Rwanda: One Exceptional Example

I've made my affection for all things Yirgacheffe known. I find it a welcome break from convention, a clean and crisp cup that shows that coffee doesn't always taste like coffee. That said, it's not for everyone. It is not, despite my love for it, what I recommend people start with, if they're new to specialty coffee. So, perhaps not surprisingly, the Yirgacheffe is something of a controversial drip offering, at my place of business.

But of course, nothing is for everyone - except on the rare occasion that it is. I hadn't seen such a coffee during my several years as a barista, until this last week, when we brewed a nice little number from Rwanda.

And I do mean little. The first thing you notice is the size of the been; it's tiny, like a little coffee pellet. The bean itself is very light as well, which might lead you to expect a bright, acidic cup, like something from Ethiopia or Kenya.

And you wouldn't be totally wrong. There is a sweetness to the brew, and certainly more acid than a Sumatra. But whereas the Yirgi is light and lemony, the Rwanda is boldly smoky, assertive in its character and body. It's like hickory smoked barbecue in a cup, and it was universally loved. Our staff adored it, as did every customer that commented.

Now, I should say that this bean was from Broadway Coffee, and that my cafe carries their product. But I should also say that their products are uniformly unique and exceptional, each bean coaxed to its full flavor potential. You can't buy their Rwanda online, sadly; although if you live in the Kansas City area, you can get it at their cafe.

But you can search out something from Rwanda, wherever you might get your beans. Though this is only one example, its a compelling one to me, a startling example of an overlooked region proving why it shouldn't be.

Broadway RC Yirgacheffe, Good Food Awards 2012 Nominee

This isn't a review, so much as blatant publicity. I work for a shop that brews Broadway's beans. They're a Kansas City based roasterie that does things on a small scale, with spectacular results. They don't have the niche cred of Blue Bottle or Stumptown, or even local darlings PT's. But for my money (and I do order this stuff), Broadway is as good as anyone.

My personal favorite - as if you couldn't guess - is their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It's super clean, refreshing, invigorating. It's like a glass of lemonade on the front porch you probably never had. But as LeVar Burton reminded us on Reading Rainbow, don't take my word for it.

The Good Food Awards has placed Broadway's Yirgacheffe amongst their finalists. The criteria, in their words: The winners of the Good Food Award for coffee will be distinguished by exemplary flavor - sweet, clean, well developed body, balanced acidity and phenomenal aromatics. To qualify for entry, roasters and coffee farmers must emphasize fairness and transparency from seed to cup, and be using third party certified organic beans. Once again, coffee is leading the way towards sustainability.

Now there are problems with requiring third party organic beans. Mostly, there are a lot of companies doing great things with farmers who, for a number of reasons, can't get the certification. Sometimes it costs too much; sometimes there are logistical issues. But the emphasis is headed in the right direction.

This is good food - or coffee, in this case. But it's also good coffee. The taste is impeccable. But beyond that, you're supporting good people (I've met some of them, and worked with the company for a while now) who do things the right way. This isn't hipster idealizing; it's not quoting Michael Pollan and then sneaking off for a Big Mac. This is indulgence and ethics climbing in to bed together.

And I'm pretty thrilled that I get to serve it.