{"title":"Rwanda","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"category-growing-regions\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Regions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"categoryextrafield\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally the highest demanded coffee is that which is grown around Lake Kivu, on the border of Congo and Rwanda.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRoasting Guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"categoryextrafield\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRwanda is always processed as a washed process coffee, and for that reason, can be taken just about into French roast territory with fantastic results. But a good Rwanda will also shine just shy of the 2nd cracks, where it may showcase undertones such as figs, molasses, cocoa, and a juiciness, while being fairly toned down on acidity and no earthiness to speak of in the aftertaste.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eManual\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"categoryextrafield\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen you have a good cup of Rwandan coffee, you remember it for years.The quality is highly variable from year to year even from the same co-ops and regions – in fact, even different lots from the same co-op in the same harvest can be starkly different from each other. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRwanda has only been largely available for about the past 5 years now, and they have a long way to go on consistency and quality, but it is a fun coffee, a good coffee, and has a very bright future.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rwanda-inzovu","title":"Rwanda Inzovu","description":"\u003cp\u003eI have discovered that there is a lot of really bad Rwandan coffee on the market and very little of it is organic. 20 years ago, Rwanda was a coffee leader, and then civil wars and strife all but ended their coffee industry. About 5 years ago, coffee started flowing out again, but quite a bit of it was undesirable. And still today, you’ve probably tried a Rwanda coffee that scared you away. Dirty aftertastes, no aftertastes, high acidity, thin bodies, unpleasant undertones, just to name a few… But this one is fantastic. This is our second year of buying it.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis one is well sorted with few defects. It is a former cup-of-excellence winner. It comes from a co-op of well-paid farmers. And it had a chocolate aroma that lures you in, an enjoyable smoothness, and hints of exotic fruits like coconut and passionfruit. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis coffee is produced by 20,000 small coffee farmers where the majority of the farmers only have around about 200 trees each to look after (essentially it is families growing coffee in their backyard as a way to bring in a little extra money). Because of this, the coffee plants are well loved, carefully tended to, picked at exactly the right time, and sorted very well. The coffee production in Rwanda has seen exponential growth, benefiting the countr'y economic well being. Due to the popularity and quality of this coffee, over the last several years the price paid directly to the farmers has significantly increased. The coffee came into the US in November 2015. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt has a nice full body to it, and a sweet clean aftertaste. It has a beautiful chocolate undertone and is smooth and sweet. It really is a treat to drink from start to finish. I would be pretty specific about stopping the roast just before the 2nd cracks. A lighter roast brings out a grassy, under-roasted flavor, and if you take it into the 2nd cracks it starts tasting a little bitter and over roasted. The exception to this is espresso. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 20 seconds into the 2nd cracks. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630891237464,"sku":null,"price":4.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-misozi","title":"Rwanda Misozi","description":"\u003cp\u003e800 farmers joined together to form the Fair Trade Organic Kopakaki co-op. They then joined under the umbrella of the Misozi co-op to help market the coffee to the world. \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.royalny.com\/coffee_cards\/1588.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.royalny.com\/coffee_cards\/1588.pdf\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKopakaki grows only bourbon varietal, at 4500 feet above sea level in the south-western part of the country, north of Burundi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe complexity of this coffee is unexpected. It is sugary sweet and very fruity. It is winey and bright like a Kenya, and depending on whether you take it a few degrees lighter or darker, you taste notes of apple, cranberry, red wine, raspberry, lime, caramel, and\/or peach. It has medium body and medium acidity. We roast it not quite into the 2nd cracks to best enjoy the sweetness and fruity notes of this coffee without the acidity being overpowering. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 30 seconds into the 2nd cracks, but otherwise, it's not an ideal coffee for dark roasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee came into the US in February 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630893170776,"sku":null,"price":5.