Overview

Altitude Range: 400-1600 mals.

Language Spoken: Portuguese (Primary), English, Spanish, French.

Harvest: May – September

Annual Coffee Production: 40,000,000-60,000,000 bags

Common Varieties: Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Catimor, Maragogype and others

Avg Farm Size: Ranging from half a hectare to more than 10,000 hectares.

General Cup Profile

The profiles in Brazil can vary greatly throughout the country. Traditionally, and pre–specialty coffee, Brazils were known for their body, mild sweetness, and nuttiness. Today, those Brazils definitely still exist, but due to advancements in sorting and processing, we are seeing soft cups that have an intense sweetness in the form of caramel and chocolate, big bodies, and supporting complementary acidity. Well-processed naturals bring in a variety of red fruits to the mix, to make these coffees really shine. The lots full of quakers, hard cups, and “rio” are no longer the only option from Brazil. We are proud to have some extremely special Brazils in our lineup throughout the year.

Growing Regions

Minas Gerais (Sul de Minas, Cerrado de Minas, Chapada de Minas, Matas de Minas), São Paulo (Mogiana, Centro-Oeste de São Paulo), Espirito Santo (Montanhas do Espiritu Santo, Conilon Capixaba), Bahia (Planalto de Bahia, Cerrado da Bahia), Parana (Norte Pionerio do Parana) and Rondonia

Minas Gerais

The largest coffee-growing region in Brazil, which accounts for nearly 50% of country’s production, and is one of the major specialty-coffee sources. The coffee-growing area is a staggering 2,488,000 acres.

Sul Minas: The region’s climate is mild, and rainfalls are favorable. The average farm size is 24 acres (10 hectares). Processing methods are pulped natural, washed and natural.
Cerrado de Minas: This region comprises plateaus with highland tropical climate, characterized by rainy summers and dry winters, ideal for cropping high-quality naturals. Farms here range from medium to large in size. The average productivity is 9.7 bags per acre. Processing methods are pulped natural and natural.
Chapada: This region is characterized by high plateaus that alternate with valleys, crossed by rivers. Processing methods are washed and natural.
Matas de Minas: This region has rough terrains with a warm and humid climate. Processing methods are pulped natural and natural

São Paulo

The state of São Paulo is one of the most traditional coffee-growing areas in Brazil, and is the home to the Port of Santos (where coffee departs Brazil). The region is planted with 413,027 acres of 100% Arabica coffee.

Mogiana: Favorable altitudes, mild temperatures and rough terrain allow for the production of good-quality coffee. Processing methods: pulped natural and natural.
Centro-Oeste de São Paulo: This region abounds with hills and plateaus. Most farms are small and medium in size. The southeast border with Paraná produces specialty coffee. Processing methods: pulped natural and

Espiritu Santo

The region ranks second in coffee production in Brazil, with Arabica production making up 28% of its coffee yield. The area planted with coffee is 1,137,128 acres.

Montanhas do Espirito Santo: Arabica production is adequate due to mild temperatures and highlands. Processing methods are pulped natural and natural.
Conilon Capixaba: Honoring the name, Conilon (Robusta) is cropped in this area. Coffee is grown on small properties at low altitudes. Processing method here is primarily natural.

Bahia

Located in the northeast region of Brazil, this area is characterized by high altitudes and a warm climate. The area planted with coffee is 344,835 acres. About 75% percent of the coffee farmed is Arabica.

Cerrado da Bahia: As the most high-tech region of Brazil, full mechanization prevails from cropping to harvesting, facilitated by the uniform ripening induced by irrigation. Processing methods: pulped natural and natural
Planalto da Bahia: Dry summers and rainy winters characterize this region. Located in the middle of the state, it is made up of highlands. The average farm is 74 acres. Processing methods: pulped natural and natural.

Parana

This region exclusively grows Arabica coffee. Coffee plantations are dense, with high productivity. Cropped area is 202,247 acres.

Norte Pionero de Parana: Coffee is grown on small farms, averaging 25 acres. Processing methods: pulped natural and

Rodonia

Region exclusively dedicated to the Conilon (Robusta) coffee.

Café de Rodonia: Tropical climate and high temperatures characterize this region. Farms are located at low altitudes. Processing method: natural.

Processing:

Natural and pulped natural are kings in Brazil. Naturally processed coffee is still the dominant method of processing. Some will tell you that because coffee was traditionally processed this way, for 150 years before depulping machines were introduced, legacy leant itself to a distinctly “Brazilian” cup. This process did help to compensate for the generally lower altitudes in the country. Both natural and pulped natural add a level of sweetness and complexity that would not be attainable without it. Fully washed process is done in very small amounts, and is often very hard to come across.