![]() After arriving at the Mulungu Research Centre in D.R. From Puerto Rico, they were then taken to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1930’s and then to Rwanda in the 1950’s. These got their names from Mayaguez in Puerto Rico where Bourbon seeds were taken from Central America for growing. BM 139 and BM 71 is short for Bourbon Mayaguez 139 & 71. Although there are thought to be thousands of different varieties growing in Ethiopia, the rest of the world cultivates much less than this and almost all of them stem from either Typica or Bourbon. Most modern Arabica varieties are either of Bourbon or Typica lineage as these were the first seeds to be taken out of Ethiopia for cultivation back in the 16th century. Recently the co-op have also developed a wormery where they can compost the discarded cherry skins to reduce waste and make organic fertilizer for the farmers to use. There is an onsite cupping lab with sample roasters where the farmers can taste the difference between a good crop or bad crop, they also have 3 full time agronomists which work all year round with the producers educating them on best practices. The washing station is located next to a stream, providing fresh water for drinking but also for processing the coffee which aids clean flavour. As well as the school and health centre, roads have been built for farmers to get their cherries to the processing plant quickly which improves cup quality significantly. Phase two was to help the community achieve self-sufficiency and provide work and income, mostly through the production of speciality coffee. Phase one for the charity was to provide a central school and a health centre to realise the community’s fundamental human rights of education and healthcare. However, with the on-going support and education of the Kinini washing station the group are producing extremely high-quality coffee. Although many of these farmers had previous agricultural experience, growing cash crops was new to most of them, never mind a complex crop like speciality coffee. ![]() After setting up a school and a health centre they then founded the Kinini Washing Station and started growing coffee in 2012, partnering with 633 local farmers, each with an average plot of about half a hectare. This was started to help individuals, mainly widows and orphans of the 1994 genocide, who were displaced to an uncultivated area of savannah in the Rulindo district. The Story of this Rwandan Kinini AA began in 2008 when Malcolm Clear and Jaqueline Turner set up the charity ‘A New Beginning’. As an espresso we are enjoying notes of cherry, butterscotch and sultana. We find washed coffees from Kinini to have lots of sweetness, reminiscent of ripe, dark berries with a bright and refreshing acidity. ![]() Around Springtime we like to feature some of the fresh crop washed coffees from the Kinini co-op in Rwanda. Prototype Espresso is a showcase of seasonal coffees that highlight fruit and floral notes with maximum sweetness and a balanced cup when prepared as espresso.
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