Lake Kivu Arabica ##for 1 lb bag (16 ounces)##

Click to Zoom

Lake Kivu Arabica

Our World Coffee Bus Tour makes a stop on the shores of Lake Kivu in the Congo. North Kivu, in the DR Congo, has been establishing a foothold on the global specialty coffee map with stunning Arabica coffee cup profiles for the past decade. While the region still suffers from ongoing conflicts, key stakeholders have come together to work towards peace. Their work is motivated by economic and environmental regeneration, and fueled by the production of specialty coffee.

This high-cupping Arabica is grown at a super-high altitude of 6000' in soil rich in volcanic minerals and eons of deep forest growth. The varieties grown by the small shareholders who produce this Arabica blend include Jamaica Blue Mountain. We loved the spectrum of tones... reminded us of the dynamic balance we look for in the Espresso #2. With the bright green apple attack you don’t expect the baker’s chocolate lingering notes. It was a mild coffee, and it seemed no matter how we tried to make it NOT mild, it seemed we were just upsetting it. The mellow Blue Mountain was holding its skirt high in protest over our muddy puddle of trials. Then a voice called out, "It's an espresso!"

Although we seldom find that single origin coffees make a fully balanced espresso, we are just loving this one. And in a regular drip brew, the profile is mild but compelling and reflects that unique soil terroir of the African Great Lakes.

1 pound (16 oz) bags. City/Dark Harlequin Roast. Whole bean (for espresso, grind to your own preferences) or drip grind for regular brewing. You can also buy a featured 4 ounce gold bag as a trial here.

More Information

Our back testing area is unfortunately very exposed with an entire wall of windows, which we usually keep the shades drawn.

As we puzzled over the right approach to this coffee to do it justice, we heard a growly voice from outside the window say “It wants to be an espresso, you bimbos.”

We had to let our curmugeonly CFO, Leon, go when things got rough in December, but somehow it seems he never really went away. Because, I guess, he never really did go away... coming back around with lame excuses like looking for his 135i spark plug gapping tool for his motorcyle sparkplugs. Right. Leon does not idle well, and forced retirement is eating him up (and spitting him out, we noticed... can’t blame it.)

So, yes, we hauled out our little retro espresso machine and voila... the growly voice was right. It DID want to be an espresso. We don’t normally find single origins to make a wide-spectrum and balanced espresso, but oh my, this little Arabica blend had it all going. Wow. So here it is, our first single origin espresso. See what you thgink.

---------

This coffee is grown within the Virunga National Park in Kivu, which is Africa’s oldest national park. Many smallholder coffee farmers operate here along the western slopes of the Rwenzori Mountains and highlands of Lake Edward. As one of the last refuges of the mountain gorilla and other endangered species of lowland gorillas, savannah elephants, big cats, and antelope, Virunga National Park conservation is paramount to the survival of its extraordinary wildlife.

Conservation and regeneration initiatives, spearheaded by the Virunga Alliance, include hydro-electric generation and distribution for better access to electricity and increased employment opportunities. Another direction is steered by agricultural programs that invest in smallholder production and market accessibility.

~~$21.00~~ $15.00

(You save $6.00)