Brazil Catuai and Catula Coffee Flavor Characteristics Introduction - Nutty Sweetness of Pulped Natural Catuai

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This Brazilian Catuai from FrontStreet Coffee continues to use Brazil's most traditional processing method - the pulped natural processing method. However, this pulped natural Catuai exhibits lemon acidity and berry fruit notes, which is quite different from people's impression of Brazilian coffee. At the same time, it retains Brazil's characteristic nutty aroma and sweetness, with a rich body that carries a hint of freshness. The overall impression is bright and refreshing with fruity aromas, paired with a balanced mouthfeel, reminiscent of fruit cream biscuits in the mouth.

Brazil: The World's Largest Coffee Producer

Brazil is the world's largest coffee-producing country, with coffee mostly grown in plains or highland tropical savanna climate zones. The average annual temperature is around 20°C. The excellent climate and mostly flat geographical conditions allow Brazil to cultivate coffee on a large scale, using mechanical harvesting of coffee cherries. As one can imagine, the production volume is naturally astonishing.

01 | Coffee History

Brazilian coffee was introduced to Brazil from French Guiana in the 1720s. Francisco de Mello Palheta, a Portuguese captain from Brazil, captured the heart of the governor's wife of Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana at the time, successfully bringing coffee seeds into Brazil. From then on, coffee quickly adapted in Brazil, spreading from the north to the southeastern state of São Paulo. By 1845, Brazilian coffee beans already accounted for 45% of the world's total coffee bean production and became the main economic source of São Paulo state.

02 | Brazilian Bean Flavor Characteristics

Brazilian coffee is grown at altitudes of around 400-1600 meters, which is relatively low in elevation. Compared to Central American coffee, Brazilian coffee beans don't have particularly high density, which results in coffee flavors that are not as premium as many high-altitude growing regions. Brazilian coffee flavors are relatively simple, with a smooth, balanced mouthfeel, nutty aroma, grassy notes, and chocolate notes, without excessive acidity or bitterness. Therefore, they are often used for espresso blends. However, coastal Rio coffee even has iodine and salty flavors, which are considered the result of certain microbial interactions, but even when grown in the same soil, this flavor doesn't necessarily develop every year.

03 | Varieties

Brazil grows numerous coffee varieties, with Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Mundo Novo, and Catuai currently being the main varieties. Catuai, Acaia, Obatã, Amarelo, and Pointed Bourbon are also cultivated and researched.

Catuai is a Bourbon variety discovered in Brazil in 1937. It has better production capacity and disease resistance than Bourbon, with shorter tree height that facilitates harvesting. It has strong adaptability, doesn't require shade trees, and is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters. It has strong altitude adaptability, but the higher the altitude, the better the flavor, though production capacity relatively decreases.

04 | Coffee Growing Regions

Brazil has 21 states, with 17 states producing coffee. However, 7 of these states have the largest production, accounting for 98% of the country's total production.

The 7 states are: São Paulo (Mogiana, Centro-Oeste), Paraná (Norte Pionerio do Paraná), Bahia (Planalto da Bahia, Cerrado da Bahia, Atlântico Baiano), Espírito Santo (Montanhas do Espírito Santo, Conilon Capixaba), Minas Gerais (Sul de Minas, Cerrado Mineiro, Chapada de Minas, Matas de Minas), Rondônia (Rondônia), and Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil Espírito Santo Catuai

The altitude ranges from 1100-1200m. The Espírito Santo growing region is mainly divided into two areas: the north, where both large and small estates grow Robusta beans; and the south, which produces typical mountain-grown Arabica coffee, generally in smaller quantities. For a long time, Brazil has primarily used natural processing methods due to limited water resources, as washed processing couldn't support the large coffee production volume. After 1990, Brazil promoted pulped natural processing (also called semi-washed), where after removing defects and floaters in water tanks, machines are used to peel off the skin, pulp, and some mucilage, followed by washing, and finally drying in the sun or in drying rooms. Compared to washed processing, pulped natural saves water and labor, significantly improving the quality of Brazilian coffee and reversing the long-standing poor reputation of Brazilian natural processing.

Catuai is a dwarf coffee tree variety created in Brazil in 1950 by crossing Yellow Catuai with Mundo Novo. It can adapt well to various altitudes, showing better cup quality when planted above 800m. It comes in both red and yellow types. Bourbon is a sub-variety resulting from Typica mutation and belongs to the oldest existing coffee varieties along with Typica. When green fruits mature, they turn bright red. Bourbon grown at high altitudes typically has better aroma and bright acidity. It is classified by fruit color into Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Orange Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon. Yellow Bourbon has relatively lower production but better quality.

Brazil Catuai Roasting Curve

Heat the roaster to 175°C, then load the beans with heat at 140 and damper at 3. The turning point is at 1'38" with a temperature of 97.6°C. When the roaster temperature reaches 140°C, open the damper to 4; when the temperature rises to 166°C, adjust the heat to 110, keeping the damper unchanged; when the temperature rises to 176°C, adjust the heat to 90, keeping the damper unchanged; when the temperature rises to 192°C, adjust the heat to 50, with the damper at 5. At 9'38", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, with the toast smell clearly changing to coffee aroma - this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack begins at 10'05", open the damper to 5, develop for 2'00" after first crack, then drop at 194.5°C.

Cupping

Brazil Catuai: The wet aroma has a spicy fragrance. When slurping, there are lemon acidity, berry fruit, herbal notes, caramel, and nuts. The overall acidity is bright and clear, with a clean mouthfeel.

Brazil Espírito Santo Catuai

Region: Espírito Santo

Variety: Catuai

Altitude: 1100m

Processing: Semi-washed

Flavor Description: Rich lemon acidity, fruity flavors, relatively muted aroma, balanced mouthfeel, bright fruit acidity

Important Notice :

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