Rwanda Isimbi Kivu Lake

This Rainforest Allicance Certified coffee grows at high altitude overlooking Lake Kivu. It is washed in waters from deep underground wells and hand sorted to select the most perfect beans. Isimbi is the word the natives use to refer to something pure "like the white snow at the top of a volcano" and that's how they decided to call this coffee by that name. 

Coffee plays an important role in Rwanda’s economy. It’s a leading export, creating income for over 400,000 small farmers and is also the centerpiece of Rwanda’s tourism industry. 

You can roast this just into 2nd cracks but it's a bit boring there. Drinkable and pleasant for sure, but there's not a lot going on. I like to roast it where it is just shy of the 2nd cracks beginning. This brings out a sparkling acidity with some spice notes (nutmeg), plum, brown sugar, cinnamon. There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results. My favorite roast is to treat it like a Colombia and take it to the verge of 2nd cracks and I get molasses cookie and hint of juicy red fruits and hints of spice, and that's a pretty nice level to start with and then tweak it from there, but if you go lighter you get more tartness if you prefer that tangy sensation. It's pretty easy to roast. It does burn and become unpleasant if you take it dark.

US Arrival: December 2023