Coffee Flavor Profile of Burundi (Heart of Africa) and Introduction to Double Washing Coffee Processing Method

The Development of Burundi Coffee

Coffee cultivation in Burundi began in the 1920s when Belgian colonizers brought coffee trees to the country, establishing the coffee planting industry. To ensure stable development of the coffee industry, Belgian colonizers issued regulations requiring farmers to care for at least 50 coffee trees each. When Burundi declared independence in 1962, coffee cultivation and production officially transitioned to private enterprise.

Burundi: Heart of Africa

Burundi is situated in the steep terrain of the East African Rift Valley, with complex topography. More than 800,000 Burundian families depend on coffee cultivation for their livelihood. Most of these are small-scale coffee gardens where coffee is intercropped with other crops, cultivated manually without mechanical equipment. Coffee grows at high altitudes between 1,400-1,700 meters. The coffee tree varieties are predominantly Bourbon and its variants, with both washed and semi-washed processing methods. Previously, most coffee was exported to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, and the United States.

Burundi's coffee mainly comes from five major producing regions, with the most famous coffee-producing areas including Kayanza, Ngozi, Mumirwa, Buyenzi, and Kirimiro districts. Burundi's coffee production model is similar to Ethiopia's, with predominance from small farmers who deliver their respective harvested ripe berries to processing stations for unified processing.

Using double-washed processing, after removing the peel and pulp from the berries, they are soaked and cleaned in water tanks, then placed on racks to sun-dry. The coffee beans are almost completely free of defects, with uniform size and moisture content. Coffee processed this way carries an extremely clean taste and bright flavor profile. Flavor characteristics: wild taste with strong lingering flavors and aromas, citrus acidity and tea notes, light acidity, rich texture, plum, kumquat, lemon, dried fruits, caramel, smooth mouthfeel, saturated aromas, rich and persistent finish.

Coffee Varieties

The main coffee variety is Bourbon, grown at altitudes of 1,400-1,700 meters. The high altitude produces brighter acidity and lemon notes, along with flavors of passion fruit, pineapple, floral notes, and honey, with quality reaching SCA scores above 86 points.

Coffee harvested by small farmers undergoes traditional washed processing. After removing the berry skin, they are soaked and cleaned in water tanks, then placed on racks to sun-dry.

Like other East African countries, Burundi has its own special processing method - double washing (or double fermentation). Coffee processed this way carries an extremely clean and bright flavor profile.

FrontStreet Coffee's Burundi Heart of Africa Flavor Profile

Brewing Parameters

Brewing Process

1. First pour 30 grams of water, let bloom for 30 seconds.

2. After blooming, pour a second 95 grams of water, with the scale reading 125 grams.

3. Wait for the water level to drop to half, then pour a third 100 grams of water just before the coffee bed is exposed, with the scale reading 225 grams. After pouring, wait for the coffee to finish filtering.

Total extraction time is 1 minute and 56 seconds.

Flavor Description

Aroma of citrus and tea, with black plum and citrus flavors upon entry, rich mouthfeel, followed by nutty and caramel sweetness in the middle to later stages. Wild taste with strong lingering flavors and aromas in the mouth, rich and persistent finish.

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