Kibingo, Burundi (Washed)

Produced by Kayanza farmers

Region - Kayanza

Grown at 1700 - 1900 masl

Varietal - Red Bourbon

Harvest - April 2023

Process - Washed

Carefully handpicked from neighbouring hills by dedicated smallholder farmers: blackcurrant sweetness & a tart acidity.

Often overshadowed by neighbouring countries, the Burundi season remains a highlight in the coffee calendar for us. It’s coffee scene comprises of mainly high quality, smallholder farmers, known for producing clean, sweet and floral coffees.

Nestled in the Kayanza commune of Northern Burundi, the Kibingo washing station serves over 3,000 coffee growers, who cultivate crops on surrounding hills.

Equipped with 10 fermentation tanks, 2 soaking tanks, and a drying field boasting 165 tables, the Kibingo washing station is great example of high quality processing in the region.

We selected a Red Bourbon varietal, that underwent a washed process, promoting a blackcurrant sweetness & green apple acidity.

The Kibingo washing station sits 1900 meters above sea level, serving over 3,000 growers spread across 18 surrounding hills.

During harvest, all cherries are selectively handpicked, usually by the family who own the farm. Cherries are sorted and pulped within 6 hours of delivery, then they are placed in tanks full of nearby stream water to ferment for 10 to 12 hours.

Trained agronomists check the beans by hand to ensure the fermentation is halted at the ideal time. The mucilage is then removed before being moved to raised drying beds, where cherries are left to dry until the right moisture level is reached.