Table of contents
Burundi
$ 1 - $1.47 per ounce
| Varieties | Arabica (Bourbon, Kinyovu) |
| How to Serve | Typically served as black coffee without any sugar. |
| Flavor | High in acidity with a plethora of fruity notes such as berries and even citrus |
| Recommended Machine | Stovetop |
| Good As | Espresso, Americano, Doppio |
| Price Range | $1 – $1.47 per ounce |
| Caffeine Level | 0.5% on average |
Given its high elevations, volcanic soil, as well as superior processing Burundi coffee has managed to penetrate the global caffeine market like no other country. However, due to the general tense situation in the region, many roasters find it extremely difficult to ethically source beans from here.
Thanks to the support of the World Bank, Burundi now fields between 600,000 and 800,000 coffee farmers with over 25 million coffee plantations on more than 60,000 hectares. This, many would agree, is a pretty surprising number. These farmers then create cooperatives that dominate separate regions and supply the country with its coffee for export.
Even though Burundi’s coffee output could be compared to that of other African nations including Kenya or Ethiopia, it remains the globe’s 29th manufacturer. More curiously, 100 percent of the coffee produced in the country is exported, amounting to more than 36,118,424 pounds of coffee in 2015.
The majority of coffee in Burundi is the Arabica variety Bourbon or a Bourbon-derivative, which is known for its deep chocolate taste, as well as a single origin bean called Kinyovu. Add to that the fruity acidity brought on by the wonderful land as well as altitude, and you have a delightful mix.
In this Burundi coffee review, we will further discuss the regions where Burundi grows its coffee, as well as the best methods to prepare it. For those that are interested in giving these beans a try, we also have a buyer’s guide as well as a top 5 list down below in this review.
Burundi began producing coffee in the 1930s after Belgian colonists brought Arabica coffee to the country. Arabica still accounts for the majority of coffee cultivated in Burundi, and it is partly responsible for the country’s image as a producer of high-quality beans.
Coffee grows best in hot, humid climates, with nitrogen-rich soil, and at high altitudes. Burundi meets all of those criteria and, as an added bonus, has extensive areas at high elevations where the volcanic soil is abundant.
Burundi is a tiny nation in terms of geography, with a population of about 11.5 million people as of 2019. Nonetheless, an estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 households labor in the coffee business, representing a staggering percentage of the total population.
There are 7 different regions where organic Burundian coffee is grown, including Mwaro, Bururi, Kayanza, Cibitoke, NgoziKaruzi, Muramvya, and Krimiro. Coffee beans have their own individual properties as well as features. Because the growing conditions in these locations vary, do not expect to get the same tastes everywhere. Higher elevations will yield a sweeter, deep flavor, while the lowlands will yield a much more mild taste.
Now let’s move on to our list of top products. It took us a while to find the best Burundi coffee brand on Amazon, but we were able to find some decent options. Below you can find our top 5 picks that we’ve tested and background-checked for anything suspicious.
We pay attention to the following:
For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.
You will probably want to see what the finest Burundi coffee looks like. In this case, you should be aware that each Burundian coffee type has its own traits and qualities. So, if you enjoy coffee, it is recommended that you evaluate each of them carefully in order to uncover newly discovered qualities of this nation’s coffee. Each of the Amazon products mentioned above is briefly described here.
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Price: $$13.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Kinyovu |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Airis Store |
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Beans: Whole |
This International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) certified coffee promotes female equality in the global coffee business by fostering and expanding a global network of self-organized, self-governing, women-led units. This coffee is sourced from a set of local farms. Each morning, the coffee cherries are selected, sorted, and sent to the washing stations in the noon and early evening. Every farmer’s contribution is processed on a daily basis, resulting in micro-lots that can be traced back to a single farm.
Prior to shipment, the Burundi green coffee is packaged in GrainPro bags. In the cup, the effects of such a loving procedure are quite remarkable. This is a cup that sparkles with vibrant pineapple as well as delicious sharpness and moreover leaves you with persistent notes of toffee and undertones of chocolate. Not only is it a must-try coffee, but again the social effect of your buying is very significant.
