Understanding Brazilian Coffee Beans: What Is Brazilian Pulped Natural? Characteristics of Brazilian Coffee Beans

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Brazil: The World's Largest Coffee Producer

As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil's rich, low-acidity flavor profile is deeply loved by coffee enthusiasts. Among the Brazilian coffee beans offered by FrontStreet Coffee, in addition to the single-origin Queen's Estate coffee beans, Brazil has also been included in the FrontStreet Coffee's Daily Bean series, known for its excellent value. To facilitate brewing for enthusiasts, Brazilian coffee can also be found in the current season's drip bag coffee series. This demonstrates that Brazil, as a coffee-producing nation, is indispensable in classic coffee flavors.

Brazilian coffee was introduced in 1729 from French Guiana. While intensive cultivation, improved processing methods, and enhanced planting techniques can improve coffee quality to some extent, Brazil's natural conditions cannot compare with regions that produce the world's finest coffees. Although Brazil has good soil conditions and a humid climate, its elevation is not particularly high. However, there are some world-renowned single-origin coffees, and Brazil Bourbon Santos is one of them.

Brazil Bourbon Santos doesn't have particularly outstanding qualities, but it also has no obvious flaws. This coffee has a mild, smooth flavor with low acidity, moderate body, and a subtle sweetness. All these gentle flavors blend together, making it a challenge to distinguish them individually, which is why many Bourbon Santos enthusiasts love this coffee. Because they are so gentle and ordinary, Bourbon Santos is suitable for medium roasting and maximized brewing methods, making it the best ingredient for espresso and various specialty coffees.

Recent Brazilian Coffee Developments

Impact of the Pandemic

The title of top coffee producer has brought considerable economic income to Brazil, but it also demands significant human resources. Brazil was the last country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery, precisely because coffee cultivation and harvesting require large amounts of labor. Now affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil is concerned that the outbreak may worsen with the arrival of the coffee harvesting season, potentially delaying coffee exports. Therefore, this year's Brazilian coffee harvest is expected to be delayed.

Benefits of Shade Trees

Due to global climate change, Brazil's coffee-growing areas will be significantly reduced in the future. However, recent research has confirmed that shade trees in Brazil help buffer temperature increases, which is undoubtedly good news for growers. Studies show that covering 50% of growing areas with shade trees can retain up to 75% of the region's production capacity.

Geographical Conditions

Brazilian coffee is generally grown in relatively flat areas. To adapt to local conditions, Brazilian estate owners cultivated improved Arabica coffee trees decades ago that don't require high altitude or shade. These can be planted on plains or grasslands, directly exposed to bright sunlight, unlike traditional higher-altitude shade cultivation methods.

Most Brazilian coffee plantations are only a few hundred meters above sea level, and coffee is even grown on flat ground. This sun-exposed cultivation method allows coffee cherries to grow faster, resulting in less complete flavor development. The bean density, or so-called hardness, is not as good as high-altitude beans. The fruit acidity is significantly lower, and the flavor is monotonous. Coastal Rio (Rio) coffee even has iodine and salty flavors, which are considered the result of certain microbial activity. However, even when grown in the same soil, this flavor doesn't necessarily develop every year. Most coffee enthusiasts don't appreciate such flavors, but only a few Middle Eastern countries, with their habit of adding sugar to boiled coffee, are particularly suited to Rio coffee's flavor profile.

The Balance of Brazilian Coffee

Among Central and South American countries, Brazil's altitude is relatively low, and it lacks microclimates. Under these conditions, the grown coffee beans have low but sufficiently soft acidity, strong nutty flavors, chocolate sweetness, and good body. However, some coffee enthusiasts criticize the acidity of Brazilian coffee beans, finding them too ordinary and lacking distinctive character. This actually shows that coffee culture is like this - with both praise and criticism. A coffee bean's fame comes from withstanding both compliments and criticism.

Brazilian Growing Regions

Brazil has 21 states, with 17 producing coffee. However, 7 of these states have the highest production, accounting for 98% of the national total. They are:

• São Paulo State (Mogiana, Centro-Oeste)
• Paraná State (Norte Pionerio do Paraná)
• Bahia State (Planaltoda Bahia, Cerrado da Bahia, Atlantico Baiano)
• Espírito Santo State (Montanhas do Espírito Santo, Conilon Capixaba)
• Minas Gerais State (Sul de Minas, Cerrado Mineiro, Chapada de Minas, Matas de Minas)
• Rondônia State (Rondônia)
• Rio de Janeiro State (Rio de Janeiro)

Brazilian Coffee Varieties

Bourbon Variety Classification: Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Orange Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, Blue Bourbon

Bourbon coffee, like Typica coffee, is an old variety belonging to the Arabica species. Bourbon coffee was originally cultivated on Réunion Island, which was called Bourbon Island (le Bourbon) before 1789, hence the coffee variety was named "Bourbon."

