These yeast inoculated Burundis are always mental! Here's a very informative video about them.
https://vimeo.com/574365769?fl=pl&fe=sh
(I wish Shopify made it easier to embed videos)
TL:DR? Yeah it's pretty long and dry - I watched it all because it's my job, but if you just wanna buy the coffee here's the vital info:
Really bloody nice - adds value for producers which is really important for Burundi this year - Really bloody nice!
Butegana Washing Station – Burundi
Butegana is one of the oldest coffee washing stations in Burundi, established in 1952. Its name, “Butegana,” means “to be trapped,” referencing a historic event when Rwandan soldiers were caught in the valley by the Burundian army. Strategically located between two hills, the station’s buildings sit on Shikankoni hill while the drying tables are placed across the valley on Nkuba hill—an intentional design to optimize space and workflow.
Butegana was constructed during the reign of King Mwambutsa, under the direction of Prince Baranyanka, to make use of the region’s rich concentration of coffee trees. The surrounding area is dominated by Red Bourbon varietals, known for their high cup quality. However, many of these trees are over 50 years old, and due to limited farmland, farmers are often hesitant to replace them. Young plants can take 3–4 years to yield fruit, making replanting a difficult investment for smallholders.
To support rejuvenation efforts, some organizations in the region purchase seeds from Burundi’s national agronomy institute and establish nurseries. These seedlings are then sold to farmers at subsidized prices. Additionally, washing stations often supply organic compost made from processed coffee pulp, helping farmers maintain soil fertility in a sustainable way.
Coffee production in Burundi is typically small-scale. Most farmers grow coffee in their backyards, with an average of 200 to 250 trees per household. Each tree yields roughly 1.5 kg of cherry annually, meaning the average farmer delivers only 200–300 kg of cherry per harvest season.
Harvest/Processing
Harvesting is done manually by the farmers and their families. Cherries are selectively picked and delivered to the station, where they are sorted by ripeness and floated in water to remove underripe fruit. For this particular anaerobic natural process, cherries are placed in sealed containers and inoculated with a strain of yeast known as LALCAFÉ INTENSO™ (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), developed specifically for coffee fermentation. This yeast controls the fermentation environment, preventing spoilage and allowing for a consistent, clean flavor profile. It also helps express the coffee’s fruity and floral characteristics, even at cooler temperatures.
The fermentation typically lasts about 36 hours—longer than traditional washed processes—which gives the beans more time to absorb flavorful compounds. This extended fermentation can enhance attributes like brightness, acidity, and aromatic complexity.
After fermentation, the coffee cherries are dried on raised beds. They are regularly turned, sorted, and covered at night or during rain to ensure even and hygienic drying. Depending on weather conditions, the drying process takes 10 to 14 days. Once the cherries reach the desired moisture level, they are sorted again for defects, bagged, and moved to storage for further processing.
