gitesi - rwanda - washed

Ayae Maki Fredheim is originally from Japan. She moved to Norway with her husband in 2013. That is when she discovered her love for coffee and her passion for roasting started blossoming. Aya started as a barista at a café in Oslo in 2014, began roasting in 2018, and became the head roaster in 2019. She remained in that role until 2023 when her son was born. Motherhood has a certain way about empowering women to follow their dreams. Aya started her own roastery, and after months of planning, she officially launched Hibi Kaffe in November 2024.

Hibi means daily in Japanese—better coffee for your everyday moments. Basically. Aya says: "Starting this journey has been amazing, and I’m so excited to share it with others!" Equally amazing is the way that our paths crossed and that was a pure coincidence triggered by our common interest in sourdough baking, and Aya and Leif's hevet.no collection of proofing baskets.

This Rwandan coffee from Gitesi offers a fruity brightness and gentle acidity, reminiscent of biting into the skin of a plum. It also has a sweetness similar to brown sugar, creating a well-balanced and enjoyable cup. The coffee is grown at an altitude above 1750 masl and is a red bourbon varietal.

about this coffee's origin: Gitesi, Rwanda

This lot has been produced by Aime Gahizi on his private farm. It is processed in the Gitesi Washing Station, which he also owns. The cherries of this lot are processed separately from the rest of the cherries entering the station and then exported as a single-farmer coffee.

harvest: Rwanda’s harvest can run from March until August. This is not always consistent, as it can shift depending on the weather and the altitude the coffee grows at.

processing: the season’s climate in this region is generally quite cool, and can therefore control the fermentation process. A Penagos 800 Eco Pulper removes the skin of cherries, the pulp and 70% of the mucilage. The coffee is then dry fermented for 10-12 hours, graded and washed in channels. It is separated into two grades based on density, before being soaked in tanks of clean water for 16 hours.

The parchment is initially taken to pre-drying tables underneath the shade. At this stage, while the parchment is still wet, a lot of hand sorting is conducted as it is easier to detect potential defects. The parchment is then dried on African drying beds for up to 15 days. It is covered with a shade net during the hottest hours of the day, throughout the night, and anytime it rains.

variety: red bourbon

crop year: 2024