Masha Coffee Washing Station shares its name with the sub-hill upon which it stands. The sub-hill is more famous for its cattle than its coffee. The name Masha comes from the Kirundi word “amasho”, meaning “herds of cattle”. The sub-hill has been a crossroad for many herds in the region. Many of the local herders greet each other with a unique phrase only used in this region. They say, “gira amasho”, which means “owner of cows”.
Masha station was built in 1989. Most farmers who deliver cherries are subsistence farmers. Farmers intercrop their trees with food crops and other cash crops to feed and support their families.
Brew Guide
V60
7 days / 12.4g dose / 225ml filtered water / 97° / 3 minuteextraction
Gahahe
Tasting NotesCranberry, Honey, Jasmine
Variety Red Bourbon
ProcessFully Washed
ElevationAbove 1,800m
Region Kayanza
Gahahe washing station is equipped with 10 fermentation tanks, 4 cherry selection tables, 2 soaking tanks and a drying field with 180 drying tables, 18 pre-drying tables, and can process up to 750 metric tonnes of cherries per season. All cherries are floated in small buckets as a first step quality check. After floating, the cherries are sorted by hand to remove all damaged, underripe and overripe cherries. After sorting cherries are pulped. All within 6 hours of delivery. The coffee is then dry fermented for up to 12 hours, washed in clean mountain water for 12 to 24 hours, and parchment is then soaked for 12-18 hours before being dried on raised beds for 2 to 3 weeks.
Brew Guide
V60
7 days / 12.4g dose / 225ml filtered water / 97° / 3 minuteextraction
Kibingo
Tasting Notes Peach, Green Grapes, Orange Zest
Variety Red Bourbon
Process Washed
Elevation1700-1900masl
Region Kayanza
Kibingo Central Washing Station is located in Kayanza commune in northern Burundi. Kibingo CWS has collection centres that facilitate outreach to farmers: thanks to these collection centres, the farmers don’t have to sell their cherries to middlemen who transport the coffee or needn’t travel too far with a heavy load of cherries. Shorter distances also help preserve quality.Kibingo serves 3,515 registered coffee growers who are spread over 18 hills in the area. All producers registered at a Greenco washing station are organised into groups of 30 people, headed by a farm leader. This leader acts as a spokesperson to facilitate communication and organisation with the washing station. The washing station is equipped with 10 fermentation tanks, 2 soaking tanks and a drying field with 165 drying tables and 4 pre-drying tables. Kibingo CWS can process 750,000 kg of cherry per day. The washing station also reconverts coffee pulp to organic fertiliser which farmers can obtain. To further promote farm renovation, producers can get coffee seedlings at the washing station which are grown in their own nursery.
Brew Guide
V60
7 days / 12.4g dose / 225ml filtered water / 97° / 3 minuteextraction
