Brazil is the largest coffee producer of the world, accounting for almost one-thirds of the world’s coffee. Within this coffee-producing powerhouse is the Cerrado Mineiro region, famed for their high plateaus, grassy savannas and rich biodiversity. With consistent rainfall and high daytime temperatures, as well as wide ranges of mountains and valleys (these give coffee their different flavours), this state is primed for growing specialty coffee.
Roasted Cerrado Arabica beans.
For our Cerrado beans, we chose a medium-dark roast that is optimal in bringing out their complex flavours: a nutty aroma and flavour, topped off with rich chocolate taste. Its mild acidity gives it a soft sweet aftertaste, similar to brown sugar or caramel that melts in your mouth. Our Craftsmen baristas strongly recommend these Cerrado beans for brew and espresso.
Cultivation of coffee beans
Brazilian coffee plantation.
The altitude where the beans grow affects their tasting notes. The higher the altitude, the lighter and more complex the flavours become. Flavours go from earthy to nutty, and from chocolate to fruity. At an altitude of 1000–1300 metres above sea level, this Brazil fine cup is reminiscent of chocolate and nuts that finishes off with a smooth caramel aftertaste – perfect for cocoa lovers. Roasted lightly to maintain these rich flavours, a fine cup of this Brazilian coffee will surprise you with the complex layers of flavours.
Harvest and processing
Harvest season is based on when a particular coffee is at its peak. Pick them too early and the cherries will be underdeveloped. If you pick them near the end of harvest season, the coffee cherries are often overdeveloped. Thus, producers often choose the best timing right in the middle of harvest season. Cerrado coffee cherries are harvested between the months of May to September, and are exported from July to May.
Mechanisation of coffee harvesting process.
The harvesting process is mechanised, achieving maximum productivity. The flat terrain in Cerrado and relatively high minimum wage led to most farmers choosing mechanical harvesting over selective handpicking. Additionally, the wet and dry seasons are sharply defined, so most coffee trees ripen simultaneously. Mechanisation allows farmers to harvest these large batches of coffee cherries at one-go.
Farmers today are more conscious of quality, so they only harvest fully-ripe cherries. Some farmers opt for a “manual mechanised” method of harvesting, where a mechanised rake is used to pick ripe cherries, and a tarp is used to capture them as they fall. With these new technologies, farms are able to deliver quality and consistency in each and every cup of coffee.
Drying of coffee beans in Cerrado, Brazil.
