It’s been a year of great Burundi coffees so far, and we’re excited to finally get one from Origin Coffee Roasting too. This particular lot was grown by various smallholder farms in the province of Muyinga, and was processed at the local washing station, Karambo Hill. The station is owned by This is Burundi, a coffee cooperative which makes efforts to conserve the local environment as well as uplift and support its workers and their communities. You can read more about This is Burundi and Karambo Hill in Origin’s notes below.

You could argue that Burundian coffee is synonymous with Red Bourbon, given that the vast majority of the coffee grown there is of that famous variety. Red Bourbon is known for bright acidity and vibrant fruity notes in the cup. Indeed, the best Burundian coffees are typically characterised by complex, juicy fruit notes. What’s sure to make this lot even more exciting is its unorthodox (though increasingly popular) method of processing: Anaerobic fermentation.

Anaerobic fermentation involves sealing whole coffee cherry in airtight drums and leaving it to ferment over a period of days. Coffee cherries, when left like this, ferment naturally due to the yeasts and bacteria found on their skin and the sugar found in their fruit, which is why natural processed coffees can have some interesting, funky fruit flavours. During an anaerobic natural process, this natural fermentation takes place in a low oxygen environment, resulting in the production of unique acids and compounds which can create bold, complex flavours and a pleasantly sharp acidity in the cup. 

Phaedon’s tasting notes

I must admit that I'm quite partial to Burundian coffees; I'm also quite partial to the work of the talented people at Origin Coffee Roasting, so this lot offered me the best of both those worlds. We haven't had many Burundian lots from our friends on Hudson Street, so this is a rare treat.

I particularly enjoyed this coffee in a Chemex, a French press, and a Moccamaster batch brew. It seems the common denominator was longer contact times, as the filtration and extraction methods varied quite a bit. In these longer brews, this coffee was absolutely bursting with berry flavours, strawberries particularly to my palate, with an accompanying creamy mouthfeel that reminded me of a strawberry yoghurt drink - yum.

On the other end of the contact-time spectrum, this coffee also makes a pretty delicious moka pot, with a completely different set of flavours coming to the fore. It offered me a lovely blend of malic and citric acidities with a kind of tropical fruit juice flavour - also delicious!

Origin’s notes

• Flavour: Blueberry, plum, grapefruit, red fruit, white chocolate, sweet vanilla, rose tea
• Body: Medium, tea-like
• Roast: Light
• Acidity: Plum acidity
• Suggested brewing methods: AeroPress, siphon, plunger, espresso & milk, V60

Coffee details from Origin

• Country: Burundi
• Province: Muyinga
• Owners: Smallholder farmer families, processed at Karambo washing station
• Altitude: 1500 - 1600 masl
• Varieties: Red Bourbon
• Processing: Anaerobic natural

“TIB (This is Burundi) was born in June 2020, with ambitious plans. They acquired a piece of land to build their first washing station at Karambo Hill in Muyinga. The station started operating in the 2021 coffee season. They plan to buy a small dry mill and two new washing stations in different regions of Burundi over the next three years. Then they will be able to give their customers a greater variety of Burundian coffees and taste profiles.

“TIB’s coffee grows in Muyinga province in northern Burundi, a beautiful hilly region with an average altitude of 1500-1600m. It is close to the Ruvubu National Park and crossed by the Nile River. They work with almost 2000 farmers with farms spread over 50 hectares. They produce fully washed, natural, and honey Arabica coffees. At TIB Coffee, they want their customers to enjoy the best coffee Burundi offers while knowing they’re positively impacting community life in Burundi.

“TIB takes a sustainability-focused approach to their production techniques to prioritise the land and the environment. They use erosion control and plant shade trees and leguminous plants that add nitrogen to the soil. They also grow bananas, maize, cassava, and beans for biodiversity and extra income for the farmers.

“At TIB Coffee, they help their farmers live a good life by producing the highest quality coffee they can. The vision is to make a true sustainable impact on communities and farmers by forming strong partnerships around specialty coffee production.”