Cup Of Excellence 2017
At the end of July our cupper and collaborator Cássia Martinez has represented us as an international judge in the 5th Cup of Excellence (COE) of Burundi. There were 27 judges, of whom 6 observers, from 14 different countries evaluating samples for this renowned contest. Cássia is responsible for quality control at Cafés el Magnífico, international judge of the Cup of Excellence and Q grader. Cássia tells us:
“Amahoro”
Peace
(Widely used as a greeting)
Regarding coffee, everything seems to be flourishing in Burundi for 2 years now. It is clear that the country has been cultivating and exporting its black gold for many more years, but every visit to every dry mill, washing station, talks with producers and exporters, its key dates for major changes appear to have happened in 2015. Burundi is a country of tremendous potential where much remains to be done. If nowadays the coffees are already spectacular, it wouldn’t surprise me if in a few years figures close to 100 will be seen in the COE scores.
The Competition
In the pre-selection phase 151 samples were classified by national cuppers. As a rule, only 40 samples are finalists and have the opportunity to be evaluated by the team of international judges. However, such was the cup quality of Burundi coffees this year that there were 18 samples scoring between 86 – 87 points (COE Quality) that were left out of the final list.
“Ikawa Iryoshe” – Delicious Coffee
Understanding the scores
The scores work as follows:
< 80 Commercial Coffee
80 – 85 Specialty Coffee
86 – 90 COE Selection
90 Presidential Award – Best of the Best
To this day, the objectives of the Cup of Excellence have been:
Build a reputation for the producing countr
Find the best coffees
Identify different cup profiles
Familiarize buyers to origin and their best coffee growers
Build relationships between producers and consumers
Burundi was one of the 5 countries in the original Gourmet Project in 1999. It was this same project that organized the first competition in Brazil that eventually became Cup of Excellence. This year they are already celebrating the 110th edition of the COE and new objectives are being cooked. Some of our flavour descriptors were caramel, orange, chocolate, black currant and honey!
THE COUNTRY
The hills from Ngozi (foto by Danny Pang)
Burundi is a small heart-shaped East African country that is home to 12 million people. This region of Africa is known for its high quality coffees and Burundi is no exception. In addition, coffee accounts for 40% of the country’s exports, which translates into an annual income of US $ 46 million.
Much of its territory offers excellent conditions for the cultivation of exceptional and exotic coffees: thousands of hills with high altitude, volcanic soils rich in nitrogen, abundant rains (1,200 mm annual), suitable temperatures and a varietal with pedigree (Bourbon).
Coffee growers and their families waiting for us at the Rutobo Washing Station in Kiremba – Ngozi.
There are no large plantations in Burundi. The coffee is grown on small farms smaller than 1ha (an average of 200 coffee trees per producer) and family-owned cherries are sold to the nearest washing station. This represents around 700,000 coffee-growing families who also cultivate subsistence agriculture such as wheat, maize, rice, bananas, etc.
Selecting coffees at Horamama dry mill – Kayanza
100% of Burundian coffee is hand-harvested and sun-dried in raised beds, although only 5% of its production is considered to be Specialty. Most coffees are double washed or double fermented, which results in very clean coffees with bright flavours.
Dancer at the Award Ceremony (foto by Danny Pang)
THE WINNER COFFEE: 90,45 POINTS!
WASHING STATION KIBINGO – KAYANZA
The first place coffee, a consistent and sweet coffee with cherry, almonds and chocolate notes, citric acidity, velvety body and a lingering aftertaste, stood out obtaining the distinction of Presidential Award (superior to 90 points).
Marc Manirakiza, a young agronomist at the University of Bujumbura (capital), is one of the main responsible for the correct functioning of the Kibingo washing station in the province of Kayanza, owned by the exporter Greenco. Built in 1986, Kibingo is at 1.890 masl and is the highest station among Greenco’s 13 properties (all with 4C certification and UTZ).
I think it is worth mentioning that the top 5 places and 13 of the 23 COE winners (exceeding 86 points) were lots of Greenco’s stations.
Cássia with Marc Manirakiza from Kibingo
Kibingo has 7 permanent workers and another 80 during the harvest. They buy coffees directly from 3,500 coffee growers and 21,000 baby trees from their nursery are waiting for its maturity to be planted. The winning batch is a washed coffee although Kibingo is already producing Honeys and Naturals!
Fermentation tanks and (empty) raised beds from Kibingo
The pre-selection of the cherries when they arrive at the station is considered one of the most important works of the whole process. They have spring water (from the mythical Nile) that flows through each stage of the process by gravity to wash the coffees. Decantation tanks allow water to be filtered before being returned to its natural course using the residual mucilage as compost. In fact, all waste generated during pulping are converted into organic fertilizers.
About Kayanza Region
The Kayanza region is located in the north of the country, near the border with Rwanda. It is known mostly for being the source of the Nile River, an unique water that is used to process cherries in all the neighbouring wet mills. This is probably one of the many reasons why the coffees of this region are always among the champions in the prestigious Cup of Excellence.
About Ngozi Region
Ngozi Province is also located in the north of Burundi. Many coffee growers in the region are registered at Greenco’s washing stations and are organized into groups of 30 headed by a leading farmer who acts as a spokesperson to facilitate communication and organization with the washing stations. The coffee grown here has a very pronounced acidity level perfectly balanced with its sweetness.
Coffee sorters at the Horamama dry mill, Kayanza.
Other Coffee Regions of Burundi
Less known but very promising are 4 other coffee regions of Burundi: Kirundo, Muyinga and Bubanza in the north and Gitega in the center of the country.
A dancer at the Award Ceremony (foto by Danny Pang)
THE SECOND PLACE 90.40 POINTS!
WASHING STATION NZOVE – NGOZI
COE’s second place, also with Presidential Award was my favourite coffee out of the top 40. Also owned by Greenco, Nzove was built in 1992 at 1.530 masl in the Mwumba Commune in Ngozi province. The name ‘Nzove’ is derived from the herds of elephants (inzovu in Kirundi) that used to live in the surrounding hills.
The washing station buys cherries from more than 2.400 local coffee growers distributed around the 12 neighbouring hills and during the season Nzove processes more than 800 tons of coffee.
This coffee is sweet, has a bright and complex acidity like grape juice, cassis liqueur, passion fruit, floral notes, a velvety body and a very long aftertaste. Perfectly balanced!
It has been hard to judge among so many extraordinary coffees!
The team of international judges, Sherri Johns as Head Judge.
“Murakoze Cane Burundi”
Thank you very much Burundi
“Tuzosubira vuba”
See you soon