The Alchemist - 2025 Harvest

Tastes Like — 🥭 Tropical Fruits • 🍫 Cacao Nibs • 🍑 Ripe Fruits

DETAILS

• Producers: Gasharu Family
• Farm: Gasharu Farms
• Washing Station: Gasharu
• Region: Nyamasheke, Rwanda
• Varietal: Red Bourbon
• Process: Experimental Anaerobic Natural
• Altitude: 1750+ masl
• Size: 250g

INTRO — Bridging the Gap Between Grower and Drinker

The Alchemist represents something deeper than just exceptional coffee—it's the Gasharu family's mission to bridge the gap between grower and consumer. This experimental lot is inspired by the emotional connection the producer's family shares with the entire coffee community. Traditionally, coffee farming, processing, and distribution have been kept in separate silos, but the Gasharu family believes this can change. The idea behind this coffee is to provide the most authentic Rwandan coffee experience to coffee lovers, making consumers think of the producer whilst the grower keeps the buyer in mind during processing.

This 2025 harvest is cleaner than previous years—a testament to the family's commitment to continuous improvement. The experimental anaerobic natural process creates a punchy cup with vibrant tropical fruits, mango, and rich cacao nibs. It's incredibly sweet, a genuine fruit bomb that's balanced enough to be a daily drinker rather than veering into novelty territory.

THE PRODUCER — The Gasharu Family's Vision

The Gasharu family operates at over 1,750 metres above sea level in Nyamasheke, a region near the Rwanda-Congo border known for producing exceptional coffee. What sets them apart isn't just their processing innovation—it's their philosophy about coffee's value chain.

They believe that keeping farming, processing, and distribution separate creates unnecessary barriers between the people who grow coffee and the people who drink it. By thinking about the end consumer during every processing decision, they're working to dissolve these silos. This isn't just marketing speak—it manifests in real decisions about fermentation timing, drying protocols, and quality control measures designed to deliver the best possible cup rather than maximising yield or efficiency.

The family's emotional connection to the coffee community drives their experimental approach. Each harvest represents an opportunity to refine techniques, learn what works, and share those learnings with other producers. The fact that the 2025 harvest is cleaner than previous years demonstrates this commitment to continuous improvement—they're not satisfied with "good enough" when "better" is achievable.

THE PROCESS — Experimental Anaerobic Natural

The experimental anaerobic natural process involves fermenting whole cherries in sealed, oxygen-free environments before drying. This creates unique flavour development whilst maintaining cleanliness—something previous harvests struggled with but this 2025 lot has achieved:

• 🍒 Selective Harvesting — Only peak-ripeness Red Bourbon cherries picked
• 🔬 Anaerobic Fermentation — Whole cherries sealed in oxygen-free containers
• ⏱️ Extended Fermentation Period — Careful monitoring ensures optimal development without over-fermentation
• ☀️ Natural Drying — Cherries dry slowly with seed inside intact fruit
• 🔄 Quality Control — Rigorous sorting and monitoring to ensure cleanliness

The anaerobic environment is what makes this "experimental"—by excluding oxygen, fermentation proceeds differently than traditional natural processing. Different acids, alcohols, and esters develop, creating the tropical fruit character that defines this lot. The challenge is maintaining cleanliness whilst developing intensity—something the Gasharu family has clearly mastered in this harvest.

The improvement from previous years suggests refined fermentation timing, better temperature control, or more rigorous cherry selection. Whatever adjustments were made, they've resulted in coffee that's vibrant and fruity without the "fermenty" off-notes that can plague anaerobic processing when executed less carefully.

THE VARIETY — Red Bourbon at High Altitude

Red Bourbon in Rwanda produces some of the world's finest coffee when grown above 1,700 metres. The variety's genetic predisposition towards sweetness and body combines beautifully with Rwanda's volcanic soil and high-altitude terroir. At over 1,750 metres, the Gasharu family's farms provide ideal conditions: cool temperatures slow cherry maturation, allowing complex sugars to develop; significant diurnal temperature variation creates stress that concentrates flavours.

When processed as anaerobic natural, Red Bourbon's natural sweetness amplifies dramatically. The variety wants to be sweet; the process just turns that characteristic up whilst adding tropical fruit complexity. The cacao nibs note likely comes from the variety's genetics—Red Bourbon often shows chocolate characteristics even in natural processing.

THE CUP — Punchy Fruit Bomb with Daily Drinker Balance

This coffee is incredibly sweet and fruit-forward without crossing into novelty territory. It's punchy—vibrant, intense, attention-grabbing—yet balanced enough to enjoy frequently rather than just occasionally. The tropical fruits are bright and ripe without being overwhelming, whilst cacao nibs provide structure that prevents the cup from becoming one-dimensional.

Flavour Notes

• 🥭 Tropical Fruits — vibrant tropical character including mango and other ripe fruits
• 🍫 Cacao Nibs — rich cocoa notes providing structure and depth
• 🍑 Ripe Fruits — general ripe fruit sweetness throughout
• 🥭 Mango — specific mango character within the tropical fruit profile

The tropical fruits dominate immediately—there's mango specifically, but also broader tropical character that's ripe, sweet, and vibrant. It's the kind of fruit-forward profile that makes anaerobic naturals so popular, but executed cleanly enough that it doesn't feel heavy or muddled. Cacao nibs provide crucial balance—rich, slightly bitter chocolate notes that ground the fruit and add sophistication. Ripe fruit sweetness extends throughout, creating that "incredibly sweet" character without being cloying.

The body is punchy and full, coating the palate without heaviness. The acidity is present but integrated—providing structure without sharpness. The finish is long and satisfying, with those tropical fruit notes lingering alongside chocolate richness.

Reviews note it's solid filter coffee at a very reasonable price point—balanced enough to be a daily drinker rather than just an occasional treat. It has the "fermenty" profile characteristic of anaerobic processing, but the tropical fruits are balanced enough to prevent it from becoming a novelty. One reviewer specifically mentions brewing on V60 with 15:1 ratio and 185°F water with coarser grind—adjustments that work well with the intensity.

The Gasharu family's Alchemist proves that experimental processing and philosophical mission can coexist with commercial viability. This is coffee that bridges the gap between producer and consumer not through marketing, but through genuinely excellent coffee that rewards both daily drinking and careful attention.

What is the roast recency?

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 8-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.