History & Origins
Heza Washing Station is the second facility built by Long Miles Coffee Project and has been operational since April 2014 . The Long Miles Coffee Project was founded by Ben and Kristy Carlson, who moved to Burundi in 2011 after witnessing both injustice and poor farming practices that permeated the country’s newly privatized coffee industry . Ben Carlson left his consulting job and purchased land on Gaharo Hill near Bukeye village , establishing the company’s first washing station before adding Heza.
The name “Heza” means “beautiful place” in Kirundi, the local language of Burundi . Built in January 2014 at the foot of Gitwe Hill , the station emerged as part of the Carlsons’ vision to create direct connections between smallholder farmers and international specialty coffee markets. From working with just 50 farmers in their first season, Long Miles has grown to partner with over 5,000 smallholder farmers across 11 different hills .
The exceptional conditions in Kayanza Province and the quality of ripe, dense cherries brought to the station led the Long Miles team to focus on pioneering sundried natural coffee initiatives . Heza is also home to Burundi’s first honey processed coffees , marking its role as an innovation center for specialty processing methods in the region.
Terroir & Growing Conditions
Switch-backing up mountainsides and across small, hand-built log bridges, visiting Heza Washing Station at 1960 meters above sea level can be likened to an off-road adventure . From its position, the Rwandan border and the tips of the Kibira, Burundi’s only indigenous rainforest, can be seen looming in the distance . The rainforest looms only 2.4 miles away , creating a unique microclimate that profoundly influences coffee quality.
The exceptionally high altitude, moderate climate and close proximity to the Kibira rainforest bring out the best in the coffee, both growing on the trees and being produced at the washing station . The station is situated at 2,000 meters above sea level and is in close proximity to seven coffee-growing hills . The individual micro-climates of each hill combined with the station’s ideal conditions guarantee unique and exquisite notes in every cup .
Each microlot processed at Heza is named after one of the five hills that deliver to the washing station during harvest: Nkonge, Mikuba, Gitwe, Gishubi, and Mutana . Coffee is grown between 1,250 and 2,000 meters above sea level, with the primary cultivar being Bourbon . The 370 farmers of Nkonge Hill produce coffee at an altitude of 2,200 meters with local bourbon cultivars in rich, volcanic loam soil .
Processing & Production
Heza Coffee Washing Station is stadium-like in its height and steepness . Heza pumps water from a nearby natural spring to the very top of the station and washed processing cascades from there down to the bottom, where cleaned and graded parchment is then tagged and couriered to various plots on the hillside for organized drying . Heza has two springs which channel rainforest water down the hills to the station, with crystal-clear spring water stored and used to pulp, ferment and rinse coffee cherry .
Once cherry is depulped, the parchment undergoes a double fermentation process, including a 12-hour dry fermentation, followed by a 24-hour wet fermentation, during which the parchment is submerged entirely in spring water . After fermentation is complete, the parchment is “footed,” or agitated by dancing barefoot in the parchment to help the decomposed mucilage completely detach . Fourteen fermentation tanks and seven rinse tanks are available for single or full double fermentation depending on roaster preference .
Long Miles organizes their farmer base by the hills they live on, designating delivery days of the week for each microregion . Unlike most processors in Burundi, Long Miles separates every hill and delivery day until processing is complete and a quality assessment has been made . The processes available are Washed, Natural, Anaerobic Honey, and Anaerobic Natural .
Cup Profile & Tasting Notes
Heza produces a crystal clear Burundian profile: a sparkling, citrus-like acidity, ripe purple fruit, black tea aromatics, and mulling spice . George Howell described the flavor notes from Burundi’s Gitwe Hill micro-lot coffee as: blackberry, sweet orange, yellow grape, and honey . The terroir, ideal growing conditions, and meticulous care that goes into producing Gitwe results in a stunning final cup, with notes of red grape, lemon verbena, and brown sugar .
Passenger Coffee describes the sparkling coffee from Gitwe hill as having soft florals and dried apricot on the nose and flavors of raspberry, brown sugar, and citrus in the cup . Five Senses Coffee notes that the ideal growing conditions, combined with careful processing, result in a flavor profile that bursts with red cherry and stewed red fruits, lifted by a delicate touch of orange blossom . The lots grown atop Gitwe hill are described as vibrant and floral, reminiscent of bright sunny days of summer .
A specific Mutana microlot from Heza was characterized by lemon-lime acidity, sparkly mouthfeel, and sweet full-bodied finish . George Howell Coffee describes the mouthfeel as smooth with notes of brown sugar, grape, and a hint of blackberry . Generally, coffee professionals describe Burundian coffees as sharing bright acidity, fruity flavors and floral notes , characteristics that Heza exemplifies through its meticulous processing and exceptional terroir.