Rwanda, Shyira - Washed

LIGHT & JUICY

Origin: Rwanda 
Region: Nyabihu District
Producer: Smallholder producers
Altitude: 1800-2000 masl.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Process: Washed
Roast level: Light roast
SCA Score: 84.75 points

Built in 2017, Shyira is a washing station situated at 2,000 meters above sea level, collecting cherries from neighbouring smallholder producers. This is among the highest-grown coffee we know of in Rwanda, from a region where very few washing stations exist, making it especially unique. Cherries are handpicked on remote mountain plots and carried down narrow paths to be carefully sorted, washed, fermented, and dried on raised beds beneath alternating sun and fog.

Coffee cherries are hand-sorted to remove underripe fruit and foreign matter. They are then floated in pre-pulping tanks to separate floaters before being pulped. Next, the coffee is fermented in concrete tanks for an average of 12 hours. During this stage, the parchment is continuously agitated through ceremonial foot-stomping to help remove residual mucilage and separate lower-density parchment. Each washing station has its own song for the foot-stomping ceremony, which is sung to build pride and a sense of ownership among workers.
After fermentation, the coffee passes through a serpentine grading channel, where parchment is separated by density. After the final rinse, coffee is moved to a pre-drying area, where it is hand-sorted again to remove insect-damaged, discoloured, or chipped beans. It is then dried for around 30 days, regularly turned during peak sun hours and covered at night. Once fully dried, the green coffee is ready for export.