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-kivu-lake","title":"Rwanda Isimbi Kivu Lake","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoffee 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: March 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630895759448,"sku":null,"price":7.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/rwandaburlapbag.jpg?v=1738611737"},{"product_id":"rwanda-rugali-natural","title":"Rwanda Rugali Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur first Rwanda arrival of the year is a natural processed bean! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRugali is a washing station on the western side of Rwanda over by Congo. There are 1000 farmers that bring coffee to the washing station. A group called Muraho stepped in and decided to help them up their game. So they separated out only Red Bourbon beans, and dried them on drying beds, and produced this microlot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese natural-processed beans remind me of an Ethiopia in many ways. The taste is sweet, with a high dose of fruitiness (apple, strawberry, orange) but it also has the cocoa flavor that you often find with Rwanda coffee. Overall the body is on the creamy\/syrupy side with a minimal amount of acidity. The fruit leans a little bit tart, but not sour or weird. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo we've tried roasting it a few ways. Obviously since it is a natural, you want to keep it out of 2nd cracks or you will burn it. But there's a pretty decent range of possibilities here. The lightest roasts ... just 20 seconds out of first cracks...are super tart but super complex. You get the most flavors here, and it isn't grassy\/vegetal, but it is more tart than I personally care for. A few of the guys at the shop really dig this though. I like it about 20 seconds longer. This sweetens it up...you get more chocolate, less fruit, smooths it out, really easily drinkable at that level. Go another 20 seconds and the fruit disappears altogether and the chocolate turns bitter, but it's still nice! It's just different from the other roasts. Less interesting, perhaps, but nice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most complex tasting and well sorted offerings we've ever seen out of Rwanda. A microlot that shows how much attention to detail was put into it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival December 2021\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630899036248,"sku":null,"price":6.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/681.jpg?v=1738611715"},{"product_id":"rwanda-muhanga-sholi","title":"Rwanda Muhanga Sholi","description":"\u003cp\u003eI have discovered that there is a lot of really bad Rwandan coffee on the market and very little of it is organic or grown with social ethics. But this one hits all the checkmarks. Great complexity and fruit notes in lighter roasts, no earthiness, organic certified, women-produced, former cup of excellence winner, and socially responsible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lot comes from Southern Rwanda in Muhanga, by the Sholi Cooperative. It's been around since 2008. It has grown to 300+ members as their motto is \"mutual assistance\" and they encourage farmers with similar values to join their co-op.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beans are well sorted with few defects. Out of about a dozen Rwanda coffees that we have sampled so far this season, this is our favorite. Not only is it a former cup-of-excellence winner, but it is Fair Trade certified and Rain Forest Alliance certified as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has a nice full body to it, and a sweet juicy fruity flavor. Don't overroast it, as it loses all of its charm quickly. You want to keep it out of 2nd cracks, but actually, you want it about 30 seconds before they even start. It has a peachy, apricot note to it, some citrus, a sparkling acidity, orange juice, and clean aftertaste. It's a little bit picky about roast level -- a lighter roast brings out a grassy, under-roasted flavor, and if you take it too close to the 2nd cracks it starts tasting a little bitter and over roasted. The exception to this is espresso. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 20 seconds into the 2nd cracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival December 2018\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630901624920,"sku":null,"price":5.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-karambi","title":"Rwanda Karambi","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit. It is very similar, of course, but has a little bit more fruity taste than the last lot -- strong sweet chocolate up front that still has raisins and plum and almond flavors dancing in the background.  Juicy and complex. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe roast this just like a nice medium roast Colombia, and we end the roast just after the 2nd cracks begin.  There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results, but for your first try, take it to the verge of 2nd cracks. We are getting sweet chocolate and slight almond notes in it here. If you want more fruits though, and a little stonefruit tartness, take a few degrees lighter and you won't be disappointed!   Instead of being high acidity, thin bodied, and super fruity like our other africans, this one is smoother, richer bodied.  Makes for a really nice medium roast mug of coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: February 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19894365028440,"sku":null,"price":7.