Brazilian Coffee Bean Grades and Characteristics | Brewing Temperature and Techniques for Bourbon Coffee Beans from Brazil's South Minas Region

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From three hundred years ago to the present, coffee has become Brazil's primary economic source, and Brazil has become the world's largest coffee-producing country. FrontStreet Coffee, through cupping Brazilian coffee beans, finds that Brazilian coffee beans have low acidity, medium nutty flavor, with chocolate sweetness and a rich mouthfeel. This is related to Brazil's relatively low altitude, flat and monotonous terrain, lack of microclimates, and the practice of growing coffee trees under full sun exposure, which creates Brazil's unique soft bean flavor.

2020 Reduced Rainfall Will Cause 2020-2021 Brazilian Coffee Production Decline!

In early to mid-October 2020, rainfall occurred in Brazil's coffee-producing areas, but according to local media reports, the rainfall was very minimal, causing concern among coffee farmers. In summary, October's rainfall alleviated local high temperatures but was insufficient to replenish water shortages and improve coffee crop growth. Arabica coffee was particularly affected, with flowering periods delayed by unfavorable weather in almost all Arabica coffee-producing regions. As of October 15th, sporadic flower drop was observed in Minas Gerais and the Franca region. If sufficient rainfall doesn't continue, all currently blooming flowers will drop, leading to reduced production.

International investment bank Itau BBA released its latest view stating that due to insufficient rainfall during flowering and cyclical low-production years, Brazil's 2020/21 coffee production is expected to decrease by 14% to 21%, ultimately recording between 53.6-58.3 million bags. Since Brazilian coffee production accounts for over one-third of global production, Brazil's production reduction may directly shift next year's global coffee supply-demand balance from this year's surplus of 9.8 million bags to a shortage of 1.7-6.5 million bags. Beyond rainfall issues, excessive temperatures have also affected coffee growth. For example, average temperatures exceeding 23°C exceed ideal growing conditions for Arabica coffee. However, in late September and early October, average temperatures in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná states reached 28-30°C.

Brazilian Coffee Growing Regions

As mentioned above, Brazil's Arabica coffee bean growing regions are mainly distributed in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná states. Brazil's coffee bean production depends on whether Minas has a bountiful or poor harvest, and Minas's harvest depends on South Minas, Cerrado, and Mogiana. Brazilian Arabica is mainly produced in southern Minas (South Minas) and central Cerrado, with Minas producing Arabica accounting for 66.7% of Brazil's Arabica coffee bean core.

South Minas (Sul de Minas) has altitudes above 1100 meters, with rolling foothills, rich terrain, distinct wet and dry seasons, large day-night temperature differences, and abundant microclimates, making it suitable for cultivating flavorful Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon varieties, naturally becoming a primary region for specialty coffee.

Cerrado Region: We must mention the Cerrado savanna, which has the world's most complex species. However, when it comes to Cerrado's coffee region, not all coffee grown on the savanna is called Cerrado coffee. Only coffee grown at 1100-1300m altitude in the prime areas of the Cerrado savanna can be called Cerrado coffee. With high altitude and fertile soil, FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee beans from this region are clear-sweet, have high body, and lack earthy flavors.

Mogiana Region: This area is very close to southern Minas. Coffee is grown among shrubs, grasslands, and other vegetation. Many farming families operate in this area, some using traditional large-scale farming methods while others adopt small-scale modern operations. The combination of modern technology and mountain coffee cultivation culture creates the highest quality green coffee beans. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that coffee beans from this region have sugarcane-like sweetness.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Grading System

Usually, we can see information like this on Brazilian coffee bean sacks: Brazil NY.2 SC 17/18 FC. This is Brazil's unique three-part grading method not used by other countries, because the production area is too large and produces too many beans. To blend coffee flavors specifically for export, these beans are often mixed, creating inconsistent quality that requires "cupping" grading. This way, consumers can roughly understand the coffee's quality just by seeing the green bean information.

