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Clean Expressions

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Discovery - Clean Expressions

This month's coffees

There are many ways to produce excellent coffee, over our years of travelling the coffee belt we have seen many; from tiny 2 hectare farms producing micro-lots in Huehuetenango, washing stations compiling the work of thousands in East Africa, to huge mechanised projects in Brazil. The mechanisms through which quality is developed is rather different through all of these methods, but the common theme is intention. Each step is considered, with an intent on producing lots of consistent high quality. In the case of this month’s coffees, these steps are rather different, but both producers have the same intention, to produce a high quality coffee with a clean and fresh flavour expression.

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Brazil

Producing excellent coffees

The focus starts on the tree, creating good volumes of healthy, rich and well nourished coffee cherries. As with any further step in the coffee chain, there is no way to create a product better than what has gone before, so creating healthy soils and trees is vital to creating flavour intense and sugar filled cherries... READ MORE

The next steps are harvesting, selection and processing. Here, Fabiano, unlike many in Brazil, practices hand-picking, so he carefully removes only the ripe cherries, leading to a higher level of sweetness and uniformity in the cup, and not damaging nodes on the tree, meaning they are ready to harvest again next season. This means that Fabiano’s farm has... READ MORE

Meanwhile at Shyira, quality is created in a rather different way. Although the quality potential of the region is excellent, and the delivering farmers are given careful support, Muraho have much less direct control over the quality of incoming cherry than Fabiano. To counter this, they have to be very careful with their selection of... READ MORE

A uniquely fresh and clean natural

Fabiano Diniz

This particular lot is of the Catucai varietal, a natural crossing between Catuai and Icatu that is rather popular on Brazil. This is a naturally processed coffee, but is pre-fermented in water-filled tanks for 48 hours before drying. This gives a very controlled start to fermentation, breaking... READ MORE

This control, and the generation of lactic acid, leads to a rather unique and very clean expression of Brazil, very different to what we have tasted before. Here we find almost a ‘washed’ profile, with crisp notes of apple and rich brown sugar.

citrus acidity and white sugar sweetness

Shyira

The Shyira Coffee Washing Station (CWS) is the highest altitude of the Muraho stations, located in the northern Nyabihu district. Shyira’s remote location also means it is the smallest station, and a big driver in the decision to build the station here was the greater impact that Muraho could have... READ MORE

This washed lot has a clear citrus acidity, backed up by a deep white sugar sweetness and the typical heavily savoury, almost musk-like herbal aromatics we often find in Rwandan lots.

DISCOVERY

Carefully planned production

Our work in sourcing is one of the most motivating parts of our coffee lives. It is incredible to witness the intention and dedication with which these producers are able to consistently create high quality coffees in a challenging and organic environment. Although we have seen many different coffee production systems through our travels, we are always surprised by new areas of focus, new methods of creating quality, and increasing levels of deliberate and intentional coffee production. We hope you enjoy Fabiano and Muraho’s work this month, clean expressions created through carefully planned production.

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This month's coffees

Producing excellent coffees

Fabiano Diniz

Shyira

Carefully planned production