Brazil's South Minas & Cerrado: Premium Coffee Regions and Brewing Guide for Pulped Natural Beans

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The higher the altitude where coffee beans grow, the lower their density becomes, and the harder they become. Meanwhile, the significant temperature difference between day and night in high-altitude regions allows for the formation of more coffee bean flavors. Brazil has relatively low altitudes, flat and monotonous terrain, lacks microclimates, and traditionally uses sun exposure methods to cultivate coffee trees, thus producing Brazil's unique soft bean flavor. Through cupping coffee beans from different Brazilian regions, FrontStreet Coffee believes that Brazilian coffee beans have low acidity, medium nutty flavors, with chocolate-like sweetness and a rich, mellow texture.

Brazilian Coffee Cultivation History

Brazilian coffee was introduced to Brazil from French Guiana in the 1720s. Francisco de Mello Palheta, a Portuguese captain from Brazil, won the affection of the wife of the governor of Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana at that time, and successfully brought coffee seeds into Brazil. Since then, coffee quickly adapted in Brazil, spreading from the north to the southeastern state of São Paulo and the southern state of Paraná. The latitude in these areas is slightly higher, and winter frosts occur, causing serious losses for coffee farmers.

From 1970 to 1980, Brazilian farmers developed the warmer northern parts of São Paulo state, Minas Gerais, and Bahia. These regions have warm winters without frost. To this day, Minas Gerais has become one of Brazil's main specialty coffee producing regions.

Before 1990, the Brazilian government strictly regulated the coffee industry, with both harsh interference and price protection measures. The state consistently implemented minimum price protection measures for farmers, leading to coffee overproduction.

Since 1990, with the opening of the free market, the original "Brazilian Coffee Institute" (IBC) was replaced by the state's non-investment administrative agency - the National Economic Association. This association pursued a non-interference policy, allowing producers and exporters to negotiate directly. Export business activities are supervised by government legislation, and relevant departments register legitimate exporters. From three hundred years ago to the present, coffee has become Brazil's main economic source, and Brazil has become the world's largest coffee producer.

Brazilian Coffee Growing Regions

The main coffee bean producing regions in Brazil are: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Bahia, and Espírito Santo. These four places account for 90% of the country's exports. Mogiana, which we commonly see, comes from São Paulo. Cerrado and Sul de Minas in Minas Gerais, as well as Minas province, have higher altitudes and produce more specialty Brazilian coffee beans.

The production volume of Brazilian coffee beans depends on whether Minas has a bountiful or poor harvest. The amount of Minas's harvest, in turn, depends on Sul de Minas, Cerrado, and Mogiana. Brazilian Arabica is mainly produced in southern Minas Gerais (Sul de Minas) and central Cerrado. The Arabica production in Minas accounts for 66.7% of Brazil's Arabica coffee bean core.

Sul de Minas has altitudes above 1,100 meters, with rolling foothills, rich terrain, distinct wet and dry seasons, significant temperature differences between day and night, and abundant microclimates. It is suitable for cultivating flavorful Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon varieties, naturally becoming a main producing region for specialty coffee.

Regarding the Cerrado region, we must mention the Cerrado savanna, which has the world's most complex species. However, when it comes to coffee in the Cerrado region, not all coffee grown on the savanna is called Cerrado coffee. Only coffee grown in regions at altitudes of 1,100-1,300m, which represent the essence of the Cerrado savanna, can be called Cerrado coffee. These areas have high altitudes and fertile soil. FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee beans produced in this region are sweet, have high body, and lack earthy flavors.

The Mogiana region is very close to southern Minas. Coffee is grown among shrubs, grasslands, and other vegetation. In this area, there are many farming families, some of which use traditional large-scale farm operations, while others adopt small-scale modern operations. The combination of modern technology and mountain coffee cultivation culture creates the highest quality green coffee beans. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that coffee beans from this region have a sucrose-like sweetness.

