Rwanda Huye Washed

Some coffees shout. This one speaks clearly. The Two Valleys washing station sits on a ridge above two river valleys in Huye district, and about 900 smallholders deliver hand-picked Red Bourbon cherry there in the harvest months. The station sorts the cherry in water, pulps it the same day and dries the parchment slowly under shade nets. The result is a cup that tastes of apple and black tea, with a honey sweetness and no rough edges.

We bought a small lot, so it comes in 250 g and 500 g bags only.

In the cup

Red apple, black tea, honey. A light, silky body. The acidity is crisp, like a green apple's, and the finish is long and clean.

The details

• Origin: Rwanda
• Region: Huye, Southern Province
• Producer: the Two Valleys washing station
• Altitude: 1 700 to 1 950 m
• Process: washed, 12-hour fermentation, dried on raised beds
• Variety: Red Bourbon
• Roast: light, 2 of 5

How we brew it

In summer we brew it over ice, which keeps the apple bright.

1. Put 120 g of ice in the carafe.
2. Grind 20 g of coffee medium-fine.
3. Brew with 160 g of water at 94 °C: bloom with 40 g for 30 seconds, then pour the rest slowly.
4. The coffee melts the ice as it drips. Stir, then pour over fresh ice.

The ratio, ice included, is 1:14.