Whilst Central America is probably best known for producing coffee that is enjoyed worldwide, other parts of the world have taken their own giant steps towards creating coffee that people want to drink.
One example of this is Rwanda. The coffee that is grown in Rwanda is often compared to that which is produced in Kenya. Whilst, rather unsurprisingly, there are some similarities between the two, there are also plenty of things that set them apart.
To learn more about the coffee that is grown in Rwanda, let’s take a look at it in a little more detail.
How does coffee from Rwanda taste?
Many people describe the coffee that comes from Rwanda as being gentle and delicate tasting. It is pleasant and sweet, which is ideal for those people who love coffee, but not so much the overwhelming flavour that can come from some of the beans taken from other parts of the world.
Rwanda coffees are caramelly in their aroma and are said to have slight hints of citrus (usually described as lemon or orange when drunk). Whilst all the coffees in this part of the world are enjoyed and appreciated, it is more often than not that Rwanda coffee does not get quite the same level of appreciation seen for coffee grown in Kenya and Tanzania.
This is despite the fact that the coffee produced in Rwanda is delicious to taste and produced in a way that is fair trade.
The history of coffee in Rwanda
It is thought that coffee was first taken into Rwanda by German missionaries back in 1904. It started off as a small part of their economy around 1930 and the coffee that was produced during this time in Rwanda was low-grade with a high level of green coffee beans.
The times have changed, as have the way that coffee is seen and produced in the country. It is thought that in the world, Rwanda is the ninth-largest Arabica coffee producer, all of which comes from 450,000 (approximate) coffee farms that are spread out over the entire country.
Which coffee is grown here?
The main coffee plant that is seen in Rwanda (around 95% of the plants in total) is Arabica varietal Bourbon. However, along with this, there are also small amounts of Catuai and Caturra varieties too.
The majority of coffee that is grown will be wet-processed. There are usually communal washing stations that various coffee farmers will use at the same time, despite producing and developing their own beans.
How coffee is grown in Rwanda
Coffee in Rwanda is grown at elevations that can vary between 1,200 and 1,800 metres above sea level. The plants will flower around the same time, often during September and October, and then the coffee itself will be harvested (be that cherries or green coffee) between March and July.
As we have already mentioned, these beans are then taken to communal washing stations, which are, more often than not, shared between several farms, all using it simultaneously.
These farms are usually much smaller in size, and whilst this means that they may not be able to produce vast quantities of coffee (although put together, they can, of course), what it does mean is that the coffee they do have done so with care.
Exports can be problematic from Rwanda, and there have been some political challenges faced within the coffee production industry over the past few years. However, things have still been on the up, and it seems that more and more farmers are trying to raise funds and secure their future using coffee beans and plants.
Many people will say that Rwanda produces coffee that is amongst the most undervalued and underappreciated in the coffee world, and this seems to be the case. It is largely down to you as a coffee lover to change this.
The only way to truly appreciate the beauty and flavour of coffee grown and produced in Rwanda is to try it for yourself.
No matter how you prefer your coffee, no matter how you want to enjoy it, take the time to sample all of the fantastic flavours of this part of the world and learn to fall in love with the delicious coffees produced in Rwanda.