Regalia Coffee - Gakenke, Burundi

GAKENKE IS OUR NEXT FRESH CROP BURUNDI OFFERING THIS SEASON.  EXPECT JUICINESS, BERRIES, AND CARAMEL THAT DOMINATE THIS STRUCTURED CUP.

Gakenke station has 2,685 registered farmer members, spread over 22 hills in Gatare commune, Kayanza province. These are organized in groups of 30 people, headed by a producer leader to facilitate communication and organization with the washing station. The farmers typically have an average of 250 trees.

Quality assurance begins as soon as farmers deliver their cherry. Cherry is wet-processed under constant supervision. The pulping, fermentation time, washing, grading in the channels and a final soaking are all closely monitored. All cherry is floated in small buckets as a first step to check quality. After floating, the higher quality cherry is sorted again by hand to remove all damaged, underripe and overripe cherries.

After sorting, cherry is pulped within 6 hours of delivery. The machine can process up to 3 tons of cherries per hour. During pulping, cherry is separated into high- and low-grade by density on a Mackinon 3-disc pulper outfitted with an additional separation disk.  The coffee is then fermented in water from a nearby stream for 10 to 12 hours, depending on ambient temperature. 

- Excerpt from Sucafina USA

Region Kayanza, Burundi
Altitude 1500-1800 MASL
Process Washed, wet-fermented for 10-12 ; dried on tables for 2-3 weeks
Varietal Red Bourbon