What does it taste like?

This unbelievable light and fruity roast has floral notes of black tea floating on a sea of ripe black cherry and caramel sea. Topped with a crisp citrus tang of lime- you better get another mug brewing; she’ll be asking for seconds! Is your Mum a fan of the cafetiere? No worries, we can grind this brew to suit any brewing device or keep it as a whole bean. Did you know we also offer this coffee as a gift set?! It’s true! Two Chimps can be your one-stop shop this Mother’s Day. You can get a 250g bag of coffee, a storage tin, a magnet, AND a gift note, all packaged in our ribbon-tied gift boxes. Phew, that was easy! You’re welcome, Mum.

Where do we source this coffee from?

We source this awesome coffee from small co-operatives on Ryirengeye Hill in Kayanza, Burundi. Sadly, this area has a complex history of being occupied and colonised, starting as a small Kingdom in the African Great Lakes region in the 16^th century. During WW1, it became German-occupied before being colonised by Belgium from 1916-1962. During this time, coffee was introduced to Burundi, resulting in high production and profit. After gaining independence in July 1962, coffee has become Burundi’s main export after gold, with an outstanding reputation for great-tasting brews. This was not without its struggles. The area has been hit with many challenges, such as an overwhelming cluster of agricultural communities, which has caused soil degradation.

The small co-operatives that created our coffee work hand in hand with Cafex, a project founded by a Belgian-Burundian couple. Their goal is to unite coffee production on ancestral lands with sustainable agricultural practices, improving the lives of the local communities. Whilst most coffee producers wait many months to share their final payment for their harvest, Cafex has created a weekly payment schedule with no delay, giving growers a regular income throughout the coffee harvest. Wahoo! The town where the washing station is located is underdeveloped, but the construction of this hub has brought job opportunities to both men and women. They can improve their quality of life with a good, consistent salary. Families who have seasonal work receive extra income, which opens the door to access to medical care or purchasing educational resources like books. Hurrah!

How is it processed?

This coffee is harvested by selecting the ripest cherries from daily pickings. The fruit is then ‘floated’ to obtain the highest qualities indicated by density. If a cherry is not as ripe or has been eaten by insects, it will float. These can then be skimmed off the water’s surface before starting the pulping process. Once the ripest fruit has been pulped, they are dry fermented for 14 hours. This fermentation process allows the coffee beans to adsorb flavours from the remaining cherry flesh.

The beans are then washed to remove any sticky residue before being moved to raised beds to dry, first in the shade and then in direct sunlight for around 20 days. The beans are routinely turned to ensure consistency throughout this drying process. Once the optimum moisture level is achieved, which is 10-12% for coffee, the beans are packed into 10kg hessian bags and moved to storage in a cool, dark environment before being shipped to us at Two Chimps. Our expert roaster then works his magic to turn these beans into our uber-beautiful Mother’s Day brew!

Why did we name this coffee pandamonimum?

When pandemonium breaks out, Mum always steps in to save the day! They possess superpowers for solving a chaotic situation, whether that’s locating the missing shoe or a much-needed hug. Therefore, it only seems fitting that this brew is named pandamoniMUM, as this brew will sort out their stressful situation for a change!