Single-Origin Drops: Burundi Honey + Dominican Republic
Fall usually brings familiar flavors to mind, warm spices, deeper roasts, and comforting cups on cooler mornings. But at Black Powder Coffee, this Fall is also about discovering something new.
This season, we’re putting the spotlight on two single-origin coffees with completely different stories and personalities: Burundi Long Miles Honey Ninga and Dominican Republic Ramirez Estate Aged Natural.
Rather than blending these coffees together, each gets the opportunity to showcase what makes its origin, processing method, and flavor unique. From the high hills of Burundi to a single estate in the Dominican Republic, these two Fall releases are a reminder of just how much can be discovered in a cup of coffee.
Burundi Long Miles Honey Ninga: Sweetness From the Hills of Burundi
Our first Fall release comes from Ninga Hill in Kayanza, Burundi, where coffee grows at elevations between 1,850 and 2,100 meters above sea level.
Ninga isn't a massive coffee estate. Instead, hundreds of smallholder farmers grow coffee on small plots scattered across the steep hillsides surrounding their homes. Their freshly harvested coffee cherries are brought together at a centralized washing station for processing.
The high elevation plays an important role in the coffee that eventually reaches your cup. Cool nights and slower cherry maturation help create dense coffee seeds capable of maintaining acidity while developing the sugars needed for a complex and flavorful cup.
At Ninga, those characteristics are paired with honey processing.
What Does Honey Process Mean?
Despite the name, no honey is added to the coffee.
After the coffee cherries arrive at Ninga, they're carefully sorted and pulped, but some of the sticky fruit material or mucilage is intentionally left around the seed. The coffee is then slowly dried on raised beds while being regularly moved and monitored.
Careful control during this stage is especially important. Ninga has continued refining its drying protocols to maintain a clean cup while developing the heavier texture and sweetness associated with honey-processed coffees.
The result is an 86-point Red Bourbon with tasting notes of:
● Honey
● Citrus
● Raspberry
● Tea-like finish
There's also a bigger story behind the coffee. Black Powder's sourcing relationship with the Long Miles Coffee Project goes beyond simply purchasing beans. Their work in Burundi focuses on improving traceability, supporting farmers, and creating stronger connections between coffee quality and the compensation farmers receive.
Dominican Republic Ramirez Estate Aged Natural: A Different Side of Caribbean Coffee
Our second fall release takes us across the Atlantic to Cibao in the Dominican Republic.
The Ramirez Estate Aged Natural is a single-estate Red Caturra grown around 1,300 meters above sea level. While Burundi stands out through its honey processing, the Ramirez Estate takes an entirely different approach.
And this one gets particularly interesting.
The coffee cherries undergo a 24-hour fermentation before drying on raised beds for roughly 15 days. The coffee is then stored as parchment coffee for approximately 12 months.
During this extended resting period, the coffee develops fruit characteristics while the structure of the seed stabilizes. The result is a distinctive aged-natural coffee with an impressive 91-point SCAA score.
In the cup, expect:
● Cherry and stone-fruit aromas
● Sweet berry notes
● A smooth finish
The Ramirez Estate also puts considerable thought into how coffee production interacts with the land around it. Fermented coffee cherries are repurposed to create gas that helps power the facility, water used during processing is filtered before being returned to the land, and natural shade trees contribute to the biodiversity of the farm.
It's an example of how what's happening before coffee ever reaches the roaster can be just as interesting as what happens afterward.
Two Origins. Two Processes. Two Very Different Cups.
Putting these coffees side by side is where things get fun.
The Burundi Honey Ninga offers the sweetness and bright acidity you'd expect from a carefully controlled honey process, moving from honey and citrus into raspberry before finishing with a lighter, tea-like character.
The Dominican Republic Ramirez Estate goes in another direction. Its aged-natural processing helps create a fruit-forward cup built around cherry, stone fruit, and sweet berry flavors with a smoother finish.
One isn't meant to replace the other.
There are two different expressions of what single-origin coffee can be and that's exactly why we're releasing them separately.
How Should You Brew Them?
Because these coffees have so much character of their own, this is a great opportunity to experiment with your brewing method.
A pour-over can help highlight the brighter fruit and more delicate characteristics of the Burundi, particularly its citrus, raspberry, and tea-like finish.
For the Dominican Republic, try a method that allows its fruit-forward sweetness and smooth body to shine. And if you really want to explore these coffees, brew them using the same method and taste them side by side.
Pay attention to the aroma, acidity, sweetness, body, and finish.
You may be surprised by just how different two cups of coffee can be.
The Final Sip
Fall doesn't have to mean covering coffee with seasonal flavors.
Sometimes it's simply a good excuse to slow down, brew something different, and discover what's actually inside the cup.
This season's Burundi Honey and Dominican Republic Aged Natural releases offer two very different journeys, from smallholder farms high in the hills of Burundi to a single estate in the Dominican Republic.
Two origins. Two processing methods. Two coffees worth exploring.
This Fall, find craft-roasted joy in every sip with the Black Powder family.