Greatness attracts greatness. And that’s a fact! So then, a great morning ritual begins with a fantastic cup of coffee. But do you ever pause and wonder what delights this cup?
It all starts with a coffee cherry on a tree that later produces the beans. The beans undergo several stages before they are turned into that cup you enjoy.
There is more about coffee than you will ever know. Coffee was originally discovered to grow naturally, with its history tracing back centuries to Ethiopia. In Rwanda, however, coffee wasn’t known until German missionaries introduced it in the early 1900s.
Today, Arabica Coffee, 75% of the world’s most consumed type, is known for its exceptional aroma and flavour, and thrives in different parts of Rwanda – thanks to the mineral rich soil and high altitudes. This type of coffee is more delicate, requiring more care and milder temperatures compared to Robusta. Arabica plants prefer temperatures between 15 degrees celsius and 24 degrees celsius and high elevations. When they emerge from the ground, they reach heights of 2.5 to 4.5 metres.
Coffee farming is an art and a skill. Farmers must be highly skilled and dedicated for the coffee to join the specialty market. From planting and growing, to harvesting and processing, every intricate stage must be done with care. When it comes to growing Arabica coffee, an additional virtue is required. And that’s patience.
A coffee tree takes several years to come into its mature state and to produce high-quality beans. Typically, an Arabica tree takes around three to four years for the first harvest. To ensure that a coffee tree supports the best quality coffee cherries, farmers are required to constantly care for the trees, by weeding regularly, pruning, and vigilantly protecting it against pests and diseases.
Coffee blossoming, marked by delicate white flowers, indicates that the coffee tree has reached maturity. The sight of these beautiful flowers is brief, as after a rough six to eight weeks, the blossoms transform into ripe coffee cherries.
So, how do farmers know that the coffee cherries are ready to be picked? By their red deep colour.
The ripening process and harvesting are essential to get the desired taste. Coffee colours transition from green to a deep red or yellow, indicating the optimal time for harvesting. Picking cherries by hand allows for the best quality beans to reach your cup.
After being picked, the coffee cherries go through another process to separate the pulps from the cherries. This includes drying, milling, and husking. One of the processes is the drying method, also known as the To prevent fungi from growing, farmers lay these beans under the sun to let them dry. Also, there is a wet method process that is used to remove the skins of the beans before drying them by soaking the cherries in water.
To preserve the coffee quality and flavour, it’s required to let the coffee beans dry and store them properly. Most farmers in Rwanda use drying beds and periodically, they turn them to ensure all cherries are dried evenly.
Let’s look into coffee preparation in the Musasa coffee plantation. Jean Pierre Nsengimana, the quality inspector at COCAMU cooperative, provides a glimpse into the work that goes into preparing the premium coffee you savour in your cups.
“We receive coffee harvests from farmers, then start the process of preparing. First, we remove the skins of the cherries, and then fermentation follows, which takes between 8 to 12 hours. We then soak them in water from 12 hours to 16 hours and start classifying the beans into premium, second and third grades. The beans are then dried up, and this is where the defected elements are removed. With a favourable climate, the coffee gets dried outside between 18 days to 24 days. Afterwards, it is taken to the station where it is ready for pickup and be sold,” says Jean Pierre.
Are you interested in seeing this process up close? Coffee farms are one of the exciting places to experience this journey firsthand. You can engage with the farmers, witness the picking process, and hand pick some cherries yourself.
Coffee farmers often face challenges from unpredictable weather patterns and other economic challenges. At Rwanda Farmers Coffee company, we stand by our farmers through initiatives that promote sustainable practices such as distributing pests controls and compensating them fairly.
Each sip of Gorilla’s Coffee offers a taste of care our farmers pour into every crop, offering you a premium quality that stands out as truly exceptional. Next time you sip your morning coffee, remember it’s a blend of quality, creativity and sustainability. Savour Gorilla’s Coffee today and taste the difference.
