, slowly pour until reaching 225g water, extraction time around 2:00

Analysis: Using three-stage brewing to clearly define the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and faster drainage speed, pausing the pour can extend the extraction time.

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