Tasting Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Apple, Fudge
260 smallholder farmer-members of Vunga Cooperative | Region: Nyabihu, Rwanda | Varietal: Red Bourbon | Mill/Washing Station: Vunga Washing Station | Importer: Higa | Processing: Washed | Altitude: 1,650–2,000 MASL
Our average cupping score: 86.25
About the Producers
The Vunga cooperative is renowned for producing high-quality coffee, with its tiny washing station earning accolades like 13th place in the 2012 Rwanda Cup of Excellence and 4th in 2014.
Led by Daphrose Uwimana, Vunga is one of the few woman-owned and run cooperatives in Rwanda that also owns its own washing station. This lot comes from 100% women-owned farms, showcasing the extraordinary contributions of women in coffee growing, who are often overlooked.
What makes this coffee stand out
It's uncommon in Rwanda for a woman to be a president and leader of a cooperative, but Daphrose Uwimana is an exceptional coffee farmer. Vunga is one of only a handful of cooperatives in Rwanda that are woman-owned and run, and that owns its own washing station. A coffee farmer since 1983, Daphrose is the driving force behind this exceptional coffee, and having founded the Vunga cooperative in 2009. This lot was collected from the 260 small holder farmer-members of the cooperative.
Daphrose has created a close-knit community and mentors a group of women farmers that produces special women grown lots. She conducts seasonal training on best-in-class farming practices, such as applying fertilizers (90% of which are organic) and pruning older trees. She also trains farmers on financial literacy.
When Daphrose realized that the youth of the community weren’t interested in becoming coffee farmers (which is very common in coffee growing regions around the world), she invested the money she made from coffee to purchase land with the plan to teach youth in her community about farming, in the hopes to inspire them to enter the coffee sector and continue growing world-class specialty coffee.
Pour over recipe:
Ratio: 18g coffee, 274g water | Grind: Medium-coarse | Water: 200F
0:00 60 g bloom, gentle
0:45 200 g medium height, create agitation
(just before bed dries) 274 very gentle, very slow
Target brew time 3:15