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/IMG_0329.jpg?v=1738611663"},{"product_id":"rwansa-gishamwana-island","title":"Rwanda Gishamwana Island","description":"\u003cdiv id=\"tabs-1\" class=\"tab-pane active\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo it's well established that the best coffee in Rwanda is the coffee grown along Lake Kivu, which sits a whopping 4500 feet above sea level looking down at the Rift Valley. It is the 18th deepest lake in the world, and volcanic activity beneath and around the lake make it particularly legendary.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a big lake.  About 1000 square miles of water.  There are several islands within the lake.  Take a boat about an hour out into the lake, and you come to Gishamwana Island.  No one lives here, but coffee grows beautifully.  Pests and diseases haven't made it here yet, and the island coffee is both fair trade and organic certified.  Only bourbon varietal is grown, and the coffee is shaded from the undisturbed forest surrounding it.  The coffee is so highly anticipated, that the importer made a movie trailer teasing its arrival \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/105362622\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/105362622\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGishamwana coffee is the epitome of Rwandan coffee.  It has the chocolate, caramel, sweet, cherry tobacco, raisin, fig, berry, and orange notes with a zippy acidity, medium body, and no earthiness.  The sweet spot on this coffee is just before the 2nd cracks in order to balance the acidity with sweetness and complexity.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDarker roasts are good but you lose the raisin and caramel tastes.  Lighter roasts are bright with a strong winey cherry tobacco prominence making it a little overwhelming to drink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, it's expensive to bring coffee in from an island in the middle of a giant lake, but for the diehard hobbyists and aficionados of rare exquisite coffee, this is one to try.  It's a quintessential Rwanda coffee with just the right balance of flavors showcasing the region\u003cem\u003e, \u003c\/em\u003eand the story\/video of where it comes from definitely adds to the romance and enjoyment of the experience.\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS arrival March 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":20072207155288,"sku":null,"price":9.33,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/IMG20250322154406.jpg?v=1742673408"},{"product_id":"rwanda-nyamyumba-natural","title":"Rwanda Nyamyumba Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eNyamyumba is a fair trade organic co-op right on Lake Kivu bordering Congo. They have their own milling\/washing station and can control their quality. There are 600 farmers in the co-op, and they have regularly won awards for their coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese natural-processed beans remind me of a Tanzania or Kenya more than a Rwanda. There is a sparkling tangerine\/grapefruit taste, and even though it is a sundried coffee, it has a full bodied mouthfeel, bright acidity, and ends crisp and clean with no murky or muddled fermented tastes. The importer suggested notes of pomegranate and honey, and we didn't really find those notes in our roasts, but every method gets different results. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly a tiny portion of Rwanda coffee is sundried natural, so this isn't a coffee you get to practice on very often. It's much easier to roast than expected, but you definitely want to keep it on the light end of the spectrum. The lightest roasts -- just barely out of the 1st cracks -- had a lot of acidity and complexity and a bit of tartness, but not in a bad way. Our darkest roasts -- 20 seconds later -- tasted almost exactly the same, but with slightly less acidity and a little bit sweeter. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2020\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32244403896408,"sku":null,"price":5.65,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/rwanda_burlap_coffee_bag.jpg?v=1738611552"},{"product_id":"rwanda-kigembe","title":"Rwanda Kibirizi Washed","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit. This one has a little bit more fruity taste than the last lot -- strong sweet chocolate up front with stonefruit and cherry dancing in the background.  Juicy and complex. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe roast this on the same profile as our Uganda at a medium roast, and we end the roast just before the 2nd cracks begin. It becomes a lot less interesting once the 2nd cracks begin, so you really do have to cut it off before they hit. We are getting sweet chocolate and slight apricot and cherry notes in it here. If you want more fruits though, and a little  tartness, take a few degrees lighter and you won't be disappointed! Instead of being high acidity, thin bodied, and super fruity like our other africans, this one is smoother, medium bodied.  Makes for a really nice medium roast mug of coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: January 2024\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32527047262296,"sku":null,"price":5.