Types of Brazilian Coffee Beans: Introduction to Brazilian Coffee Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Brazilian Coffee Varieties

Brazilian coffee refers to coffee produced in Brazil. It comes in numerous varieties, most of them unwashed and sun-dried, and is classified by producing state and shipping port. Brazil has 21 states, 17 of which grow coffee, but 4 of these states account for 98% of national production. Brazilian coffee features lower acidity balanced by its bitter and sweet flavors, making it extremely smooth to drink, with a subtle grassy aroma. It is light and fragrant with a slight bitterness, smooth and pleasant, leaving a refreshing aftertaste.

Cultivated varieties include Catuai, Catimor, and Bourbon.

Brazilian coffee comes in many varieties. Like other Arabica coffees, it is called "Brazils" to distinguish it from "Milds." The vast majority of Brazilian coffee is unwashed and sun-dried, classified according to producing state names and shipping ports. Brazil has 21 states, 17 of which produce coffee, but 4 states dominate production, accounting for 98% of the national total: Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo. The southern state of Paraná has the most astonishing output of all, accounting for 50% of the total.

Despite this diversity, Brazilian coffee suits popular tastes. Coffee from the northern coastal regions, for example, has a typical iodine flavor that reminds drinkers of the sea, and it is exported to North America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Another interesting coffee worth seeking out is washed Bahia coffee, though it is not easy to find: after the United States, Brazil is the world's largest coffee consumer, and many fine coffees can only be found in its domestic market.

In some estates in the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil, the ancient Bourbon variety is still grown. Estates such as Capin Branco and Vista Allegre also sell their old-variety Bourbon coffee on the market.

Although they come from the same region, these coffees each have their own character. Capin Branco is smoother than Vista Allegre, while Vista Allegre is strong and dark, both with low acidity. Like all Brazilian coffees, however, they are best enjoyed fresh, as they grow more acidic with age. These growers have organized themselves into the Speciality Coffee Association of Brazil.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a first taste of the Brazilian profile, FrontStreet Coffee suggests its Cerrado Red Bourbon, a classic Brazilian single origin from the well-known Cerrado region. A semi-washed red Bourbon, it is roasted to a medium level that highlights cream, peanut, toasted bread, caramel, and hazelnut aromas. The cup is round and low in acidity with a light bitterness, and it is versatile enough for pour-over, a moka pot, espresso SOE, a siphon, or a French press.

To go a step further into Brazil's rare varieties, FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Manor is a yellow Bourbon grown in Mogiana, near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil lets the cherries absorb abundant nutrients and develop fuller aromas. Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of red Bourbon, brings a cleaner fruit character: brewed as pour-over, in a moka pot, or on a home espresso machine, it shows a sugarcane sweetness that other origins rarely offer, along with fruit and chocolate notes.

Brazil's low-acid, balanced cup and friendly price also make it a favorite base for espresso blends. Several FrontStreet Coffee blends rely on Brazilian beans for exactly this reason, contributing chocolate and cream aromas plus a soft, balanced sweet-sour-bitter structure that helps keep extraction stable.