Rwanda Butare Bagaragaza Deo Anaerobic Natural Micro Lot (GP) (22 lb. Box)

This anaerobic natural offering comes to us from Butare Farm in Nyamasheke, West Rwanda. The arrival sample sparkled on the cupping table with crisp notes of peach, watermelon, pineapple and kiwi. Processed as an anaerobic natural my approach for a production roast was to stay light and be gentle with heat application in the later stages of the roast. I charged the drum to 390 degrees on our Diedrich IR-5 with 50% of heat applied. Turning point was reached 1:27 into duration at 151 degrees. I increased the burners to 75% at 2:49 into duration. As the roast built up momentum, I adjusted airflow to 50%. The maillard phase of the roast began 6:25 into duration at 315 degrees. Color change came on non-uniform but gradually smoothed out. The next heat adjustment came at 6:42 into duration decreasing the burners to 50%. As the roast moved closer to the development phase I began to dial back the burners to slow the momentum moving into first crack. If your rate of rise is too high this coffee will run and there is no going back. With that being said I reduced the burners to 40% at 8:12 and to 30% at 8:26. The last heat adjustment of the roast came at 8:59, lowering the burner to 20%. The development phase of the roast began 9:40 into duration at 391 degrees. Directly after marking first crack, I increased airflow moving through the drum to 100%. First crack was light and gentle. The roast had a smooth declining rate of rise moving through development. The heat adjustments made before reaching the development phase had paid off. Total duration of the roast was 11:51 with 2:11 of development time and an end temperature of 406 degrees.