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/rwandacoffeebag.jpg?v=1738611541"},{"product_id":"rwanda-musasa-natural","title":"Rwanda Musasa Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eMusasa is a co-op in the Gekenke region, which is in the north center of Rwanda, heading up towards Uganda. There are 1000 farmers in the co-op, and 80% are women. They are fair trade and organic certified. They have built schools with their proceeds, as well as donated funds to other co-ops in Rwanda to help them buy coffee processing mills. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese natural-processed beans remind me of an Ethiopia in many ways. The aroma has blueberry and chocolate, and the taste is sweet, with a high dose of fruitiness (banana, blueberry, cherry) but it also has the cocoa flavor that you often find with Rwanda coffee. Overall the body is on the creamy\/syrupy side. It's not as clean nor acidic nor as sweet as an Ethiopian coffee, it's more mellow and smooth like a Yemen or Uganda coffee. Easy to drink and delicious.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo we've tried roasting it a few ways. Obviously since it is a natural, you want to keep it out of 2nd cracks or you will burn it. But there's a pretty decent range of possibilities here. The lightest roasts (like a natural Ethiopia) just 20 seconds out of first cracks are the most complex. You get the most fruity flavors here, and it isn't grassy or vegetal. I like it about 20 seconds longer because this smooths it own and brings out more chocolate. Go another 20 seconds and the fruit all but disappears and the chocolate turns bitter, but it's still nice! It's just different from the other roasts. Less interesting, perhaps, but nice, and nicely dialed in for an aeropress or espresso machine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most complex tasting and well sorted offerings we've ever seen out of Rwanda, and a great cause to support! We are really excited to see the strides Rwanda is making in the specialty coffee world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2020\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32586384343128,"sku":null,"price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/rwandanaturalcoffeeburlapbag.jpg?v=1738611533"},{"product_id":"rwanda-nyabumera","title":"Rwanda Nyabumera","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one likes to be roasted not quite to the second cracks. There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results, but for your first try, take it to the verge of 2nd cracks. We are getting strong chocolate and slight almond notes in it here. If you go a little lighter you get raisins and plum flavors dancing in the background.  Juicy and complex. If you go lighter yet, you get lemongrass notes, which I feel like detracts from the enjoyment that the medium roast flavor offers. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis coffee comes from the Nyabumera washing station in the Nyamasheke District of Rwanda, operated by the COOPAC cooperative. This small lot comes from just two producers: Jean Ndagijimana and Angelique Nyirangendahayo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead of being high acidity, thin bodied, and super fruity like our other Africans, this one is smoother, richer bodied.  Makes for a really nice medium roast mug of coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: November 2020\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":33479953252440,"sku":null,"price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/PXL_20201105_221618301.jpg?v=1738611478"},{"product_id":"rwanda-kirorero","title":"Rwanda COOPAC","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one likes to be roasted not quite to the second cracks. There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results, but for your first try, take it to the verge of 2nd cracks. We are getting chocolate and cranberry notes in it here. If you go a little lighter you get more fruit -- berry and citrus and raisins and plum.  Juicy and complex. It's really nice coffee at both roast levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis coffee comes from the Kabirizi washing station in the Musasa District of Rwanda, operated by the COOPAC cooperative.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: March 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":33480382546008,"sku":null,"price":8.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/PXL_20201106_003003619.jpg?v=1738611477"},{"product_id":"rwanda-karambi-1","title":"Rwanda Cyato Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eCyato is a washing station in the Nyamasheke district for coffee of several surrounding areas, including the farmers in this Abadatezuka Co-op. The area is n\u003cspan\u003eorthwest of Lake Kivu. (we normally find our favorite Rwanda coffees closer to Lake Kivu but this one stood out for something a little different.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can roast this similarly to a natural Ethiopia. The mouthfeel is a little bit thin, but it makes up for it with sweetness and brightness. You get nice complexity of coffee fruit flavor, red wine, mild chocolate. I don't care for it as espresso, but it's excellent as coffee.\u003cspan class=\"font-italic\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: March 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":33607061471320,"sku":null,"price":8.65,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/c00e8e2c-30c0-4892-b5a5-4e8f5eed0df7_1.jpg?v=1775937453"},{"product_id":"rwanda-karambi-anaerobic","title":"Rwanda Kibirizi Anaerobic Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit. The Anaerobic process tends to bring out spice notes like cinnamon, which pairs really well with chocolate. Because it's a natural process, you also taste fruit notes like cherry and apple. Creamy and complex. