Single Origin Coffee Bean Recommendations: Brazil Single Origin Coffee Beans & Brazilian Semi-Washed Processing Method Flavor Characteristics

Brazilian Single-Origin Coffee Beans: An Introduction to Pulped Natural Processing

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Most single-origin coffee beans in the specialty coffee market come from Latin America, with Brazil being the world's largest coffee-producing region. However, there aren't many famous single-origin coffee beans from this region. This is mainly because Brazilian coffee estates are typically situated at elevations of only a few hundred meters, with coffee even grown on flat plains without hesitation. This sun-exposed cultivation method allows coffee cherries to grow quickly, but results in incomplete flavor development. Additionally, the bean density, known as hardness, is inferior to high-altitude beans. The fruit acidity is noticeably lower, and the flavor profile is rather monotonous, making them rarely suitable for high-quality single-origin coffee. So what single-origin coffee beans does FrontStreet Coffee offer from Brazil? And what exactly is this sun-exposed processing method? FrontStreet Coffee will now explain everything in detail.

Brazilian Coffee Growing Conditions

Brazil is located in the Western Hemisphere's Latin American region, situated in eastern South America on the western coast of the Atlantic Ocean. On land, it borders all countries on the South American continent except Ecuador and Chile. The vast majority of its territory lies between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, making it the country with the most extensive tropical range in the world. One-third of its territory has a tropical rainforest climate, while two-thirds has a tropical savanna climate. These superior tropical natural conditions are highly suitable for the growth and production of coffee, a tropical economic crop.

However, as FrontStreet Coffee mentioned above, 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 altitudes or shade. These can be planted on plains or grasslands, directly exposed to intense sunlight, unlike traditional shade cultivation methods at higher elevations.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Coffee Bean Processing Methods

According to FrontStreet Coffee's research, Brazil simultaneously utilizes natural, pulped natural, and washed processing methods. The selection method is primarily determined by the dry and humidity conditions of each producing farm, allowing each region to showcase its best flavors in a very diverse manner.

Among these, PN (Pulped Natural) processing is one of Brazil's unique coffee processing methods. This is because Brazil developed its distinctive pulped natural method to process green coffee beans based on the local dry climate conditions. Pulped natural processing can control the fermentation degree of the parchment with mucilage after depulping. This natural processing method, similar to honey processing, results in a rounder coffee flavor, with effects falling between washed and full natural processing. During the process, a small amount of water is first used to remove pulp and skin, then the coffee is placed directly on drying racks for sun-drying. The coffee is constantly turned during this period to ensure all beans are exposed to sunlight. After several days of drying, mechanical drying is performed to achieve the appropriate moisture content.

Pulped Natural Processing Flow:

1. First, coffee cherries are placed in large water tanks, removing the floating fruits. The sinking cherries are then put into a depulper to remove the pulp. This better removes unripe cherries and, more importantly, allows the coffee beans to sun-dry without pulp, with only a layer of mucilage remaining, which is more conducive to controlling the subsequent fermentation process.

2. After removing the skin and pulp from the cherries, you can see the yellow mucilage. The cherries with mucilage are then sun-dried. (After removing the pulp, coffee beans have a layer of viscous gelatinous substance called mucilage.)

3. When the beans' moisture content reaches 10.5%-12%, they are hulled.

4. Finally, before bagging for export, the beans undergo polishing and grinding processes.

Characteristics of Pulped Natural Processing:

1. Suitable for commercial large-scale operations (commonly used in Brazil), the pulped natural processing method is relatively simple and easy to operate, saving water while protecting the environment. Its time and labor efficiency make it ideal for selecting relatively refined commercial green coffee beans.

2. During the process of removing coffee skin and pulp, ripe pulp comes off easily, while unripe green cherry skin is difficult to process, allowing 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 consistent maturity is more beneficial for storage and standardizing green coffee bean quality.

Disadvantages of Pulped Natural Method:

1. The drying process is susceptible to contamination and mold damage.

2. Requires constant close supervision and continuous turning.

3. Accelerated drying is necessary to avoid undesirable fermentation flavors.

The above is the relevant content about Brazilian pulped natural processing compiled by FrontStreet Coffee. FrontStreet Coffee has also introduced two excellent single-origin coffee beans from Brazil. Let me introduce them to you!

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Cerrado Red Bourbon Coffee Beans

Country: Brazil

Region: Southern Minas

Altitude: 1000m

Variety: Red Bourbon

Processing: Pulped Natural

Flavor: Nuts, chocolate, cream, peanut, caramel.

The Brazilian Red Bourbon coffee beans introduced by FrontStreet Coffee come from Cerrado, a savanna that occupies 22% of Brazil's total area, deep in the Brazilian interior. "Cerrado" in Portuguese means "closed land." The Cerrado savanna originally extends from Mato Grosso province in southwestern Brazil, through the central-west of Minas, to the west of Bahia province. The Cerrado coffee region referred to by FrontStreet Coffee is not the entire Cerrado savanna, but limited to coffee-growing areas above 1000 meters altitude in the central-west of Minas province that can be called the Cerrado coffee region.

Moreover, this area is the premium section of the Cerrado savanna, with high altitude and fertile soil, making it possible to grow specialty coffee beans that are clear, sweet, have high body, and excellent cleanliness. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee uses coffee beans from this region as representative Brazilian coffee flavors for everyone to taste.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Queen's Estate Coffee Beans

Country: Brazil

Region: São Paulo State (Queen's Estate)

Altitude: 1400-1950m

Variety: Yellow Bourbon

Processing Method: Pulped Natural/Natural

Flavor: Nuts, cream, peanut, fermented fruit, cane sugar.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that everyone is familiar with FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Queen's Estate coffee beans. This estate is located in the Alta Mogiana region of São Paulo State, north of São Paulo city. This estate is highly renowned in Brazil, owned by the Carvalho Dias family. Under Carvalho Dias, there are four major estates that have won awards every year since the first Brazil Cup of Excellence competition in 1999, winning more than 12 awards in 7 years. In 2004, they even swept the championship, 9th place, and 11th place. This is sufficient proof of the estate's solid strength.

The above are the Brazilian coffee beans introduced by FrontStreet Coffee. Before introducing any new beans, FrontStreet Coffee conducts extensive pour-over testing to extract the original flavors of the coffee beans. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will share the pour-over parameters for these two FrontStreet Coffee Brazilian coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Coffee Bean Pour-Over Parameters

These two FrontStreet Coffee Brazilian coffee beans are both medium-roasted and come from the same producing region, so the coffee flavor differences won't be particularly significant. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee uses consistent pour-over parameters for both.

Filter: KONO

Dose: 15g

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Medium grind, 75% pass-through rate with #20 standard sieve

Water-to-Coffee Ratio: 1:15

Brewing Method: Segmented extraction.

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then continue pouring in small circular motions to 125g for segmentation. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Wait for the water level to drop and just before exposing the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. (Timing starts from the bloom) V60 filter cup extraction time is 2'00", while KONO filter cup extraction time is slightly longer at 2'10".

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Cerrado coffee bean flavor: Obvious sweetness upon entry, with a faint lemon aroma, containing rich nutty flavors, with distinct dark chocolate notes in the finish, overall feeling rather round.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazilian Queen's Estate coffee bean flavor: Balanced palate, with almond and cocoa as the main notes, highlighting cane sugar sweetness, this is a coffee with good body and full sweetness.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: 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