Budwale, Uganda - Light rust

This special natural batch is processed with locally produced oranges in the fermentation vessel. The coffee comes from the Sipi Falls micro-region on Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda. These farmers supply long-term partners in the region, Zukuka Bora Coffee Company.

The Zukuka Bora Coffee project was set up to support the people of Mount Elgon in many ways. The coffee farmers are at the heart of the project, but profits from the project are also used to support their partner organisation: JENGA Community Development. JENGA has been working in the Mount Elgon area for almost 20 years and has laid much of the groundwork for Zukuka Bora to build relationships with farmers and their communities. JENGA runs a range of projects - including educational sponsorship, clean water programmes, savings groups, health promotion and education, and wider agricultural support.

The Sipi Falls micro-region has long had a reputation for producing some of Uganda's best coffees. A combination of high altitudes and generations of farming experience are contributing factors that have allowed Sipi coffee to build international recognition.

Mt Elgon is an extinct volcano on the border with Kenya and is believed to be the oldest volcano on the African continent. Its massive base and gentle slopes support thousands of smallholder farmers, and Arabica coffee is grown across a wide band around the mountain between 1,200 and 2,200 metres above sea level. Volcanic soils, abundant rainfall, high altitude and abundant sunshine all contribute to the excellent terroir of the Mt Elgon region. The region is steeped in coffee tradition. In fact, Zukuka Bora’s Tangwen coffee comes from the very micro-region where Arabica coffee was first planted around 1920, having been sourced from farms in neighbouring Kenya. Despite this rich history, the history of specialty coffee is more mixed.

After independence in 1962, Uganda had a good reputation for coffee, with strong cooperatives operating across the mountain - the most famous being the Bugisu Cooperative Union. Quality cultivation and harvesting methods were used and the industry flourished. Over time, however, quality began to deteriorate for various reasons, and buyers began (rightly) to become suspicious of the quality from the country. As a result, prices fell sharply, and for many farmers it was simply not economically viable to grow coffee. There was very little local market for quality, so quality-driven processes were largely abandoned. In recent years, however, as the specialty industry has grown, producers have begun to realize that there is a demand and economic incentive for high-quality coffee.

The Process - Ripe coffee berries are selectively harvested and then delivered to the wet mill. The cherries float in a clean water tank to separate by density. These berries, along with locally produced oranges, were fermented in a cool anaerobic environment for 96 hours before being placed directly on raised beds for drying. Drying takes up to 30 days. After drying, the coffee is left to rest for approximately 1 month before being moved to a dry mill for secondary processing (peeling, sorting, grading, handpicking and packing in Grainpro/Ecotact bags for export).

• Score: 88/100
• Grows: 1900-2100 m.a.s.l.
• Arabica: SL-28, SL-34
• Process: Anaerobic Natural 4 Day Orange Fermentation
• Flavor notes of Orange, vanilla, juice

We ship coffee that has rested up to three weeks after roasting when available, and roast to order when needed. We ship coffee within one week of ordering. Free shipping on orders over 699 SEK.