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Kilimbi

Name: Kilimbi
Brand: Red Bank Coffee Roasters
Price: 15.0 GBP
Availability: InStock

£15.00

More information

Behind the scenes

Bright, crisp and complex, with notes of guava, white wine and cola.

Origin

Kilimbi Washing Station, Nyamasheke, Western Province
Country

Rwanda
Altitude

1,650 - 1,850 MASL
Process

Anoxic Fermentation / Washed
Variety

Red Bourbon
Notes

Guava, White Wine, Cola

54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W

54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W
54°19'46.3"N

2°46'21.6"W

We are delighted to share with you coffee from the Kilimbi washing station for yet another season. The station is located spectacularly on the eastern shore of Lake Kivu in Rwanda’s Western Province. It was the first washing station to be established by the young and innovative Muraho Trading Company (MTC) whose focus is on quality, and showcasing Rwanda’s great potential for high-grade speciality coffee.

This time round we have selected a red bourbon that has undergone an innovative anoxic fermentation prior to washing that adds a layer of complexity and a sparkling tropical fruit acidity to the cup. We think it tastes like guava, white wine and cola.

When the coffee cherries are received at the washing station, they are first of all hand-picked and floated to ensure only those of the best quality continue to the processing stage. These cherries are placed into a deep-cleaned fermentation tank, and covered with a sheet which is then submerged with cool water. The seal created by the water pressing onto the sheet creates a vacuum effect on the coffee below, creating an anoxic environment for fermentation to begin.

The water and sheet act as not only a sealant, but also as a heat exchange, allowing the heat built up during fermentation to transfer to the water and evaporate away. Maintaining a target temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius ensures that the coffee doesn’t over-ferment. The temperature is regularly monitored, and if it falls too low for fermentation to continue, hot water is added to the water pillow, to provide warmth to the fermenting coffee underneath.

After about 48 hours, once the fermentation is complete, the water is drained, and the sheet is removed. The now fermented cherries are rinsed and drained of all residual liquid, before being pulped, washed and graded. The coffee is then sun dried for 4-8 hours daily, and dried on raised beds for 2-3 weeks.

Kilimbi

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