Rwanda Cyesha - Filter

Rwanda Cyesha

This washed process Red Bourbon comes from our importing partners Raw Material, with the success of the Shyira and Kilimbi last year, we couldn't wait to get our hands on the fresh 2023 crops!  

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• Producers + Mill:

Introducing the newest coffee station to work with Muraho trading Co and Raw Material, Cyesha (pronounced; Ke - Sha).

Located in Nyamasheke District right on the shores of Lake Kivu. We could not be more excited and happy to have this new coffee washing station as part of Muraho Family and heling getting it here, the great team at Raw Material. 

Cyesha is one of Muraho Trading Co’s newest stations, located in Nyamasheke District, close to the shores of Lake Kivu. The coffee of this area grows on volcanic soils, a highly fertile medium for the cultivation of high-quality red bourbon cherries. This season Cyesha’s staff produced 300 metric tonnes of exportable coffee. Their team is comprised of four permanent staff, five seasonal staff, and ninety casual labourers for the high season.

The station purchases cherry from a total of 470 coffee producers, one quarter of which are female. These producers harvest their crops between February and May, and the continuous processing of these lots follows the same time period. Dry milling and bagging continues until early July, when the coffees are ready for export.

Currently producers face two large hurdles to increasing their production yields; the high price of fertilisers, and ageing coffee trees. In spite of these issues, Cyesha redistributes a nutrient-rich organic compost which is created by combining coffee pulp discarded during processing with grass cuttings.

Their goal is to continue increasing the volumes they purchase from producers, whilst assisting them in increasing their yields, ensuring they can maximise the profits their land can produce for them. To do so, fifty thousand new seedlings will be distributed every year, alongside rejuvenating techniques applied to old trees such as pruning and stumping. (Words from Raw Material)

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• Variety:

This is a Red Bourbon variety, Red Bourbon came about from a mutation of Typica planted on Reunion Island in the 1700's before making its way around world, most notably Brazil where it has performed very well. Bourbon is valued for its complex acidity and wonderful balance. It often has a sweet, caramel quality and nice and crisp acidity but can present quite distinct flavours depending on where it is planted. Rwandan and Burundi types tend to have a punchier, fruity quality.

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• Process:

All cherry is hand-sorted before floating, when under ripe or damaged cherry is removed, and the remaining fruit is depulped. Next, it is fermented in dedicated concrete fermentation tanks for an average of 12 hours. During this time, the fermented 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 process also separates parchment into different density grades.

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 rinse. At this point, coffee is taken to an 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 regularly for 30 days. (Words from Raw Material)

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• Region: Nyamasheke District
• Producer: Small Holder farmers
• Dry Mill: Muraho Community MIll
• Importer: Raw Material
• Price (green ex Shipping): £8.60 p kg

• Variety: Red Bourbon 
• Process: Washed 
• Altitude: 1460-1720masl
• Amount Bought: 120kg

• Tasting:  Vibrant, Fruity, Juicy, High Sweetness,
• Flavours like: Apricot, Rooibos Tea, Honeydew Melon, Caramel