Meet the People Behind Your Cup

Various small holder coffee farmers contributed to this lot all in the vicinity of the Brazilian city of Guaxupe, pronounced gwah-shoo-peh. A small holder’s farm is generally less than 5 acres but in Brazil it’s a little different. Small holders in Brazil are those farms that produce between 500 and 2000 bags of coffee at harvest.

While Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee, small holders play a significant role in coffee production for Brazil. In fact, they comprise 67% or Brazil’s agricultural labor force.

Rising temperatures and drought are impacting coffee farmers in Brazil, but they are a resilient people. These conditions complicate the process of growing coffee, but these farmers are adjusting by replacing older plants with new, more productive varietals.

About This Coffee

This coffee was grown in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This region produces around 30-million bags of coffee every year, which is more than any other country in the world. This region accounts for nearly half of Brazil’s total coffee production. This coffee
was grown at altitudes around 4000 feet above sea level.

There are four varietals represented in this lot; Mundo Novo is a tall, vigorous and productive varietal; Catuai Red and Yellow, a dwarf varietal known for good quality potential, and Catucai. It is a
semi-washed process coffee because of the scarcity of water as of late; making fully washed processing impractical.

Semi-washed coffee is a processing method that combines elements of both washed (wet) and natural (dry) coffee processing. The outer skin of the coffee cherry is removed, but some or all of the mucilage—the sticky layer surrounding the bean—is left intact during drying (similar to the honey process).

What to Expect in Your Cup

This coffee is very easy to drink and enjoy. Its lighter body and medium acidity contribute to a smooth experience throughout the cup. It is clean, yet complex, and you may find notes of cocoa powder, roasted peanuts, raisin and cane sugar.