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Price: $$15.50 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Arabica |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Medium |
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Beans: Whole |
These Burundi beans provide flowery and fruity flavor characteristics that shine in a pour-over. Pour-over makes sense for elevated Burundi coffee as this inherent taste in the bean complements the characteristics highlighted by pour-over coffee.
Of course, you may use whichever technique you like, and we are not implying that brewing Burundi coffee in a French press or similar immersion brewer would result in a poor cup of coffee.
This Burundian coffee is one of the cheapest and most affordable options on the list. So if you are a coffee lover and searching for an inexpensive alternative in order to explore the exotic flavor, this Burundi Single Origin coffee is one of the best products that you can purchase online on Amazon.
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Price: $$17.60 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Arabica |
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Roast: Medium-Dark |
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Producer: Barbarossa Coffee |
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Beans: Whole |
Barbarossa Coffee is always a welcome addition to any list we make about coffee. The company is a multiple-award-winner for its excellence, specifically in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Although most people know Barbarossa coffee for its focus on Asian products, its African catalog is also a sight to see. In this particular case, we were pretty surprised to see they had Burundi coffee as well, so getting and trying it out was pretty much a no-brainer.
I have to say it was absolutely delicious. There was a very clear and clean taste of berries and almost like a natural sweetness to it. Although it’s a medium-dark roast, these flavors still shine through brightly.
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Price: $$11.99 (subject to change) |
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Size: 12 ounces |
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Type: Bourbon |
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Roast: Medium |
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Producer: Good as Gold |
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Beans: Whole |
This particular brand was produced thanks to proprietary, sophisticated air-roasting technology. Because of its ability to create the most evenly-roasted beans without flaming or scorching – exceeding even traditional air roasting in roasting accuracy – the technology allows us to obtain the brightest and purest aroma notes imaginable.
Tangerine, fresh fruit, sparkling bright sharpness, and a silky texture are just a small list of the flavors you should expect. Depending on the type of brew you make, you can enhance the level at which each of these flavors shines through.
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Price: $$24.95 (subject to change) |
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Size: 3 pounds |
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Type: Bourbon |
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Roast: Unroasted |
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Producer: Grand Parade |
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Beans: Whole |
Grand Parade is not really known to have the best coffee in the world. This doesn’t mean they have bad coffee though, all I’m saying is that there are better options out there for sure. So why are they on our list? Well, because it’s dirt cheap. $25 for 3 pounds of coffee is a steal no matter what the coffee tastes like. But, in this case, it’s both cheap and tasty.
Expect the following flavors: Blackberry, peach, chocolate, and butterscotch, all depending on what level of roast you apply to these green coffee beans.
We suggest preparing Burundi coffee in a pour-over with a mild roast. Pour-over coffee’s brew philosophy complements the natural aroma found in Burundi coffee and mild roasts. Of course, you can try other methods as well, which we’ve described below.
A Moka Pot is like a mini Espresso Machine. It’s very light, cheap and effective. All you have to do is fill it up with water, add the coffee grounds to your preference, and place it over a stove to start brewing.
All it takes is around 10 minutes to fully filter the coffee and produce a really well-concentrated brew that tends to be pretty strong if you’re not careful.
Pour Over method is considered to be (at least by us) one of the best ways to make Burundian Brew coffee. It helps concentrate the unique flavors of these beans without making them too strong or too acidic.
The process is pretty simple as well, all you have to do is place the grounds in a filter, moisturize them a bit and then slowly pour the hot water over it. In the end, you get a tasty, but rather a light cup of coffee that is great for any time of the day.
A drip coffee maker is pretty much an automated pour-over. It works pretty much in the same manner, by pouring hot water over the coffee grounds and slowly filtering through them bit by bit.
The advantage here is that you don’t have to make it by hand as you would with a pour-over, plus the increased volume of the brew as well.
Overall, if you want to make Burundi coffee for the whole family, without breaking a sweat, then this machine is just what you need.
