Rwanda - Karambi

• Tasting Notes: Brown Sugar, Toffee and Red Apples.
• Farmer: Karambi Washing Station
• Processing: Fully Washed
• Altitude: Farms — 1,700 to 2,000 meters above sea level
• Province: Western Province
• Varietal: Bourbon
• Harvest Months: March - June

The Nyamasheke district has the highest concentration of washing stations in all of Rwanda. The region lies along the Kivu Lake where growing conditions are optimal. Good altitude, great soil, favorable rainfall — basically everything to produce the best coffees—can be found here. 

Karambi is located in the Karambi sector in the Nyamasheke district, Western province and borders Nyungwe Forest National Park. It was built in 2016 and is, to date, the sole station that Rwacof has built from the ground up. The altitude in the region starts at 1,700 and extends up to 2,000 meters above sea level. 

The washing station is a four-hour drive west of Kigali. On the top of the hill, like a gateway to Karambi station, is a big school, also named Karambi. The school has a wide range of grades from primary school to high school. Passing through this busy, energetic gateway unnoticed is simply not possible. Hundreds of active and excited children and busy people bustle around this station. 

In a reflection of this energy, Karambi station seems to never stop during the nearly four full months of the harvest. The station has up to 120 staff in peak season. Every step of the process is continuously attended to by experienced eyes. 

• Espresso Brewing Methods
  - Espresso (Sage Machine)
  - French Press
  - Moka Pot

Best suited for the Filter Brewing Method (Chemex, Aeropress and V60/Pourover).

Find the recommended recipe here.

You can rest assured, that you're getting one of the highest quality Single Origin coffees Ireland has to offer, while improving the livelihoods of others and fostering environmental stewardship.

Kahawatu Foundation, Sucafina Rwanda (Rwacof) invests heavily in farmer training and good agricultural practices. Rwacof’s Farmer Field School shares information with all their producer partners about best agricultural practices, conservation tactics, the importance of picking only ripe cherry and more. 

Furthermore, Rwacof is focused on improving the financial situation of the farmers with whom they work. Annual bonuses are always distributed once the coffee is sold. As part of Sucafina’s innovative Farmer Hub program, these second payments are deposited into zero-fee bank accounts. Second payments are typically given as cash. Through our Farmer Hub program, these bank accounts offer wider-reaching benefits, including more secure storage for their money and the opportunity to build a financial credit history & give them access to credit lines with better interest rates.