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe roast this just like a natural process coffee, just barely out of the first cracks, and it tastes mostly chocolatey and fruity (cherry) and bright (apple cider) and just really fun coffee. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural process coffee is labor intensive and limited to equipment capacity, so this is a single farmer, super traceable, really small microlot. That drives the price way up. It's fun to experience though!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: March 2024\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39763329089624,"sku":null,"price":8.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/PXL_20240308_173429096.jpg?v=1740675348"},{"product_id":"rwanda-mbizi","title":"Rwanda Mbizi","description":"\u003cp\u003e700 women farmers joined together to form the \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWomen Coffee Extension co-op and the Mbizi mill which is located on the Western side of Rwanda near The Democratic Republic of Congo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe co-op does a good job of looking out for each other, giving goats to the members from some of the proceeds, health care, child care, things like that. The co-op was formed in 2017. They are close to getting Rain Forest Alliance certification but don't have other certifications yet. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee is pleasant, although not striking. It's clean and slightly chocolatey, slight fruit, slightly black tea like, a little bit of citrus.  We roast it not quite into the 2nd cracks to best enjoy the sweetness and complexity of the coffee. It roasts a lot like a Colombia coffee. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 30 seconds into the 2nd cracks, but otherwise, it's not an ideal coffee for dark roasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee came into the US in November 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44119856316703,"sku":null,"price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-mbizi-peaberry","title":"Rwanda Mbizi Peaberry","description":"\u003cp\u003e700 women farmers joined together to form the \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWomen Coffee Extension co-op and the Mbizi mill which is located on the Western side of Rwanda near The Democratic Republic of Congo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe co-op does a good job of looking out for each other, giving goats to the members from some of the proceeds, health care, child care, things like that. The co-op was formed in 2017. They are close to getting Rain Forest Alliance certification but don't have other certifications yet. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee is pleasant, although not striking. It's clean and slightly chocolatey, slight fruit, slightly black tea like, a little bit of citrus.  We roast it not quite into the 2nd cracks to best enjoy the sweetness and complexity of the coffee. Beacause it is a peaberry, the beans are dense and need a little extra heat compared to most other coffees. Peaberries like a lot of air flow and are especially well suited to air-roasters.  This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 30 seconds into the 2nd cracks, but otherwise, it's not an ideal coffee for dark roasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee came into the US in November 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44119897899295,"sku":null,"price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-mbizi-natural","title":"Rwanda Mbizi Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003e700 women farmers joined together to form the \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWomen Coffee Extension co-op and the Mbizi mill which is located on the Western side of Rwanda near The Democratic Republic of Congo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe co-op does a good job of looking out for each other, giving goats to the members from some of the proceeds, health care, child care, things like that. The co-op was formed in 2017. They are close to getting Rain Forest Alliance certification but don't have other certifications yet. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a natural processed sundried coffee makes it really fruity, with some chocolate and plum. Maybe a hint of grape\/blackberry. We roast it like a natural Ethopia, just barely out of first cracks. If it has too much tartness, give it an extra degree on the next roast. If you aren't getting any fruit, give it a degree less.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coffee came into the US in December 2023\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44170659528991,"sku":null,"price":6.15,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/IMG20240111140325.jpg?v=1738611362"},{"product_id":"rwanda-mushyoni","title":"Rwanda Mushyoni","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis washed process Rwanda comes from a co-op of 1200 farmers in the Fair Trade Organic Rwacof co-op. They then take the coffee to the Mushyoni washing station to be sorted and processed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRwacof grows only red bourbon varietal, at 4500 feet above sea level in the western part of the country, on the border of Democratic Republic of Congo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe complexity of this coffee is unexpected. It is bright and very fruity. It is winey and bright like a Kenya, has some green apple, a little floral. If you use your imagination or nudge it a couple degrees darker you get some chocolate, and on the lighter end of roasts you taste notes of apple, cranberry, red wine, lime. It has medium body and medium acidity. We roast it not quite into the 2nd cracks to best enjoy the sweetness and fruity notes of this coffee without the acidity being overpowering. