Kiyonza Hill

Producer: Fugi Station - Baho Coffee
Origin: Ngoma Sector, Nyaruguru, Rwanda
Elevation: 1900 MASL
Variety: Red Bourbon
Process: Washed
Roast Level: Light
Importer: Sundog Trading
Flavor Notes: Lemon Verbena, Pomelo, Brown Sugar

It's that time! Rwanda season is upon us and we have a bunch of lots from our good buds and partners of Sundog Trading and Baho Coffee. This is our third harvest working with this powerhouse and we have a bunch of returning lots to our lineup that we couldn't be more excited about.

This first lot we have queued up hails from 60 small holder producers from Kinyonzaz Hill who delivered their Red Bourbon cherries to the Fugi Station located in the Ngoma Sector of Nyaruguru District.

In Sundog Trading / Baho Coffee's words: The Kiyonza Hill lot is a part of Baho’s ongoing appellation project surrounding the Fugi Station. They’re focusing on smaller lot separations by processing groups of farmers’ coffee together based on the highest quality growing areas. The hills are often chosen based on altitude, which tends to correlate to a distinct vibrancy and saturation of flavor. The bulk of this producer groups’ farms sit right around the 1900 MASL mark.

Since these are new (producing) group that are forming around our coffee washing station, based on on what we think might be potential or unique in the zone, we are want make this model mutual benefit where farmers commit to what we are training them, commit to long and honest / loyal relationship with Baho and of course by focusing on both coffee quality and quantity. Then at the other side, Baho have responsibility of developing them, buying their cherries, marketing their coffee with full traceability and at the end, paying them highest possible price that will make them motivated and happy to grow coffee. we strongly believe that our strength is based on happy farmers that we work with.

The Kiyonza Hill farmers have been taught about coffee and the importance of planting trees that provide shade in coffee, some of them mixed fruit trees such as papaya and tomato trees, these fruits trees bringing the shade in coffee plantations and generate money. The farmers of Kiyonza Hill received training on how to care on their coffee plantation and how they can produce coffee without damaging the environment because in Baho Coffee we have to be friend with the environment to avoid climate change.

Every processing style begins with a day of intensive sorting at the cherry stage, under complete shade, to ensure only the ripest are chosen and any visible defects are removed.  Step two is multiple rounds of floating - filling a large container with cherries and water, discarding the less dense cherries that float to the top of the tank.  The densest coffees (sinkers) are reserved to be processed as the higher grade lots, and the less dense coffees (floaters) are mixed in with the rejected cherries from the initial sorting to be processed as lower grade lots.  

After enough volume has accumulated, the cherries are stored in clean plastic barrels for a brief 9 hour in-cherry fermentation period before being depulped. The wet parchment then undergoes a 12 hour wet fermentation before being pushed through the grading channels.  Here the coffee is rigorously washed to remove any remaining mucilage and separated by density - with the highest density lots being reserved for our selections.

The drying protocol begins by moving coffee onto shaded beds for 12 - 72 hours. This is a unique step in Rwanda, called skin drying, that has two distinct benefits.  First, it sets the trajectory for the entire drying phase by initially beginning very gently and slowly under complete shade.  Secondly, it allows ample time for intensive sorting while the parchment is still wet - this is important because certain defects (seeds bitten by Antestia in particular, thought to cause the potato defect) can be seen much more easily when the parchment is wet. 

The parchment is finally moved into semi-shaded raised drying beds within a parabolic drying structure. The roof of this greenhouse-like structure is made of semi-transparent plastic material to gently diffuse the sunlight, and the sides are made from mesh netting to allow for ample airflow. Weather conditions are closely monitored throughout the day, and if certain temperature thresholds are exceeded, workers will focus on turning coffee more frequently or move to a cooler location within the greenhouse.  When moisture content reaches the target of below 11%, the drying phase is considered complete.  The parchment is bagged, labelled, and stored in a dry warehouse at Fugi until time for milling. Total drying time for this lot was 27 days.

This lot represents the quintessential cup profile that we look for and love from washed coffees from the Baho group. You can expect a bright and crisp cup with citrus and red fruits while maintaining a balance of sugar browning qualities. As you sip, we get a sweet and slightly herbaceous lemon verbena note complimented by a pomelo and ruby red grapefruit sweetness. Brown sugar and caramels round out this sessionable cup.

Brew Kiyonza Hill all the ways.... like all of em.