Rwanda - Kinini

Notes: Strawberry laces, blackcurrants, hint of tropical fruits with a milk chocolate finish.

This coffee is a fantastic choice whether you're brewing with a V60, Aeropress, cafetiere, or even trying out an experimental espresso.

Let's take a little trip back to 2012. In Rwanda's Northern Province, a significant coffee cultivation project began. Around 38 out of 252 hectares were planted with 'Bourbon Mayaguez 139' seedlings, amounting to nearly half a million new trees. Each hectare was densely planted with about 2,000-2,500 seedlings.

Jacquie Turner and Malcolm Clear spearheaded this initiative, and it wasn't just about planting trees. They also built new roads to improve access for farmers who needed to deliver their freshly picked coffee to the washing station by 4pm every day to maintain its quality.

At the washing station, coffee is depulped using a four disc McKinnon pulper. The process involves several fermentation tanks, some with water and others without, leading to channels that flow towards soaking tanks and then to the drying beds. Each drying bed is marked to ensure the traceability of each microlot, and they're equipped with yellow tarpaulins for quick coverage in case of rain.

Over the years, the improvements have been remarkable. A roasting facility was added, funded by our Full Circle event donations. The team introduced new processing methods in 2019, including natural processing. More recently, they've set up a worm bed to convert coffee cherry into organic fertilizer. They're even planning to create a space for visitors, complete with accommodation. And to top it off, satellite technology is now used to monitor the health of the trees, helping to detect any signs of disease or infestation early, which is crucial for maintaining the quality of the coffee beans.