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 30 seconds into the 2nd cracks, but otherwise, it's not an ideal coffee for dark roasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: January 2023.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44336842309919,"sku":null,"price":6.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/IMG20230214151412.jpg?v=1738611360"},{"product_id":"rwanda-coopac-natural","title":"Rwanda COOPAC Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwenty-five years ago, Rwanda was a coffee leader, and then civil wars and strife all but ended their coffee industry. About 10 years ago, coffee started flowing out again, but quite a bit of it was undesirable. Perhaps you've had some bad experiences with Rwanda coffee that scared you away. Dirty aftertastes, no complexity, high acidity, thin bodies, unpleasant sour undertones, just to name a few common defects…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is amazing. Rwanda is back.  It has a nice blueberry strudel taste that just makes you smile when you taste it. Sweet, clean aftertaste, Creamy. caramel, chocolate. It was processed at the Mushonyi mill near Lake Kivu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe COOPAC group was one of the first coffee co-ops to emerge following the civil war and has won the cup of excellence a few times. It is a fair-trade and organic certified CO-OP, meaning that several small organic certified family farms pooled their crops together and they rely on coffee as a means of living, and the fair trade organization oversaw the transactions to assure fairness. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a natural process coffee, but it looks like a washed process. Initially I thought it was a mistake and tried roasting it to the second cracks, but it had a slightly burnt taste and very little fruit, so I roast it like a natural Ethiopia with lots of airflow and definitely keep it as a light roast because then it's delicious. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: February 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44336976560415,"sku":null,"price":8.02,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-jarama","title":"Rwanda Mugina","description":"\u003cp\u003eMugina is a washing station bordering DR Congo in the Kivubelt co-op. It is in the \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eKarombi District in the Western Province. Approximately 1000 farmers contribute coffee as a co-op type agreement. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can roast this a little bit lighter like a Costa Rica but it's pretty bright if you do that. You get nice complexity of orange, pomegranate, banana, cherry; but it's kind of hard to drink because of the brightness. So we are roasting this just like a nice medium roast Colombia, and we draw out the middle of the roast to make it creamy instead of acidic, and we end the roast just after the 2nd cracks begin.  At this level of roast there's lots of chocolate, and hints of red fruit. There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results, but for your first try, take it to the verge of 2nd cracks. Makes for a really nice medium roast mug of coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: April 2024\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44425212789023,"sku":null,"price":5.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/PXL_20240525_155400593.jpg?v=1740675262"},{"product_id":"rwanda-gasharu-natural","title":"Rwanda Gasharu Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGasharu is a washing station in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNyamasheke District which is northwest of Lake Kivu. (we normally find our favorite Rwanda coffees closer to Lake Kivu but this one stood out for something a little different.) T\u003c\/span\u003ehey separated out only Red Bourbon beans, and dried them on drying beds, and produced this natural process microlot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese beans remind me of an Ethiopia in many ways. The taste is sweet, with a small dose of fruitiness (banana, blueberry) but it also has the cocoa flavor that you often find with Rwanda coffee. Overall the body is on the creamy\/syrupy side with a minimal amount of acidity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI like it about 20 seconds after the first cracks end. This sweetens it and gives it lots of cream-pie flavor. A little bit of earthiness but in my mind,  that's the pie crust. It doesn't taste like other Rwanda coffees that we've had, but holds its own as an interesting option.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival March 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44695058678047,"sku":null,"price":6.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/IMG20230408111913.jpg?v=1738611349"},{"product_id":"rwanda-kanzu","title":"Rwanda Cotecaga","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCotecaga washing station is located in the Nyamasheke district of Rwanda’s Western province \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ewhich is northwest of Lake Kivu. (we often find our favorite Rwanda coffees in close proximity to Lake Kivu like this one is).