What we're tasting: Grape Juice Sweet & Sour Origin: Rwanda, Macuba, Western ProvinceWash Station: BiremboVarietal: Red BourbonAltitude: 1503Process: Fully Washed + 15hr Fermentation Roasted Light to place emphasis on the acidicty of these deeply sweet Rwandan beans. About the Coffee Birembo in Macuba works with around 500 smallholder farmers, all growing Bourbon that’s carefully handled from start to finish. The coffee is fully washed, with a 12 to 15 hour fermentation before being dried slowly on raised beds by a team that grows to about 70 people during harvest. It carries certifications like Rainforest Alliance and C.A.F.E. Practices (Coffee and Farmer Equity), UTZ, (sustainable farming), but what really comes through is how clean and well put together the cup is. We've raosted this to a light level, to highlight the acidity in what is otherwise a very sweet bean. Named after the infamous party warehouse in Hackney Wick, Red Gates is a nod to the wild nights that once defined the area. The first Rwandan beans we roasted under this name had tasting notes of raspberry hubba bubba, which reminded us of people chewing their faces off at those all-nighters. These days, it’s more of a nod to a party in your mouth. Based on Fish Island, Red Gates was legendary for its parties just a few years back, before Hackney Wick turned into a block of new builds. It's a little taste of that rebellious spirit in every cup.
