The Gitega Hill’s washing station is located in the Nyamagabe District of the southern province and is located very close to Nyungwe Forest and the traced source of the Nile River. The average farm supplying to Gitega is at an altitude around 1,650m, and that high altitude along with the volcanic soil of the area make Gitega an excellent location for high quality processing. Cherries delivered to the Gitega Hills station are washed and any floaters are separated to remove any defective cherries. The coffee is then placed on the raised African beds at about 2cm of thickness where it is dried for up to 30 days.
Key facts
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Altitude: 1,650m
Process: Natural
Tasting notes: Jasmine, bergamot, apple.
Information on the region
Gitega Hills is a washing station located in the Nyamagabe District in Southern Rwanda which lies in close proximity to the Nyungwe forest and the traced source of the Nile River. Up until 2015 the owner, Bernard Unwitije, had been trading non-washed coffee until he recently discovered the potential in fully washed speciality grade coffee. His washing station is equipped with a 1500kg Penagos machine, fermentation tanks and raised drying beds.
Processing involves the freshly pulped coffee cherries being wet fermented and the beans are sorted by their density using water filled grading channels. The wet parchment is then dried under cover for 24 hours before being moved to uncovered drying beds for 15 days. During this period the beans are continuously hand sorted to get rid of the defect beans.
Bernard counts on his overall experience and knowledge to make a success of his newly established wet mill. The coffee that is supplied to the Gitega Hill washing station is supplied by a number of small farms at altitudes of around 1600 masl on the volcanic fertile soil. The high Altitude and nutrient rich soils are perfect for producing and processing high-quality coffee.