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are roasting this just like a nice medium roast Colombia, and we draw out the middle of the roast to make it creamy instead of acidic, and we end the roast just after the 2nd cracks begin. At this level of roast there's lots of chocolate, and hints of orange. There's a fairly large window of ending temperature in this area where you will get good results, but for your first try, take it to the verge of 2nd cracks. Makes for a really nice medium roast mug of coffee. You can roast this a little bit lighter, more like a Costa Rica, but it's pretty bright if you do that. You get nice complexity of green apple, mandarin orange, cherry; but it's kind of hard to drink because of the brightness.   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: January 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45253573083423,"sku":null,"price":7.33,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/IMG20230619100223.jpg?v=1738611334"},{"product_id":"rwanda-kinini-village-natural","title":"Rwanda Kinini Village Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eKinini Village is a fair trade organic co-op with 48 members in the northern part of Rwanda up by Lake Kivu bordering Congo. They have their own milling\/washing station and can control their quality. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese natural-processed beans roast like a natural Ethiopia. There is a sparkling lime taste, with some lemongrass and orange marmalade, maybe a little black tea. And even though it is a sundried coffee, it has a full bodied mouthfeel and isn't thin or watery. The importer (Crop to Cup) suggested notes of boysenberry, chocolate, pear, pluot, violet, and buttered rum, and while we didn't really find those notes in our roasts, I'm throwing it out there in case you do. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly a tiny portion of Rwanda coffee is sundried natural, so this isn't a coffee you get to practice on very often. It's much easier to roast than expected, but you definitely want to keep it on the light end of the spectrum. The lightest roasts -- just barely out of the 1st cracks -- had a lot of acidity and complexity and a bit of tartness, but not in a bad way. Our darkest roasts -- 20 seconds later -- tasted almost exactly the same, but with slightly less acidity and a little bit sweeter. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival February 2023\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45538040906015,"sku":null,"price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rwanda-kibirizi-natural","title":"Rwanda Kibirizi Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen we bring in Rwanda coffee, we often try to find the chocolate-driven taste profile, with less acidity and less fruit. The natural process tends to bring out sweetness and complexity. You also taste fruit notes like cherry and apple. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe roast this just like any other natural process coffee, just barely out of the first cracks, and it tastes mostly chocolatey and fruity (cherry) and bright (apple cider) and just really fun coffee. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural process coffee is labor intensive and limited to equipment capacity, so this is a single farmer, super traceable, really small microlot. That drives the price way up. It's fun to experience though!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival: March 2024\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48721441489183,"sku":null,"price":5.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/files\/PXL_20240308_173429096.jpg?v=1740675348"},{"product_id":"rwanda-karongi-shyira","title":"Rwanda Karongi Shyira","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first of many Rwanda coffees we will be getting in the 2026 season, but this one hits all the checkmarks. Great complexity and fruit notes in lighter roasts, no earthiness, organic certified, women-produced, former cup of excellence winner, and socially responsible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lot comes from Western Rwanda in the Karongi province, by the Shyira Cooperative. It has grown to 300+ members as their motto is \"mutual assistance\" and they encourage farmers with similar values to join their co-op.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has a nice full body to it, and a sweet juicy fruity flavor. Don't overroast it, as it loses all of its charm quickly. You want to keep it out of 2nd cracks, but actually, you want it about 30 seconds before they even start. It has a peachy, chocolate note to it, a little bit of acidity, and clean aftertaste. It's a little bit picky about roast level -- a lighter roast brings out a grassy, under-roasted flavor, and if you take it too close to the 2nd cracks it starts tasting a little bitter and over roasted. The exception to this is espresso. This bean makes a great espresso or espresso component when you take it 20 seconds into the 2nd cracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51622125535519,"sku":null,"price":6.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/collections\/rwanda.jpg?v=1647829812","url":"https:\/\/happymugcoffee.mom\/collections\/rwanda.oembed","provider":"Happy Mug","version":"1.0","type":"link"}