This Red Bourbon coffee is produced by the Dukunde Kawa cooperative in the hills of north-western Rwanda. Mbilima is one of the cooperative’s four washing stations, where this honey-processed coffee is produced.
To carry out this process, the cherries are pulped and then dried with the mucilage intact, at the peak of the harvest. Only the ripest and densest cherries are hand-picked by harvesters.
Pulping is carried out mechanically to remove the pulp without the use of water. The wet parchment is then transferred to raised beds and spread in layers no thicker than 3 cm, where it remains untouched for three days to allow fermentation to take place.
After two days, the coffee can be turned to prevent any unwanted fermentation. During the first week, the coffee is turned as often as possible and defective beans are removed to ensure an even drying process. Drying takes approximately 25 to 30 days, depending on weather conditions.
