Green Burundian Gishubi (N) coffee beans

Green Burundian Gishubi (Natural): sourced direct from the Long Miles Coffee Project’s Heza washing station via Specialty Coffee Exchange.

Burundi

Burundi is perfectly situated to grow quality coffee. It has an equatorial climate, most of the country is highland, and a significant amount of the coffee is grown in shade.

Although Burundi is a land locked country, 10% of the country is water based (thanks to lake Tanganyika). It has, however taken Burundi coffee a while to really make it on to the big stage.

Thanks to  endeavours like the Long Miles Coffee Project, things are slowly changing, especially since the reconstruction drive which started in 2006.

Long Miles Coffee Project

The Carlson family fell in love with Burundi during a visit. The long mile project channels their passion for coffee and belief that those involved in it should be rewarded appropriately. The mission of the project was to build a washing station allowing them to control the coffee quality while still rewarding the growers. Processing is well controlled and they have found a demand in the coffee market that has allowed the project to grow.

At Quaffee we have been talking to the people behind Long Mile Coffee Project since early 2013 after being introduced to Ben Carlson, via a customer.

Gishibu, Burundi (Natural)

The Heza washing is the second washing station the LMP has built. This washing station is very remote, it has to be, to be close to the community that bring their coffee cherries to for processing at the washing station. Heza (which means “beautiful place” in Burundian) and was built as part of the Long Mile Project. Completed in April 2014 and it services 1876 farmers in the area. At the washing station over thirty people are involved in the cherry selection and quality monitoring, and sixty women are dedicated to parchment curation and quality control.

At the washing station 20% of the coffee is naturally process a new method of processing in the area. Continuing this innovation they are the first to offer a honey processed coffee too.

Heza’s unique ‘bowl’ location provides natural air circulation and controls drying time. Coffee parchment spends two days on pre-drying tables before it is moved to traditional African raised tables. Heza station has 65 tables ranging in length and level; designed to regulate drying times. Parchment is removed from the drying tables when internal moisture reaches an optimal level of 11.5%. Commitment to the perfect moisture level means coffee spends 20-30 days slow-drying.

Details of coffee: