Idjwi Island Coffee

Coffee can be a vehicle for social change.  In Victoria, the Mustard Seed Bank is currently marketing three coffee blends, dark, medium and decaf to raise funds  for their various programs on Vancouver Island.  Grounds for Hounds a roaster in the United States, is committed to using the sale of fair trade organic and single origin coffees to support canine rescue organizations. Girls Who Grind is an all female coffee roaster who source all of their beans from female farmers and producers, giving a much needed voice to women in our industry.  Many of our Reserves directly aid the small-lot farmer directly through the programs provided by our C.A.F.E. Practices.  A perfect example of this is the new Congo Idjwi Island Reserve.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been a country of war and bloodshed.  Not too long ago the country was perhaps one of the most violent and dangerous countries on the face of the earth.  Peace has come but infrastructure everywhere is in need of repair or non-existent. The people of Congo though have stepped up and are rebuilding their country.

Often times in coffee, there are visionaries who see possibilities where no one else does. Howard Schultz who saw a place for Italian styled espresso bars and built Starbucks, Rusty Obra who saw the possibility of a coffee from the Ka’u region of Hawaii where everyone thought Kona was the only Hawaiian coffee any good.  And a Gilbert Makalele who saw that the excellent coffee quality on Idjwi Island could become a vehicle of salvation for his people.

For as long as anyone can remember, coffee from all around the DRC shore of Lake Kivu has been smuggled to Rwanda on the opposite shore where it is bought at a discount.  Further, storms on Lake Kivu sink boats laden with green coffee killing hundreds of Idjwi coffee farmers.   Those that do make it to the Rwandan shores are often attacked and many killed.  On Idjwi Island there are as many as 1000 coffee widows.

Gilbert Makelele, though saw a brighter future. Founding the CPNCK Co-op he worked to improve all aspects of coffee production from seed to processed green bean. Working with Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices,  new washing stations were repaired or built, coffee agronomists soon helped farmers with better quality seedlings, advise on pruning and environmentally friendly practises was made readily available.  Young men whose only employment possibility was with local militias are now looking towards coffee as a future. Coffee on Idjwi is saving lives and creating possibilities for a better future.

Coffee grown on Idjwi Island though not unique does have interesting ancestry. Years ago coffee was planted on the Island of Bourbon off the coast of Madagascar.  The varietal used was Typica. Named after the Latin word-ordinary, it is extremely popular and is known for its cleanliness, sweetness and tends to have excellent cup quality. Planted throughout Latin America, Typica when planted on the Island of Bourbon mutated into a different variety and significantly changed from the Typica plant. One of the differing factors was productivity – or number of cherries produced – as this plant is about 30% more productive than Typica. With this extra productivity, it was definitely coveted. Bourbon is known for having a bit more complexity and sweetness in the taste profile compared to Typica. Further adding interest to this is the existence on some farms on Idjwi Island to the Blue Mountain varietal.  Blue Mountain famous for its coffee in Jamaica and Hawaii are noted for their mild flavour and lack of bitterness. It is also resistance to the coffee berry disease. 

So, after all this how does the Reserve Idjwi Island taste?  It has a very sweet aroma, like molasses and hints of lemon. The aroma carried over to the brewed cup of coffee and I also tasted these notes.  Interestingly, I also tasted something that I have never tasted before in coffee. Not any Starbucks coffee or any other roaster for that matter.  It took me awhile to identify it, but finally I did. It was dill.  I found it added to rather than subtracted from the cup.  Mind you I love dill.  This coffee is crisp, bright and smooth.  All the flavours I tasted, continue through various brewing methods, including; French Press, V60, Chemix, Aeropress and the Clover. 

The Idjwi Island Reserve from Congo is a great coffee telling a great story.  Let me know what you taste.