As another old coffee variety, unlike Typica, Bourbon plants have wider leaves and grow more densely, while producing 30% higher yields than Typica coffee. The beans are relatively round and short, with rich berry acidity, distinct cream and aromas, strong fruity acidity, but the same problem of poor disease resistance. In red Bourbon, after coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the coffee cherry color changes from: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker red when fully ripe. Therefore, some call it "Red Bourbon." Red Bourbon was introduced to Brazil around 1860 via Campinas in the south and is a typical coffee variety.

To put it simply, Bourbon is a coffee variety belonging to a branch of the Arabica species. It generally bears red fruit, called Red Bourbon. In addition, there are Yellow Bourbon and Orange Bourbon. Yellow Bourbon has relatively lower yields but better quality.

Brazilian Processing Method - Pulped Natural

The pulped natural processing method, also called the honey process, differs from traditional natural processing in that the coffee cherry's skin and pulp are removed, allowing control over the fermentation degree of the mucilage-covered coffee beans. Traditional natural processing involves drying with skin and pulp intact, making it impossible to monitor mucilage fermentation. The pulped natural method is a hybrid between natural and washed processing but eliminates the "tank fermentation and water rinsing" steps of washed processing, instead going directly to sun drying. Although the methods seem similar, without the fermentation step, the coffee bean's flavor is completely different.

1. First, coffee cherries are placed in large water tanks to remove floating fruits. The sinking fruits are then put into a depulper to remove the pulp. This better removes unripe fruits and, more importantly, allows coffee beans to dry in the sun without pulp but only covered with mucilage, which helps control subsequent fermentation.
2. After removing the skin and pulp, the yellow mucilage is visible. The mucilage-covered coffee cherries are then sun-dried (after pulp removal, coffee beans have a layer of viscous gelatinous substance called mucilage).
3. After drying to a moisture content of 10.5%-12%, the beans are hulled.
4. Finally, before the beans are bagged for export, they undergo polishing and finishing.

Characteristics of Pulped Natural Processing

1. Suitable for large-scale commercial operations (commonly used in Brazil). The pulped natural method is relatively simple and easy to operate, saving water while protecting the environment.
2. During pulp removal, ripe pulp is easy to remove, while unripe green cherry skin is difficult to process. This allows for a second screening to filter out unripe fruits and standardize cherry maturity. Compared to natural processing, the selected coffee cherries have improved cleanliness and maturity, resulting in more uniform coffee flavor.
3. Drying time is shortened, saving time costs and adding more value.
4. Relatively uniform maturity is better for storage and standardizing green bean quality.

Disadvantages of Pulped Natural Method:

1. The drying process is susceptible to contamination and mold damage.
2. Requires constant monitoring and continuous turning throughout the process.
3. Accelerated drying is necessary to avoid undesirable fermentation flavors.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Grades

1. Defect Rate Classification: Seven levels from high to low: No2-No8. Grades are determined by the number of defective beans per 300g, using a deduction system. A score below 4 can be classified as No2 (No1, with zero defective beans, is rare and cannot maintain consistent supply).
2. Size Classification: 17 and 18 screen sizes are the highest grades.
3. Cupping Quality Classification: From high to low: Fine Cup, Fine, Good Cup, Fair Cup, Poor Cup, Bad Cup. FC (Fine Cup) and GC (Good Cup) are most common.
4. Flavor Grade Classification: From high to low: Strictly Soft (very smooth), Soft (smooth), Softish (somewhat smooth), Hardish (harsh), Rioy (iodine-like flavor).

FrontStreet Coffee's Representative Brazilian Coffee Bean - Brazil Queen's Estate Coffee

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

Roasting Recommendations

This bean has low moisture content and a solid texture, giving it strong heat absorption capabilities. Therefore, control during roasting time must be steady and not rushed. To optimize its flavor profile and bring out its aroma, medium roasting is used.

Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans input
Bean-in temperature: 200℃
First crack: 9'14", 188.9℃
Development after first crack: 1'48", discharged at 197.5℃

Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations

Dripper: KONO
Water temperature: 88℃
Dose: 15g
Ratio: 1:15
Grind size: White sugar size (BG#6w)

Brewing Method - Stage-by-Stage Extraction

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. When continuing the pour to 125g, perform a stage break. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from bloom) Total extraction time is 2'00".

Flavor description: The taste has distinct sweetness with subtle lemon aromatics, rich nutty flavors, and prominent dark chocolate notes in the finish. The overall experience is well-rounded, representing the overall characteristics of Brazilian coffee while demonstrating its unique lively personality.

More Premium Coffee Beans

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473