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BUMBOGO – RWANDA, GAKENKE


Producer: Bumbogo CWS (Coffee Washing Station)
Region: Gakenke, Gasiza
MASL: 1650 - 2000
Process: Washed
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Roasting Profile:  Filter, Aeropress, French Press, Espresso

Bumbogo Washing Station is a new station built by Neza Trading Company and co-owned with Muraho Trading. Bumbogo is located in an area known for high-quality coffee production in Rwanda. It is a highly competitive region in Rwanda and has been home to some of the winning lots of the Cup of Excellence. 

All cherry is hand-sorted before a pre-pulp float, under-ripe or damaged cherry is removed, along with any foreign objects. Cherry is then floated in pre-pulping tanks removing any floaters. Next, coffee is fermented in dedicated concrete fermentation tanks for an average of 12 hours. During this time the fermenting parchment is agitated several times through the day by way of ceremonial foot stomping. After fermentation, coffee is released into a large serpentine grading channel. This is a moving channel of water that allows any floaters or foreign objects to float off and be discarded. 

This process also separates parchment into different density grades. The highest density grade, A1, is trapped by submerged gates early on in the serpentine, where lower density coffee is allowed to pass through. Eventually, we end up with three grades, A1 and A2, which sell as specialty coffee, and A3 grades which usually sell in the commercial market. During the washing process, parchment is continuously agitated to encourage lower density parchment to float and to clean any residual mucilage off the parchment. Once the parchment is separated into grades, it is given a final post wash rinse. At this point, coffee is taken to a pre-drying area where the parchment is hand-sorted, removing any insect damaged, discoloured or chipped coffee. The parchment is laid out to dry and turned on a regular basis throughout the day.

EL CARMEN - COLOMBIA, HUILA


Producer: Red Association El Carmen
Region: Huila
MASL: 1400 - 2100
Process: Washed
Varietal: Caturra and Castillo
Roasting Profile:  Filter, Aeropress, French Press, Espresso

El Carmen is the first member of the Red Associations project, based in Pitalito, Huila. The Red Association in this region began with the creation of a drying hub, where producers from the local area could dry their harvest without the risk of rainfall rinsing away their profits.

Previously, producers had to sell their parchment wet, through an intermediary who would dry on their behalf. This meant that this vital step was out of the producer’s control, which in turn meant they could only capture a portion of the potential return for their harvest.

Once these hubs were complete, attentions turned to a space for the QC and cupping lab to be housed. This is a space next to the drying hub, that will be fully repurposed for the lab. Once the equipment has been purchased and fitted in the hub, producer members of the Red Associations will have direct access to how their coffee is graded, first hand, with the opportunity to better know the market that their coffees move into, and how best to later their own methods at farm, to potentially capture a larger return for their harvests.

Stay tuned!

SERRA DOS – BRAZIL


Producer: Various small lot holders
State: Minas Gerais
Region: Mantiqueira de Minas.
Altitude: 900 - 1500 MASL
Varietal: Yellow Catuai, Yellow Bourbon
Process: Natural

The Mantiqueira de Minas has some 7,800 producers, 89% of these are small lot holders. This regional blend is composed of coffees from some of these producers and was created with the goal of introducing small farmers to the specialty coffee market. Coffee has been grown in this region for over 100 years and it in 2011 and today the Mantiqueira de Minas region is one of the most awarded regions in Brazil.