Rich Fruity Coffee Bean Recommendations Flavor Characteristics and Performance of Rwandan Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Rwandan Coffee

Rwanda did not originally grow coffee. Coffee was introduced to the country around the early 20th century by German missionaries. Since then, coffee has become a source of economic income for many rural families.

However, no record of Rwandan history can ignore the tragedy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which 800,000 people were killed and up to 250,000 women were raped in just 100 days. Following the tragedy, various guild organizations began to form, such as the Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (PEARL) and Sustainable Partnerships to Enhance Rural Enterprises and Agricultural Development (SPREAD). Both PEARL and SPREAD were funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and aimed to support Rwanda's agricultural reconstruction.

As one of the country's most valuable crops, coffee became a focus of the agricultural reconstruction plan. The impact of investments in infrastructure and coffee producer training remains evident today.

One reason many people love Rwandan coffee is its syrupy, rich texture. This sweet, intense characteristic is partly attributed to the coffee varieties: most Rwandan coffee beans are either Bourbon or Bourbon derivatives.

However, in Rwanda, you will find a variety of coffee flavors: cherry, grape, lemon, chocolate, cantaloupe, orange, nectarine, candy, apricot, plum, and more. Besides clean, refreshing, citrusy acidity, date flavor is also one of the specialties of Rwandan coffee.

These fruity characteristics come from the country's excellent growing conditions. In Rwanda, there are approximately 400,000 smallholder producers (NAEB), with most farms situated at elevations of 1,700-2,000 meters. High altitude increases the complexity of coffee flavor (therefore requiring higher temperatures and RoR during the roasting process).

Most of the country's coffee comes from the south and west, but there are actually five distinct growing regions. In the northwest, there is the Virunga region in the volcanic zone (home to the famous Silverback gorillas). In the west, the Kivu region is located beside Lake Kivu. The central region has the Kizi Rift. Further south is the Akagera region, with relatively low elevation (1,300 meters). Last but not least is the eastern Muhazi region.

Of course, all these coffee regions are different. However, the national growing regions generally have high altitudes and nitrogen-rich volcanic soil. These create excellent conditions for producing high-quality coffee beans. Normal Rwandan beans have the acidity of green grapes, the richness of dark chocolate, good body with a gelatinous texture, making them very drinkable African beans. If there's an earthy taste, it's considered a defect flavor, indicating poor bean quality.

Conclusion

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee shop dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation, hoping to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three discounted coffee events each month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices. This has been our mission for the past six years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473