Ad Astra Coffee – Rwanda Gatatu

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“Lt. Hawkins Brew: Rwanda Gatatu” from Ad Astra Coffee Roasters

Ad Astra Coffee

roaster: Ad Astra; Fort Collins, KS
origin: Rwanda
price: $18 (1-lb)
tasting: 10/14/19

This is a Red Bourbon coffee from Rwanda, that is roasted by Ad Astra Coffee Roasters in Fort Scott, Kansas. The name is in honor of Lt. William Hawkins USMC. Hawkins was born in Fort Scott and was a WWII hero, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Ad Astra is a small family owned craft coffee roaster in Kansas. Ad Astra is in the Kansas state motto – “ad astra” means To the Stars, the full state motto is “Ad Astra per Aspera” or To the Stars Through Difficulties.

The coffee beans come from the Gisagara Region of Rwanda, via small family owned farms. Red Bourbon is a famous varietal of arabica coffee, but it’s rare to find just 100% red bourbon. Most coffees while being 100% arabica, and coming from the same farm will actually be a mix of a couple of varietals. Coffees from Central Africa are under distress from drought, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for coffees from this region.

This was a unique coffee, and one you have to sip a few times to fully grasp. The flavor is somewhere in between a medium roast to a full body coffee, and offers a nice smooth taste. I

As an espresso was not as distinguishable from others. It was smooth, but didn’t produce the crema or complexity of a classic espresso.

Espresso Rating – 85pts.

As pour over coffee it takes a few sips to grasp, but it has a real green apple flavor and some may even call it a slight sour hint to it. Again it was slightly different than most of the coffees we’ve tried. It’s a good single origin coffee, and certainly recommended.

Coffee Rating – 89pts.

Thanks to Patrick for the coffee, visit them at www.adastraroasters.com

Finally we started Ispirare Coffee with two goals. To create and share great coffees and to create inspirational moments. The truth is most people have only tried a handful of coffees. So make sure you check our second “Inspirational Coffees” video on YouTube, and be sure to like the post on Instagram.

About our ratings – For both ratings (espresso & pour over) we’re looking at the flavor profile, along with drink-ability and balance. Reviewing the coffee as the espresso gives us extra insights into the nuanced flavors of the beans.