DECAF Lala Salama, Rwanda — Espresso Roast

  • Product Info

     PRODUCER: Smallholder farmers

    PROCESS: washed, mc decaf

    REGION: Rwanda

    VARIETAL: Red Bourbon

    ALTITUDE: 1600-1740 MASL

    Tasting Notes:  Raspberry jam and praline with rich cocoa body

    About The Coffee

    Lala Salama means 'Sleep Well' in Swahili, a perfect name for this decaffeinated coffee from Rwanda. 

    Not far from Karambi Mountain station within the same sector is neighbouring site Mutovu, named after the river that flows at the foot of the site, the river also provides the washing station with its water source along with the rainwaters that come down from the mountain. Like many of the washing stations, rainwater is stored in tanks and channelled throughout the site. After use the water is treated through filtration with lime added to raise the PH content before being held in small lagoons for anaerobic breakdown and eventual evaporation.

    The small station is just 2 hectares in size and not far from the neighbouring towns of Gatare and Gikangaga. The station was built in 2012 and currently employs 5 full time staff with an additional 70 during the season, 90% are women. 995 farmers contribute cherry to Mutovu’s annual production of roughly 300 tons of cherries. These farms are within a 5km radius from the washing station and have on average 3500 coffee trees.

    Decaffeination process:

    The coffee beans are treated with steam to draw the caffeine from the inner coffee bean to the outer surface area of the bean. A chemical solvent, MC removes the caffeine and afterwards, steam is applied again to the coffee beans to drive out residual solvent and finally, the beans are dried and ready to be sent to us for roasting.