BRAZIL - Comunidade Mato Grosso | Natural
| Association: |
COCATREL, Ilicínea- South of Minas. |
| Varietal: | Yellow Bourbon |
| Process: | Natural |
| Altitude: |
1100-1320 masl |
| Cup Score: |
85 |
| Cup profile: |
Bergamot, red apple with toffee and brown sugar. |
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Roasting notes:
A high quality and surprising Brazil microlot. You can be aggressive with this and it will be fine. It's a Brazil so you're going to get tons of chocolate and nuts whatever you do but there's enough delicate fruit acidity going to dial it up or down to suit your brewing preference. Drop it early it you want it a touch light and let it cruise for 90 seconds to a full 2 mins over crack if you want that big bodied espresso. If you get it right you'll get a touch of apricot jam and a distinctly floral nose to the cup.
Situated on the border of Sul De Minas and the Cerrado sits the mountainous region of ILicnea with farms rising from 1100 – 1320 masl before the land falls away into the expanse of the cerrado. The area is made up of 6 communities. This beautiful area is blessed with a micro climate that provides conditions for producing unique and intriguing coffees. The regions soil is known as cambisolo where the rock is still turning to soil, this places its own unique stress on the plants and the maturation on the cherry. Prior the growers here really struggled with the winds that ravaged the crops, through inquisition and help they have put in systems and planted to trees to help minimise the effect of the wind. The region is still relatively new in terms of knowledge about it as coffees were previously sold under the names of other regions until recently. Now these farms are being recognised for the unique coffees they produce in relation to the region & Brazil.
At an altitude of 1239 meters, situated at the GPS coordinates 20º 52' 40"S 45º 45' 07"W, you will find a coffee farm known as Córrego Bonito. A long history is behind this farm and the producer Joaquim.
When it comes to coffee production, Joaquim shares that the volume can vary annually but estimates an average of about 400 bags for export.
At Córrego Bonito, there are no permanent employees, only temporary workers during the harvest season, usually around eight in number. Throughout the rest of the year, Joaquim, his father Orlando, and brother Roberto maintain the farm, emphasizing its identity as a family business. The total area of their farm is approximately 35 hectares.
Joaquim's approach to coffee farming is steeped in tradition. Using organomineral fertilizers, they nourish their crops. When required, they prune their plants, manually harvesting the younger crops and using handheld machines for the older ones.
The processing of their coffee is natural and thorough, embodying the care they give to their coffee. Their beans are sun-dried in drying yards for nine days, followed by a slower drying process in a vertical dryer for an additional five days. Keeping an average temperature of 28°C, they only stop the process once the beans reach a humidity level of 11.6%. After that, they remove the dry husk and transport the coffee to the COCATREL warehouse.
Once the beans have been processed, they are stored at the COCATREL warehouses, waiting for shipping. The time in storage varies and does not follow a set schedule.
Looking forward, they plan to improve their machinery and acquire further training to produce even better quality coffee. Besides coffee, the farm also grows corn to feed their cows.
As a family of small farmers, they rely heavily on their land for sustenance. Joaquim's mother utilizes the fruits grown on the farm to make "fruit pulp," which she sells in the city to generate an additional source of income. They take pride in their production process, blending tradition with aspiration, forever striving for a better quality yield.