August 10, 2021

Coffee from Rwanda

I was just shipped a pound of roasted beans from Old Bisbee. It is good coffee, and I was curious about it. Apparently Japan buys most of their coffee, limiting the supply available elsewhere. Japan must pay a premium when they decide they like something, which is certainly a good policy.

It is "double wet" processed - so none of the fruity flavors from dry processing that I tend to dislike. The coffee is grown at 1700 to 200 meters elevation (5500 to 6500 feet), which is impressive. Flavors are described as clean and bright, with better balance than coffees from Kenya. It could be the most desirable coffee from Africa, to my way of thinking.

Burundi is immediately south of Rwanda. Both are along the African rift valley. Both are tiny countries nestled on the northwest corner of Tanzania, and only 5 degrees south of the equator.

You have to be careful with coffee from Burundi, since it can by dry processed, honey processed, or who knows. It is certainly worth keeping an eye on any coffee you get from Rwanda to ensure you get washed coffee if that is what you want (and I do).

Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's coffee pages / tom@mmto.org