Brazil Black Coffee | Cerrado Region | Sami Boy Yellow Bourbon PB Peaberry

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Origin Information

Country: Brazil

Region: Santo Antônio do Amparo, the southern part of Minas, State of Minas Gerais

Estate Name: Fazenda Samambaia (nicknamed "Sammy Boy")

Owner: Dias Cambraia

Variety: Yellow Bourbon

Grade: Peaberry

Processing Method: Hand-picked, then Pulped Natural processing

Cupping Report

Roasting time: 12 minutes

Dry Aroma: Sweet fragrance, almond nuts, berry acidity, oily aroma

Wet Aroma: Brown sugar, caramel, nuts, fruit oiliness, creamy sweetness

Slurping: Obvious sweetness upon entry, thick body with distinct oiliness after swallowing. Spice notes and Japanese brown rice flavor remain clear. Bright acidity on both sides of the tongue that becomes gentle in the middle. Diverse flavors including almond, nuts, peaches, and plums. At lower temperatures, cool fragrance is prominent, with almond sweetness, milk fragrance, and tea aroma changing intermittently.

Fazenda Samambaia, after becoming famous, was listed on the fixed bean menus of several renowned coffee specialty shops. Additionally, after being widely used by celebrities in espresso recipes, it became well-known and referenced by baristas from multiple countries, winning multiple NB (National Body) awards. It is reported that during the 2007 WBC national competitions in various countries, many shops selected this coffee.

Fazenda Samambaia is affectionately called "Sammy Boy" by us. The Travel and Adventure Channel's "Living Coffee" (hosted by Paul Bassett, 2003 WBC World Champion) mentioned Yellow Bourbon as a bean variety for espresso. Additionally, the prominent figure in the specialty coffee industry George Howell's bean menu also lists it. Since Oscher promoted Yellow Bourbon last year, this Sammy Boy Yellow Bourbon was imported for the first time in March and indeed caused a sensation. At the recently concluded Tokyo WBC competition, everyone could also find that Yellow Bourbon has become an important option for using Brazilian beans in espresso recipes.

Yellow Bourbon produced from Brazilian estates offers full, mature sweetness, rich fruit and red wine notes, and a persistent aftertaste. Whether used for American-style coffee brewing or as espresso recipe beans, it satisfies professional experts and is listed as a necessary purchase on their bean menus! Since late last year, Oscher has cupped over twenty varieties of Yellow Bourbon, and this batch of Sammy Boy Peaberry is the third wave this year!

Yellow Bourbon beans are naturally sweet and clean. Using the Pulped Natural (or semi-washed) processing method gives them bright acidity that harmoniously balances with sweetness. Some even exhibit fruit and red wine aromas. The overflowing aroma during brewing makes them even more beloved.

This Sammy Boy Yellow Bourbon (Fazenda Samambaia) belongs to the Dias Cambraia coffee family, which is dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation. Located in the superior microclimate of southern Minas Gerais, with an altitude above 1,200 meters, average annual temperature not exceeding 21°C, and daily temperature variations of more than 10 degrees between morning and evening, these conditions contribute to the production of specialty coffee in this region.

Fazenda Samambaia also has an excellent geographical advantage: it is located in a superior area regulated by two major rivers. This region is also known as the water source, belonging to the watershed between two major basins - the Great River (locally called "Big River") flowing south and the San Francisco River flowing northeast. The microclimate created by these two major rivers often envelops the coffee in mist during growth, but the mist disappears during the dry winter season. This provides better opportunities for cherry fruit to promote sweetness and maturity with more sunlight. Additionally, sun-drying also requires sunlight. Therefore, the local climate is not only excellent for growing superior coffee but also provides optimal conditions for post-harvest processing. Consequently, this region has even developed three or even four processing methods: natural, pulped natural, washed, and semi-washed - which is indeed rare in other countries!

Excellent geography and climate, combined with the human spirit of diligent and united effort, have nurtured a growth-oriented coffee culture. According to the estate's General Manager Henrique Dias Cambraia, even during his nearly year-long study abroad in the United States, the estate's team continued to progress, achieving amazing quality and excellent environmental maintenance. He deeply feels that the factors for this estate's success, besides superior geographical conditions, also include: continuous progress and stable technical capabilities, consistent quality control and education for all staff, and united family and work team members - specifically the following three points:

(1) The Dias Cambraia family hired IBC technical expert Dr. Figueiredo as a consultant for over 10 years, with the goal of technical improvement and rooting, including cultivation, processing, quality improvement, and overall staff education and training. Dr. Figueiredo himself is an agronomist expert in coffee - he is Agronomist Josué Pereira de Figueiredo, Ph.D., and his own farm ranked in the top 10 of the second CoE! Dr. Figueiredo is also the Technical Coordination Specialist for the Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC).

Actively participating in the Association of Coffee Producers of Southern Minas Gerais (Sulminas-Café), Henrique Dias Cambraia generously contributed his estate management experience and techniques to the coffee association. Consequently, he was later elected as president of the Southern Minas Coffee Association. He and the 20 coffee producers under this association hold significant positions in Brazil's specialty coffee industry!

For example, most large Brazilian coffee farms use machine harvesting, but his refined estate uses manual labor to pick mature cherry fruits and uses woven materials to hold the cherries. After picking and cultivation, nets are used to manually remove impurities. You often see decorative copper pieces in Brazil with patterns of women sorting coffee cherries - this is that very action!

Coffee fruits harvested on the same day are always sent to the processing plant on the same day for pulped natural processing. Using hand-picking and woven materials to hold the coffee fruits avoids earthy flavors and any improper fermentation flavors. When these harvested coffee fruits arrive at the processing plant, they immediately undergo [receiving and cleaning], washing the coffee fruits clean and filtering out unqualified or dried fruits (bóia beans). The qualified beans that pass the screening will continue to the pulping action (using a pulper machine).

After removing the pulp, the coffee fruits still have some mucilage layer on the parchment shell. At this time, these coffee fruits with mucilage are placed on terraces for sun-drying to reduce moisture content. During this stage, the coffee fruits will absorb their own starch components but won't have the disadvantage of uncontrolled drying process flavor found in full natural processing. These residual mucilage starch components provide special sweetness without losing control to become off-fruit taste or moldy flavors, while the advantage is increased fruit sweetness! When moisture content is controlled to approach set conditions, they are moved to specially designed wooden containers for 60 days of storage to slowly stabilize drying and maturation!

Sammy Boy, due to its unique high altitude and climate with significant daily variations, forms its unique aroma, which is quite different from other coffee plantations growing Yellow Bourbon. When cupping results were revealed, many experts were surprised, with some even thinking it was milder volcanic beans from Africa and Central America!

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