Kilimbi Anaerobic | Rwanda

• Producer: Kilimbi Coffee Washing Station
• Tasting notes: cherry, pomegranate, sauvignon blanc 
• Process: anaerobic natural  
• Roast: light
• Sourcing: Nyamasheke District, Rwanda

Kilimbi Coffee Washing Station, located on the shores of Lake Kivu in Rwanda’s Nyamasheke District, works with over 750 local farmers to produce amazing high-quality coffees every year. Built in 2016, the station processes fully washed, honey, natural, and anaerobic coffees with a focus on careful sorting, clean fermentations, and slow, controlled drying stages on raised beds.

For anaerobic natural coffees, the team at Kilimbi uses an anoxic fermentation on cherries picked during peak harvest, when sugar levels are at their highest. Whole cherries are sealed in plastic tanks with a water-filled sheet to create an oxygen-free environment and ferment for 48 hours. Afterward, the cherries are dried as natural coffees over several weeks. They're turned hourly by hand, and carefully monitored—especially in the first 48 hours—to ensure even drying and preserve complex flavors.

This is the third coffee we've featured from Kilimbi CWS, and it is always one of the most exciting coffees of the year. In the cup, you'll find notes of cherry and pomegranate, along with the complexity of a fine wine.