Introduction to Ancient Coffee Varieties from Xiaozhu Manor: Rume Sudan Coffee - Frequently Used in Variety Development

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The world of coffee is vast, and it's hard to say just how big it is. However, what can be said is that we still know very little about the current varieties of coffee. Take Ethiopia, for example. Since it can be called the "coffee gene bank," it indicates that all global coffee varieties have originated from Ethiopia, and Ethiopia itself still has many undiscovered coffee varieties.

The coffee varieties we commonly encounter are basically Bourbon, Typica, and Geisha. Today, FrontStreet Coffee wants to share with you an ancient coffee variety - Rume Sudan!

Rume Sudan

Rume Sudan, also known as RUME SUDAN or SUDAN RUME, is a wild and ancient coffee variety! In the coffee pedigree, Rume Sudan's history is even longer than that of Typica and Bourbon coffee.

When mentioning African coffee-producing countries, Ethiopia is definitely on the list, but South Sudan's beans are rarely heard of. In fact, South Sudan, besides Ethiopia, is a country with wild coffee varieties! The coffee here, like in Ethiopia, grows in natural conditions, meaning coffee grows in forest-like environments, coexisting with other plants. This region can be described as a gene bank of coffee varieties, with many coffee varieties being separated from this vast gene pool.

The Rume Sudan variety was discovered in 1940 in the Rume Valley of the Boma Plateau in southeastern South Sudan, near the Ethiopian border. Known by its code RS-510 in the coffee world, it is essentially a wild coffee variety native to the African tropical forests of the Marsabit Mountains, characterized by its bronze-colored leaves.

It wasn't until 2015 that Rume Sudan beans gained attention as the competition beans used by WBC champion Sasa. Rume Sudan coffee trees are tall, with moderate branch spacing and branch bud spacing, and have strong disease resistance, especially to coffee berry disease.

Rume Sudan coffee variety is rarely encountered. Although its disease resistance is relatively strong, due to its low yield, it is rarely cultivated on a large commercial scale. It is basically used for variety research and development to enhance coffee flavor and improve disease resistance. By crossing RS-510 with better-growing varieties, coffee farmers can obtain new hybrid varieties with high yield, strong disease resistance, and good drinkability. Many well-known modern varieties, such as Ruiru 11, F1 hybrids, etc., have been developed this way.

Variety Characteristics

• Deep green, wide leaves
• Medium branch bud spacing
• Medium branch spacing
• Small and elongated bean shape

Although Rume Sudan is highly regarded for its amazing flavor and excellent resistance to coffee berry disease, compared to most Arabica varieties, Rume Sudan not only has low yield but is also relatively difficult to cultivate, requiring more daily care.

Therefore, in the past, few estates conducted large-scale commercial cultivation. It was basically used for variety research and development to obtain better plant disease resistance and coffee flavor.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica, located in the Central American Isthmus, produces coffee beans at high altitudes that are world-renowned for being rich, mild in flavor, but extremely acidic. The coffee beans here are carefully processed, which is why they have high quality. Costa Rica is located in the Tarrazú region south of the country's capital San José, and it is one of the country's important coffee-growing areas.

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America where coffee was introduced for cultivation, with a long history and a complete system from production to sales. Located in the Central American Isthmus, the volcanic soil is very fertile and well-drained, especially in the Central Plateau. The coffee-growing areas here have fertile volcanic ash from volcanic terrain, mild and suitable temperatures, and stable, abundant rainfall, making coffee one of the main agricultural products. Its coffee beans are all Arabica varieties. With pure flavor and pleasant aroma, they have impeccable balance in both acidity and mouthfeel. The coffee beans are full, with ideal acidity and unique, strong aroma.

Its coffee beans are all Arabica varieties. With pure flavor and pleasant aroma, they have impeccable balance in both acidity and mouthfeel. The coffee beans are full, with ideal acidity and unique, strong aroma.

Washed Processing Method

Washed Processing Method

Screen coffee cherries — remove pulp — ferment — wash — dry — hull.

Put the screened coffee cherries into a pulper to initially remove their skin and pulp; put the coffee beans with residual pulp and pectin into water to ferment for about 24 hours; after fermentation, put the parchment coffee beans into flowing water channels to wash away their pulp and pectin; after washing, dry the coffee beans in the sun or with a dryer to reduce the moisture content to about 12%. Finally, remove the parchment from the coffee beans.

Representative Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Rume Sudan Coffee Beans

Costa Rica Rume Sudan

Region: Southern Costa Rica

Estate: Thousand Coffee Ten Thousand Flavors Estate

Altitude: 1250-1380m

Variety: Rume Sudan

Processing Method: Washed

Roasting Curve

When the bean entry temperature is set at 175°C, the yellowing point occurs at 5 minutes 40 seconds, entering first crack at 9'27", with 1'28" development after first crack before discharging at 191.5°C.

Enter beans at 175°C, heat at 120, damper at 3; return to temperature point at 1'42" at 98.9°C; when the roaster temperature reaches 140°C, open the damper to 4, heat unchanged; when the roaster temperature reaches 151.2°C, the bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage; when the roaster temperature reaches 166°C, adjust heat to 110°C, damper at 4; when the roaster temperature reaches 183.3°C, heat unchanged, open damper to 5; when the roaster temperature reaches 188°C, reduce heat to 50, damper unchanged.

At 9'27", first crack begins, damper unchanged, develop for 1'45" after first crack, discharge at 194.8°C.

Cupping Notes

During cupping, you can experience very distinct citrus notes, cream, slight oolong tea sensation, berry-like flavors, medium-high acidity, and moderate sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee Rume Sudan Cupping Data

Brewing Suggestions

Brewing parameters: 15 grams of coffee, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 90°C water temperature, segmented extraction, extraction time 2 minutes. First segment: pour 30 grams, steam for 40 seconds (timing starts when pouring begins); second segment: small water flow to 124g; third segment: slightly larger water flow to 225g, time 1'52".

FrontStreet Coffee brewing Costa Rica Rume Sudan coffee beans

Observing the roasted beans, you can see that their particle sizes vary, but they're not as small as Ethiopian beans; the overall particle size is medium; the bean shape is elongated.

FrontStreet Coffee brewing parameter sharing:

Coffee amount: 15 grams; medium-fine grind; Hario V60 dripper; water temperature: 90°C; coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15; brewing method: segmented extraction.

When ground, you can smell distinct fermentation and spice aromas; the wet aroma has a light fermentation scent, with plum and citrus acidity at entry, followed by nut, cream, and chocolate flavors in the middle, and oolong tea sensation and sucrose aftertaste in the finish.

END

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