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Summer Solstice: Bukeye

Summer Solstice: Bukeye

$23.25
$23.25
Sale Sold out

TASTING NOTES: Rooibos Tea • Plum • Lime • Cola
COUNTRY: Burundi
PRODUCER: Bukeye Washing Station
PROCESSING: Washed

Amount:
  • WHOLE BEAN WHOLE BEAN
  • COARSE - FRENCH PRESS/COLD BREW COARSE - FRENCH PRESS/COLD BREW
  • MEDIUM COARSE - CHEMEX MEDIUM COARSE - CHEMEX
  • MEDIUM - DRIP BREWER MEDIUM - DRIP BREWER
  • MEDIUM FINE - V60/AEROPRESS MEDIUM FINE - V60/AEROPRESS
  • FINE - ESPRESSO FINE - ESPRESSO
  • Free shipping over $65 OR subscriptions with 2 or more 12oz bags
  • Ships fresh from Pittsburgh, PA
  • Low emission coffee roaster
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Country

Burundi

Burundi
Region

Muramvya, Gitega

Producer

Bukeye Washing Station

Altitude

1760 masl

Variety

Bourbon

Processing

Washed

Drying

Raised beds

This year marks Commonplace Coffee’s thirteenth year purchasing from Burundi coffee exporter Long Miles Coffee Project. 

In the words of Long Miles, “Nestled deep within the heart of the small coffee producing country of Burundi, on the border of the northern Kayanza Province, is the bustling village of Bukeye. Just beyond the village, down a dirt road lined with trees, lies the birthplace of Long Miles Coffee - the Bukeye Washing Station. Bukeye was the first washing station built by Long Miles Coffee in January of 2013, and has become a place of innovation since its opening. It was here that our coffee scout program was piloted. (more info on the coffee scouts below) The Coffee Scouts, together with our team of agronomists, have been pivotal in increasing the quality of our coffee through innovative methods and programs. The washing station has been the launching pad for an extensive organic pesticide program targeting antestia (the colorful bug linked to the potato defect), post-harvest pruning, mulching and fertilizing campaigns. It has been operational for seven seasons, since April of 2014.”

Throughout the 1990s and into the mid 2000s, violent conflicts in Burundi ranged from wars and turmoil in neighboring nations to atrocities against the people of Burundi. Life is not easy in Burundi; while war has ended, there are still many challenges Burundians face such as human rights issues, political instability, and ethnic tension. Decades after war in Burundi ended, farmers have returned home and are still trying to combat the effects that years of neglect have had on their land. Despite this, Long Miles continues to nourish a supply chain in Burundi that is conducive to beautiful, high quality, traceable lots of coffee. 

Farmers bring their freshly harvested cherries to Bukeye Washing Station. From there, washed coffees (like this one!) are floated and hand sorted for ripeness. The cherries are then pulped and undergo a single stage of dry fermentation for twelve hours. In cases where the parchment is not loose after fermentation, teams at the processing stations will occasionally “foot” the coffee by dancing on the slippery cherries. This helps to agitate the coffee and loosen up any remaining parchment, after which the coffee is rinsed with fresh water. Coffee is then graded by density and left to soak for another 4-6 hours in a rinse tank. After that, coffee is taken to covered drying beds, where it spends 6-48 hours pre-drying. Lastly, it is moved to traditional raised African beds to slow dry for 16-20 days and reach the station’s desired moisture content of 10.5%.

The consistent high standards and attention to detail at Long Miles’ processing stations are a huge factor in the exceptional quality that we see from them, but that does not tell the whole story. Long Miles also operates a Coffee Scouts Program. Members of this program, known as Coffee Scouts are - in the words of Long Miles - “grassroots community changers who take coffee quality very seriously. They are a team of twenty-six young Burundians who live in the hills where coffee is grown. Together with the team of Long Miles agronomists, the Coffee Scouts come up with innovative and home-grown solutions to fight the threat of the potato defect, mitigate the effects of climate change on soil health, and empower farmers with the tools they need to produce quality coffee.” 

These Coffee Scouts play a very important role in the overall quality of the coffees from Long Miles. They work alongside farmers to plant shade trees, green manures, mulch land, prune trees, and capture antestia bugs, which cause the infamous “potato defect” that imbues coffee with an unpleasant raw potato flavor.

Long Miles Coffee Project has pioneered an approach to coffee relationships that is being imitated all over the world. They are leaders in transparency and equitability for the people that they work with. We are humbled and excited to continue sharing their beautiful coffees with you. We selected this lot for its bright acidity, juicy and full body, and for the clean and delicate profiles that Burundian coffees from Long Miles are known for. 

FAQs

Shipping Information

We operate and roast Monday-Friday and strive to ship your order within 2-4 business days (not including weekends). All items will ship together. Your order will be delivered by UPS or USPS to your door within 2-4 business days of the package being shipped. You will receive a tracking notification when your order ships.

Roasting Information

All coffee is roasted fresh to order on our Loring S35 Kestrel Coffee Roaster. All bags are stamped with the roast date, and we think coffee tastes best if consumed within 2-4 weeks. However, if left whole bean and stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, the coffee can remain enjoyable for up to 4-6 months, depending on the bag or container. Most of our coffee is roasted to a medium or light/medium roast level, except for All Day, which is our staple dark roast offering.

How do I purchase this as a gift?

You can include a note when adding the product to your cart (or by emailing our team) to request that certain coffees be excluded.

Subscription FAQs

You select the product and options that best meet your needs, and our team takes care of the rest! Learn more about oursubscription policy and full FAQs.

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About Us

SUSTAINABILITY: Commonplace Coffee focuses on environmental sustainability by using a low-emissions coffee roaster, plant-based coffee bags, and more. Read about our sustainability practices here.

RELATIONAL COFFEE SOURCING: Commonplace Coffee honors supply chain stakeholders by maintaining multi-year sourcing relationships and working with smallholder farmers. Kunjin, our longest continuous offering, has been in our lineup since 2013. 

OUR MISSION: Commonplace Coffee exists to foster and build community through coffee with Craft and Care. Read about our full mission and values here.

GIVING BACK: Commonplace Coffee’s charitable giving program raises money for local and national nonprofits via donation-based coffee blends, retail days of giving, and more. Learn more about our charitable giving in our annual transparency report.

CRAFT & CARE: Commonplace Coffee is made with craft and care. We believe that the best coffee balances scientific knowledge and dedicated practice with intention and heart.