Brazil South Minas Semi-Dry Bourbon Premium Coffee Bean Varieties, Brand Recommendations and Estates

Coffee Profile

Country: Brazil

Grade: SC14/SC16

Region: South Minas

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Processing Method: Pulped Natural (semi-dry)

Varieties: Bourbon, Catuai

Altitude: 1000-1200 meters

Flavor Notes: Roasted melon seeds, rich and full-bodied, dark chocolate, sweet aftertaste with a lingering finish.

Regional Characteristics

The Cerrado plateau in western Minas and South Minas generally sit above 1100 meters, with varied topography, distinct wet and dry seasons, large day-night temperature swings, and abundant microclimates. These conditions are ideal for cultivating elegant Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, which naturally makes them Brazil's principal specialty coffee regions. Mogiana in northeastern São Paulo state, which also focuses on shade-grown Bourbon, ranks alongside Cerrado and South Minas as Brazil's three great specialty regions.

Brazil's terrain is broadly flat, and most coffee farms sit at altitudes of around 600-1000 meters. The landscape is level and monotonous, short on microclimates, and non-shade cultivation is the customary practice. As a result, Brazil has developed its own signature soft-cup profile: low acidity, heavy nutty notes, chocolate sweetness, and excellent body—with slight woody and earthy undertones, while floral and citrus aromas take a back seat.

Minas Gerais lies at the heart of the Brazilian Plateau in southeastern South America and produces over half of Brazil's high-quality Arabica coffee.

The Santo Antônio do Amparo region, winner of the 2016 Brazil Cup of Excellence, belongs to the core producing area of South Minas, near the headquarters of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA).

Brewing Method

Pour-over Brazil: 15g of coffee at a medium grind (setting #4 on a Fuji Royal grinder), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until you reach 225g total. Discard the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, total extraction time 2:00.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee

Shelf Life: 30 days

Net Weight: 227g

Packaging: Bulk

Taste Profile: Sweet coffee beans

Product Form: Roasted coffee beans

Sugar Content: Sugar-free

Origin: Brazil

Coffee Type: Bourbon coffee

Roast Level: Medium roast

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Brazil's moderate acidity and superb balance of sweetness, bitterness, and body make it a natural for medium roasts—expect waves of nutty aroma and a mellow, gently tangy cup, wonderful both as a single origin and in blends. FrontStreet Coffee recommends two Brazilian single origins:

FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon (Pulped Natural) — the classic choice for a first taste of Brazil. Cerrado is one of the country's best-known regions for high-quality beans, and this Red Bourbon, roasted medium, shows rich aromas of creamy peanuts, toast, caramel, and hazelnut, with a rounded, non-acidic palate and just a touch of pleasant bitterness. It works beautifully as pour-over but is equally at home in a moka pot, as an espresso SOE, in a siphon, or in a French press.

FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon — grown in Mogiana near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil feeds the cherries and builds full, rich aromatics. Yellow Bourbon is a rare natural mutation of Red Bourbon with an even cleaner fruit character. However you brew it—pour-over, moka pot, or home espresso machine—you'll taste a sugarcane sweetness you won't find from other origins, alongside fruit and chocolate notes.