Fair Trade | Brazil Minas - Fair Trade (F.T) Nova Serra Cooperative Coffee Beans

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Fair Trade | Flavors of Brazil Minas Gerais - Fair Trade (F.T) Nova Resende Cooperative Coffee Beans

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, with most excellent Brazilian coffee coming from the Minas Gerais state in the south. These are predominantly Bourbon varieties processed using the semi-washed method (commonly known as the Brazilian processing method). Bourbon coffee has a noticeable sweetness, low acidity, good flavor, and high market acceptance, but Bourbon coffee yields are lower than other varieties.

Brazilian coffee guided and sold by Fair Trade organizations comes from the Nova Resende city in Brazil's best-producing region of Minas Gerais (Sul de Minas). It consists of a coffee cooperative formed by 76 small farmers at altitudes above 1,500 meters. The production is not large, with most supplied to the domestic Brazilian market. With the assistance of Fair Trade organizations, there have been improvements in ecological protection and soil enhancement. Brazil Minas Gerais Fair Trade coffee beans use non-traditional semi-washed processing methods, with the coffee beans showing a yellowish-brown color. Brazilian beans typically give friends the impression of being balanced and stable. Because Brazilian beans have lower moisture content and use non-traditional semi-washed processing, the coffee is sweeter, and the original bean character of Bourbon varieties is also sweet. Therefore, most formula blends use Brazilian beans as the base.

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, accounting for about 30% of coffee production. However, because Brazil is located in the tropical rainforest region with relatively flat terrain and few high-altitude mountain forests, most coffee is grown in low-altitude, non-volcanic soil areas. Additionally, there isn't much tree shade, which causes Brazilian beans to grow quickly with large bean sizes but disadvantages such as loose density and limited flavor variation. Furthermore, large-scale mechanical harvesting of coffee beans of various maturity levels simultaneously results in Brazilian bean quality not being particularly outstanding, remaining in the commercial bean category.

After 2000, due to incentives from coffee competitions, the quality of coffee beans produced in high-altitude areas of the south received recognition. This was particularly focused on farms around the Minas Gerais highlands, where coffee quality is the leading among Brazilian beans and production is also the largest. Examples include Cerrado in western Minas Gerais, Matas de Minas in the east, northern Bahia, or small southern farms. Minas Gerais has almost become synonymous with Brazilian specialty coffee. In recent years, coffee competitions have been precisely categorized by processing method (washed, semi-washed, honey, natural), developing various flavors, textures, and aftertastes that present a completely different style from traditional Brazilian coffee. The honey and natural processing methods show particularly good results, with clean, low-acidity, increased fruit aroma, and reduced rich chocolate flavors.

High-quality Brazilian coffee is sweet, not acidic or astringent, with an appealing chocolate sweetness. It has a nutty and kernel fruit aroma when smelled. Light roast (City) will emit lively peanut and almond fragrance, and with a 7-10 day resting period, it will yield a satisfactory blueberry flavor.

Light Roast City (Fresh Aroma)

The not-strong floral aroma is easily covered by the sweetness of licorice and honey with slight spice notes. It's recommended to drink after 7-10 days of resting to obtain a satisfactory blueberry flavor.

Dark Roast (General C)

The aroma is rich and solid, with pure chocolate fragrance overflowing, and a rich cheesecake aftertaste.

Light Roast City (Fresh Aroma) and slightly darker (Full-City+) roast levels form a great contrast - blueberry cookies versus golden sand chocolate. The general rich roast level's golden sand chocolate has an excellent throat aftertaste that represents the pinnacle of roasting.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water to coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back flavor profiles of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains water quickly, pausing during pouring can extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473