Rwanda Kivu Belt: Sample Coffee Roasters

Rwanda
Kivu Belt

We find flavours of peach, orange blossom, hibiscus

Body Acidity

This coffee was processed at a washing station called Murundo which is privately owned by Furaha Umwizeye.

Umwizeye, who was born in Rwanda, completed a Master’s degree in economics in Switzerland, but was motivated to return to Rwanda after the genocide, to contribute in a positive way to the society and economy.

Drying beds

“From the beginning, our goal was to produce a coffee of high quality for the specialty market. To ensure the best quality, one has to have control of the production process. Traditionally in Rwanda, coffee washing stations and coffee farms are not vertically integrated. The ownership is separated. Coffee washing stations rely on multiple small coffee farmers for their supply of cherries [who typically only own 100–300 coffee trees].

"We identified that to ensure the same high quality year after year, one has to be able to control how the coffee trees are being produced and harvested.”

Today, Umwizeye has planted over 80,000 coffee trees across three farms near Lake Kivu: Jarama, Kamajumba (located on an island on Lake Kivu), and Nyaruzina. Together they’re called "Kivu Belt.”

She now resides in New York with her Swiss husband, returning to Rwanda frequently during the harvest. The farms are managed by a team including Chief Agronomist Gaspar Nsengimana, managing director Claudeen Kantengwa, and Murundo washing station manager Vicky Sempotore.

In total the three Kivu Belt project farms have 18 permanent workers and 130 seasonal workers. Umwizeye is constantly rewarded by her coffee farm project and seeing the direct impact that her business has on the region and its people.

Sourcing and ingredients

100% Red Bourbon coffee beans, provided by Melbourne Coffee Merchants and roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Packaging

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

1:3
dose:yield
ratio

To brew on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

g dose

g yield

View the how to brew espresso (single origin) guide.

1:16.7
beans:water
ratio

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:14.3
beans:water
ratio

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:12
beans:water
ratio

To brew as cold brew we recommend using a 1:12 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

Producer: Furaha Umwizeye Teuscher
Country: Rwanda
Region: Nyamasheke
Altitude: 1700 - 2100m above sea level
Varietals: Red Bourbon
Process: Washed
Body: Medium
Acidity: Bright
Tasting notes: Peach, orange blossom, hibiscus
Roast style: Omni

Varietals

Red Bourbon varietal

The location

Coffee from Rwanda

Since the genocide of 1994, coffee has come to represent a symbol of recovery and regrowth for Rwanda.

The Southern and Western Region region of Rwanda

Centred around 3 main areas; the Huye mountains, the Nyamagabe region, and the Nyamasheke region in close proximity to Lake Kivu

Farm processes

Washed process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.