1. Grading by Defect Rate

Brazilian coffee uses a "deduction method" for evaluation, grading levels based on the number of defective beans per 300 grams of main beans. There are seven levels from No.2 to No.8. If deductions are below 4, it can be classified as No.2. Beans with no defects at all could be called No.1, but this situation is rare and cannot maintain consistent supply, so Brazil sets No.2 as the highest grade rather than No.1.

2. Grading by Bean Size

Screen size: This is screened using a mesh sieve based on 1/64 inch, with screen sizes typically ranging from 14-20. It should be noted that the corresponding size for screen numbers refers to the short side of the coffee bean, i.e., "width." The largest screen size for Brazilian coffee beans is 19, but production is limited, so 17/18 screen size is considered the highest grade.

3. Cupping Quality

Fine cup | Fine | Good cup | Fair cup | Poor cup | Bad cup. FC (Fine Cup) and GC (Good Cup) are more common. Many companies or platforms also add processing methods (natural/washed/honey) and estate information.

4. Flavor Grade

Brazilian coffee beans are classified into five major flavor categories: Strictly Soft → Very smooth, Soft → Smooth, Softish → Somewhat smooth, Hardish → Harsh, Rioy → Iodine-like off-flavor. Brazil-Cerrado coffee beans were cupped by the local coffee association and rated as Strictly Soft Fine Cup (very smooth), which is the best grade. In summary, Brazil NY.2SC – 17/18 FC Cerrado means: Country Brazil, defect grade 2, green bean screen size 17-18, fine cup quality, from Cerrado. This is also the Brazilian component bean that FrontStreet Coffee has been using for its blend coffee.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Varieties

Brazil primarily grows Bourbon coffee beans. Bourbon is an Arabica coffee bean variety and a branch of Typica, native to Bourbon Island in the Indian Ocean (now called Réunion Island). It is generally grown in Central and South America, including El Salvador, Brazil, Rwanda, Panama, and other regions. Early Bourbon coffee beans were variants of Ethiopian Typica transplanted to Yemen. The biggest difference between Bourbon and Typica in appearance is wider leaves, smaller coffee cherries, and more intensive production. Therefore, compared to Typica, Bourbon cherries are smaller and rounder. Bourbon is often a champion in American specialty coffee cupping competitions.

Generally, mature coffee bean fruits show red color, but Bourbon variety mature coffee shows yellow color, so it's commonly called Yellow Bourbon. In Brazil, the world's largest coffee-producing region, Yellow Bourbon production accounts for less than 1%, making it quite precious and rare. Yellow Bourbon coffee bean characteristics include higher cultivation difficulty and lower yields. Roasted coffee beans present a dry and sweet taste, with nut and cocoa/chocolate-like aromas. Yellow Bourbon beans generally use pulped natural method (or semi-washed method), and some Bourbon varieties may have fruity notes, especially pleasant aroma and sweetness during brewing.

Red Bourbon coffee bean characteristics: Generally, after coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the color change of coffee cherries is: green → light yellow → light orange → mature red → darker red when fully ripe, so some call it "Red Bourbon variety." In fact, Red Bourbon coffee beans are what we generally call Bourbon variety. Through cupping different Brazilian coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee found that Bourbon varieties grown at high altitudes usually have better aroma, brighter acidity, and may even have wine-like flavors when tasted.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Processing Methods

Before 1990, Brazil almost exclusively used crude natural processing methods, which made Brazilian beans susceptible to woody or earthy flavors because coffee cherries had to undergo two to three weeks of sun exposure. If it rained during this period, moldy flavors could easily develop. To change this situation of being dependent on weather, in 1990 Brazil leveraged its relatively dry climate characteristics and developed the pulped natural method to shorten processing time.

