Malawi Misuku Hills Coffee
Apricot, citrus and cocoa from the well-watered Misuku Hills, on Malawi's border with Tanzania.
A coffee from the Misuku Hills in northern Malawi, a green, well-watered range on the Tanzanian border, grown by smallholders in a cooperative. The cup is apricot and citrus over cocoa and honey.
Sensory profile
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 90 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | Pour-Over |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 14.4g → 240g |
| Grind size | Medium-fine |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 2:45-4:00 depending on method |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 14.4 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted
- 240 g filtered water at 93°C
Required gear
- Cone or flat-bottom dripper
- Paper filters
- Gooseneck kettle
- Burr grinder
- Scale accurate to 1 g
- Timer
- Server or carafe
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Rinse the paper filter with hot water, discard the rinse, and add 14.4 g ground medium-fine. Level the bed.
- 0:00Start the timer and pour 29 g of water at 93°C, wetting every part of the bed. Let it bloom.
- 0:45Pour in slow spirals up to 144 g total, keeping the bed submerged and the level steady.
- 1:30Final pour up to 240 g total. Give the dripper one gentle swirl to settle the bed flat.
- 3:23Drawdown should finish around here. Swirl the server and serve.
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 90 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Coffee from a cooperative
The coffee is gathered through a farmer cooperative that runs dozens of shared washing stations across northern Malawi.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A coffee from the Misuku Hills in northern Malawi, a green, well-watered range on the Tanzanian border, grown by smallholders in a cooperative. The cup is apricot and citrus over cocoa and honey.
Origin & Story
The Misuku Hills are a mountain range in Malawi's Northern Region, in Chitipa District, where the Songwe River forms the border with Tanzania. The tallest peaks are Matipa, at 2,124 meters, and Mughese, at 1,909. The hills are fertile and well watered, and much of the old woodland has been turned into farms and gardens.
What forest remains is remarkable: montane forest with around 150 tree species recorded, among the richest in Malawi, protected in three forest reserves, Matipa, Mughese and Wilindi, which were created in 1948.
The coffee is grown by smallholders organized through the Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union, which represents about 2,600 farmers in five cooperatives across northern and central Malawi, including one in Misuku Hills. The union runs 61 washing stations and a central dry mill in Mzuzu, and became a cooperative union in 2007 after years as a state-run authority.
Importers trace coffee in Malawi to the 1890s, when English missionaries planted the trees that became known as the Nyasaland variety. Today farmers also grow Bourbon, Catimor, Caturra, Geisha and SL28, and the same union makes tea and honey and runs a cooperative-owned estate called Usingini.
In the cup, expect apricot and citrus, with cocoa and honey underneath, a sweet, gentle filter coffee.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 84/100 |
| Acidity | 82/100 |
| Bitterness | 24/100 |
| Body | 58/100 |
| Aroma | 92/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Malawi Misuku Hills Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 90 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Malawi Misuku Hills Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F).
How long should Malawi Misuku Hills Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 2:45-4:00 depending on method. Method: Pour-Over. Ratio: 60g coffee per Liter of water. Grind or leaf format: Medium-fine.
Where is Malawi's coffee grown?
Mainly in the north of the country, in areas such as the Misuku Hills in Chitipa District. The Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union, for example, has cooperatives in Misuku Hills, Rumphi, Nkhata Bay, Mzimba and Ntchisi.
Why does a coffee taste like apricot?
Nothing has been added. Apricot is a tasting note: tasters use it for a soft, sweet stone-fruit character that some washed African coffees have.
Who should avoid Malawi Misuku Hills Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Hario V60 Size 02 Ceramic Dripper
In this recipe: Cone or flat-bottom dripper
Affiliate link: CupCura may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. We have not tested this product ourselves. Disclosure
Drinks like this one
Peru Chanchamayo Gesha Coffee
Orange blossom, apricot and cacao from a rare Peruvian Gesha grown on the jungle's edge.
Specialty CoffeeGuatemala Huehuetenango Arabica
Stone fruit, citrus and honey from the cooperative smallholders of Huehuetenango.
Specialty CoffeeRwanda Rulindo Washed Coffee
Apricot, lemon and black tea from Rulindo in northern Rwanda, a coffee with a story of rebuilding.
Specialty CoffeeEl Salvador Pacamara Coffee
Apricot, cacao and jasmine from the shaded volcanic slopes of Apaneca-Ilamatepec, where Pacamara was born.