We taste: tropical, pineapple, melon

Farmers: smallholders delivering to the Gakenke washing station
Region: Kayanza
Processing Method: Washed
Elevation: 1,650-1,950 msl
Variety: Bourbon

This coffee comes to us from the hills of Burundi, the heart of Africa. Gakenke Washing Station is located in the province of Kayanza and was established in 1991. Farmers here own less than half a hectare of land, on average, and in addition to growing coffee, they also grow crops like bananas, beans, yams, taro, and cassava, both for sale and for household use. There are 2,667 farmers that deliver to this washing station, each farmer holding only 250 trees on roughly a tenth of a hectare. 

Due to the small size and yield on the average coffee farm or plot, washing stations are the primary point of purchase in Burundi. Unlike other coffee-growing regions in Central and South America where landholdings are slightly larger and coffee-centric resources are more available, most producers do not have space on their property or the financial means to do their wet- or dry-milling. Instead, the majority of growers deliver cherry to a facility that does sorting, blending, and post-harvest processing of day lots to create different offerings.

One clear indicator of a focus on quality is an increase in washing stations in a country where transportation is a challenge. The closer a washing station is to coffee trees, the greater control over quality. Burundi has seen a significant increase in the number of washing stations over the last ten years and in recent years internal economic structures have liberalized enough for growers to experience increased income for increased quality.

When brewed, this coffee is tropical with base notes of sweet cashew and hints of melon and pineapple. Subtle hints of orange citrus emerge when it cools, making it a delicious choice for any brewing method.