Description
This exceptional coffee comes to us from the highlands bordering the ancient Kibira rainforest, brought to you by the renowned Long Miles Coffee Project. Founded in 2011 by Ben and Kristy Carlson, Long Miles was born out of a desire to bridge the gap between Burundian coffee farmers and the global market. Witnessing the potential for quality that was being lost due to poor farming practices and injustice, the Carlsons built their own washing stations Bukeye and Heza to create a direct link to the growers. Starting with just 50 neighbors, they now support over 5,500 farming families across eleven different hills, paying premiums well above market rates and ensuring traceability right down to the specific hill where the coffee was grown.
A key factor that sets this coffee apart is the incredible work of the “Coffee Scouts.” These are young agronomists trained by Long Miles who work year-round with farmers to improve the health of their trees. They have been pivotal in organically fighting the antestia bug the pest responsible for the infamous “potato defect” in East African coffees through pruning and natural banding methods. The coffee is grown at impressive altitudes ranging from 1,760 to nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, where the cool mists from the Kibira rainforest allow the cherries to mature slowly, developing dense, sugar-rich beans.
The processing of this lot is a fascinating blend of rigor and tradition. After the cherries are floated and pulped, they undergo a fermentation process that culminates in a unique step known as “footing.” A team enters the fermentation tanks to gently agitate and dance on the parchment by foot, a traditional method that ensures every bit of sticky mucilage is removed before the final rinse. The beans are then moved to raised African beds where they undergo a very slow, meticulous drying process for up to 20 days. This slow drying stabilizes the moisture in the bean, ensuring the green coffee stays fresh and vibrant for longer.
In the cup, this Burundi offers a distinct departure from the sharp, citrus-forward profiles often associated with neighboring East African origins. It is a deeply comforting and structured coffee, characterized by a heavy, creamy body. You can expect rich notes of dark chocolate and sweet caramel that serve as a base for complex “savory” undertones, reminding us of fresh garden herbs or mild botanical spices. It is a smooth, substantial cup that feels incredibly satisfying on the palate, perfect for those who prefer richness over high acidity.
Tasting Notes: A lovely coffee from light to dark. Your personal tastes will dictate what level to roast these beans to, if in doubt, a nice medium roast provides the best balance and depth of flavors. Light roasts will have a lemony citric crispness balancing with a sweet edged nutty/caramel/chocolate/spice like undertone. Takes a longer setup for lighter roasts to shine, but for those who like sweetness and brighter notes in coffee the lighter roast levels are best. Medium roasts build the darker tones and mute a bunch of the citric brightness, a semi-sweet chocolaty cup with a burnt sugar kick, just a pinch of crisp citric that will disappear as the coffee sets up. Hints of nuttiness with a stronger herbal/spice pop out more. Darker roasts turn the cup more robust, a semi-sweet chocolate bomb with a little spice in the aftertaste, much flatter but very tasty with a splash of milk or for espresso/cold-brew.
Roasting Notes: An easy coffee to roast: medium to low chaff and even roasting. The color can darken pretty good right before 1st crack, make sure you see the expansion in size and chaff coming off to mark your lighter roast points. Medium roasts watch for a slight sheen on the surface of the beans. Darker roasts marked by the 2nd crack, hints of oil on the surface or smoke coming from the roaster. Being a little crisper cup, a longer setup on the beans is wise to minimize any slightly sour tones upfront.
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