Uganda AA-Bugisu Arabica Washed Bean Grading | Wugar A Washed, Drugar

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Uganda AA - Bugisu Arabica | Grading of Washed Typica | Differences from Wugar A Washed and Drugar Natural Beans?

Uganda is located at the source of the Nile River and is a landlocked country in Africa that does not border the sea. Although it shares a long history of coffee production with other East African countries, ethnic conflicts and wars have consistently hindered improvements in coffee quality. Most high-quality coffee is grown in regions bordering Kenya, with some fine coffee beans being transported to Kenya and sold as Kenyan coffee. It was only 15 years ago, after the cessation of war, that Uganda emerged as a rapidly developing coffee nation. Uganda is a country blessed with dense, lush forests, lakes, wetlands, and abundant water resources from rivers. Coffee is Uganda's largest agricultural commodity and highest foreign exchange earner. Approximately 500,000 coffee farms are engaged in coffee-related agriculture, accounting for 25% of the total population. Coffee trees are predominantly robusta varieties that grow vigorously, accounting for about 94%, while only 6% are traditional Arabica varieties. These rare coffee beans grow in tropical rainforests and are mostly exported to countries around the world.

Domestically, 82% of the people engage in agriculture, mostly small-scale farming. Coffee is one of the main agricultural products, accounting for 25% of export foreign exchange earnings. It is said that to improve coffee bean quality, the government requires coffee farmers to follow guidelines for cultivating and processing coffee beans, with violations resulting in imprisonment.

Most of Uganda's coffee is directly cultivated by small-scale producers on the southern and western slopes of Mount Elgon. Mount Elgon is located on the border between Uganda and Kenya, and BUGISU Bugisu coffee is grown on Mount Elgon, benefiting from special climate and geographical conditions. However, its export value on the international market is much lower than that of Arabica coffee from Kenya and Tanzania. This is mainly due to insufficient refinement in coffee bean processing from harvest to processing, resulting in lower prices. However, unique African berry notes and unparalleled spice aromas are the characteristics of Bugisu coffee.

Bugishu is about a 5-hour drive from the capital Kampala. Mbale serves as the coffee distribution center for Bugisu, hosting many trading companies and coffee storage facilities. Therefore, some exporters mark "Mbale" as a green bean label, followed by grade levels such as AA or A, though these actually belong to the Bugishu region. Bugishu coffee farmers are called "Shambas," and they interplant bananas and cassava among coffee trees as food crops. Coffee is almost their only cash income, used to pay for medical expenses, household needs, and education costs. Local small farmers conduct small-scale washed processing during the coffee harvest period, then concentrate in Mbale for sales and subsequent drying processing and grading procedures. In the capital Kampala, there are larger-scale integrated processing plants and exporters.

This batch of Uganda Bugishu AA coffee differs significantly from neighboring Kenyan beans. The acidity is not as bright, and it lacks the occasional wine aroma found in early Bugishu, but the sweetness and spice notes are excellent. The body is as good as this year's Kenyan beans!

Bugishu (also spelled Bugisu), in terms of acidity, Rwandan coffee is the brightest and most lively, followed by Burundi, while Ugandan coffee has the softest acidity. In terms of mouthfeel and body, each has its own merits, and all belong to excellent body coffee types. As for aroma, Ugandan is the gentlest, Rwandan is the most prominent, and Burundi is the most straightforward. Looking at the 2004-2005 harvest period, high-altitude premium beans from East Africa were actually very aromatic, with clearly defined flavor characteristics.

Uganda's Geographical Conditions and Climate: Uganda is a landlocked country that does not border the sea but has Lake Victoria. To the east lies Kenya, to the west is Zaire (now the Republic of Congo), to the north is Sudan, and to the south is Tanzania. Due to the many mountains within the country and the moderating effect of Lake Victoria, Uganda enjoys a mild climate despite straddling both sides of the equator, making it naturally suitable for growing fine coffee.

Uganda can be called the mother of African Robusta. In recent years, it has also produced excellent high-altitude Arabica varieties. In 1860, Robusta coffee was discovered around Lake Victoria, and to this day, wild Robusta varieties still exist locally.

In the early 20th century, Arabica varieties were introduced from Malawi in southeastern Africa. Arabica varieties are mainly cultivated in the Bugishu region (along the slopes of Mount Elgon) and the Wugars region. The sales regions, grades, and labels for Arabica varieties include: Bugisu AA, Bugisu A (both washed processed), Wugar A (washed), and small quantities of natural processed Drugar.

93% of the country's total coffee green bean production is used for export to earn foreign exchange (including both Arabica and Robusta varieties).

Main harvest period for Arabica varieties: October to February of the following year, with a secondary harvest period in August.

Robusta varieties (northern regions of the country, north of the equator): October to February; Robusta varieties (southern regions of the country, south of the equator): May to August.

Main cultivated Arabica varieties include: Bourbon and Kent (though in recent years, continuous testing of improved new varieties has been ongoing).

Uganda coffee grading follows the same system as Kenya, with AA grade being the best. This grading represents uniform and consistent coffee bean size. However, this grading system varies according to the evaluation of each estate. For example, Estate A's beans are superior to Estate B's, so even Estate A's AB beans would be better than Estate B's AA beans. Coffee sales use both specialty auction and direct sales channels. If the refinement of processing procedures and the removal of defective beans are strengthened, better sales can be achieved given the persistently high prices of Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee.

Too many empty shell beans, defective beans, and unsuccessfully fermented coffee beans in Uganda have prevented quality improvements and resulted in poor harvests and prices. In the 2010 new season, AA grade coffee from the Bugisu region was introduced. The coffee green beans display a deep green color, and from their appearance, one can see they are traditional Arabica beans, approximately 18-19 screen size.

Light Roast - End of First Crack (City): After grinding, there are obvious peanut and almond nut aromas. During brewing, the grass jelly aroma carries fermented notes typical of natural processed beans. The mouthfeel is thin and not complex, with strong tea-like sensations. The hawthorn fruit acidity is not strong, with a quick transition from sour to sweet. The aftertaste has fruity sweetness and麦茶 aroma.

Dark Roast - Beginning of Second Crack (Full City): After grinding, there are aromas of bitter chocolate and almonds. After brewing, the coffee reveals hints of spice amid black chocolate notes, with sweet flavors of banana and pineapple dried fruit. The mouthfeel is rich and mellow with abundant oils and extremely low acidity. As the coffee cools slightly, the rich and mellow chocolate aftertaste transforms into distinct, sweet brown sugar water sweetness.

Flavor Profile: Uganda AA - Bugisu has the traditional East African Arabica coffee characteristics of fruity sweetness and rich, mellow mouthfeel, but fermented aromas and low acidity are relatively rare. It is a coffee bean suitable for dark roasting to achieve rich ester sensations and intensity. It features fruity sweetness, rich and mellow mouthfeel, with fermented aromas and low acidity characteristics.

Coffee Details

Region: Bugisu
Grade: AA
Altitude: 1600-1900m
Varietals: Typica
Processing: Washed

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60
Water Temperature: 90°C
Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5
Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

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

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