Pulped natural processing removes the coffee cherry's skin and pulp, allowing control over the fermentation degree of mucilage-coated beans after depulping. Traditional natural processing dries the cherries with skin and pulp intact, making it impossible to monitor the fermentation degree of mucilage. The pulped natural method is between natural and washed processing methods, but without the "water tank fermentation, fresh water rinsing" process of washed processing. Instead, beans are taken directly to sunlight for drying. Although the methods seem similar, without the fermentation step, the coffee bean flavors are completely different. In the pulped natural process of removing coffee cherry skin and pulp, ripe pulp is easily removed, while unripe green cherry skin is difficult to process, allowing for a second screening to filter out unripe fruits and standardize cherry ripeness.

Compared to natural processing, FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee beans processed through this selection method have improved cleanliness and maturity, bringing more consistent flavor coffee. The introduction of pulped natural processing doesn't mean all Brazilian regions use it. The drier Cerrado region still mainly uses natural processing, where pulped natural is secondary. However, the Red Bourbon from Cerrado region that FrontStreet Coffee sourced uses pulped natural processing.

The most popular at FrontStreet Coffee is Yellow Bourbon coffee beans from Brazil's Queen Estate.

Country: Brazil
Region: Mogiana
Altitude: 1400-1950m
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Processing: Natural processing

FrontStreet Coffee Brazilian Coffee Bean Roasting Analysis

The green beans have solid texture and excellent flavor performance, with slight orange peel and spice notes. The green bean moisture content is 9.9%, which is relatively low, giving the beans strong heat absorption capability. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee's roasting plan is to start at 200°C, then use high heat and low airflow to speed up dehydration. After the dehydration phase ends, use medium airflow and medium heat for the Maillard reaction, without rushing the timing, and finish near the end of first crack.

Yangjia 800N, bean input 550g: Preheat equipment to 200°C, adjust heat to 150, open airflow to 3, temperature recovery point at 1'30", maintain heat, turn yellow at 5'10", grassy aroma disappears, enter dehydration phase, reduce heat to 125, open airflow to 3.5. Dehydration completed at 8'20", bean surface shows wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma turns to coffee aroma, as prelude to first crack. When reaching 178°C, reduce heat to 80, pay attention to first crack sound. First crack starts at 9'14", open airflow fully to 5. Post-first crack development time 3'00", finish at 201°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Brazilian Coffee Bean Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping within 8-24 hours after roasting sample coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's baristas typically use 200ml ceramic cupping bowls marked with 150ml and 200ml measurement lines. Following SCAA standards, water TDS is around 150ppm - too low TDS can cause over-extraction, too high affects mouthfeel and causes under-extraction. Cupping water temperature is 94°C. Cupping grind size follows SCAA cupping standards, controlled to 70-75% pass-through rate through standard #20 sieve (0.85mm). Ratio: 11g coffee powder to 200ml hot water, i.e., 1:18.18, so extraction concentration falls within the 1.15%-1.35% golden cup range. Steeping time: 4 minutes.

Brazil Queen Estate Cupping

Dry aroma: Roasted nuts, cinnamon
Wet aroma: Roasted nuts, peanuts
Flavor: Roasted nuts, peanut butter, fermented fruits, sugarcane sweetness

FrontStreet Coffee Brazilian Coffee Bean Brewing Tips

Filter: Kono
Water temperature: 89°C
Coffee dose: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium-fine grind (75% pass-through rate with Chinese #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee's brewing technique uses 30g water for 30-second bloom, then pours with small water flow in circles to 125g for segmentation. When water level drops to just above the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When water level drops to just above the coffee bed, remove the filter cup (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is 2'01".

Brewing flavor: The beans are naturally sweet and clean. Using pulped natural processing makes the acidity slightly brighter but well-integrated with sweetness, some even have tropical fruit notes, especially the abundant aroma during brewing is delightful. Fresh sugarcane juice sweetness, black tea, soft and pleasant fruit sweetness, distinct nutty flavors, balanced and smooth acidity, weak and clean bitterness, with rich chocolate aroma and nutty flavors, bright and clean mouthfeel, smooth and delicate texture.

Important Notice :

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