Impact of COVID-19 on Brazilian Coffee

Brazil's coffee consumption maintains an annual growth rate of about 5%. Per capita coffee consumption has already surpassed that of the United States, making it the world's largest coffee-consuming country. With the highest production globally, any impact on the country's coffee production will directly affect global coffee fluctuations.

According to the latest news from Coffee Finance Network, as reported by Bloomberg, Brazil's domestic coffee warehouses are almost full of coffee beans, with historically unprecedented overload. Trucks loaded with coffee beans from producing regions need to queue for several days at warehouse entrances before they can unload. Due to current high spot prices, farmers have already sold a large portion of this year's coffee production (estimated selling ratio of 60%, higher than the usual 40%+). On the other hand, reduced demand and supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to large quantities of coffee beans being stored in warehouses. A local Brazilian agricultural consulting company stated that unloading takes 6-7 days, and coffee beans destined for cooperatives in southern Minas Gerais are now being placed in outdoor silos to meet demand. Due to excessive waiting times, truck drivers need to charge double fees when transporting coffee beans.

Brazilian Coffee Cultivation Varieties

Brazil currently focuses on Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Mundo Novo, and Catuai as its main varieties.

Bourbon

Coffee was initially cultivated on Réunion Island, which was called Bourbon Island before 1789. The Bourbon variety is a subspecies resulting from a mutation of Typica. Along with Typica, it belongs to the oldest existing coffee varieties. When green fruits mature, they appear bright red. Generally, after Red Bourbon coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the color changes of the coffee fruit are: green > light yellow > light orange > mature red > darker ripe red. Therefore, some people call it [Red Bourbon]. In fact, Red Bourbon is what we generally refer to as Bourbon. Bourbon grown at high altitudes typically has better aroma and brighter acidity, sometimes even with wine-like flavors. Simply put, Bourbon is a coffee tree variety belonging to a branch of Arabica species, generally bearing red fruits, called Red Bourbon. In addition, there are Yellow Bourbon and Orange Bourbon. Yellow Bourbon has relatively lower yields but better quality.

Mundo Novo

Mundo Novo is the result of natural hybridization between Bourbon and Typica, first discovered in 1943 in São Miguel Arcanjo, São Paulo, Brazil. Mundo Novo was initially planted in the city of Mundo Novo, which is now Urupês.

Catuai

Catuai is a coffee variety artificially hybridized from Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai inherits Caturra's short plant height, requiring no shade, making it easy to grow and convenient to harvest. It also has better resistance to natural disasters than Mundo Novo. It has good acidity in flavor. Catuai generally comes in two types: red fruit and yellow fruit.

Brazil's Innovative Pulped Natural Coffee Processing Method

Before 1990, Brazil almost entirely used the rough dry processing method, which made Brazilian beans susceptible to woody or earthy flavors because the coffee fruits had to undergo two to three weeks of sun exposure. Encountering rain and moisture could easily produce musty flavors. To change this situation of being dependent on weather, in 1990, Brazil leveraged its relatively dry climate characteristics and developed the pulped natural method to shorten processing time.

Pulped natural processing removes the skin and pulp of coffee cherries and can control the fermentation degree of parchment coffee with mucilage after depulping. Traditional dry processing involves sun-drying with the skin and pulp intact, making it impossible to monitor the fermentation degree of the mucilage. The pulped natural method is between dry and wet processing methods but eliminates the "fermentation in tanks, rinsing with clean water" process of wet processing, instead directly sun-drying the beans. Although the methods seem similar, without the fermentation step, the coffee bean flavors are completely different. During the pulped natural process of removing coffee cherry skin and pulp, ripe pulp comes off easily, while the skin of unripe green cherries is difficult to remove. This allows for a second screening to filter out unripe fruits and unify the maturity of coffee cherries. Compared to dry processing, FrontStreet Coffee believes that the cleanliness and maturity of coffee beans processed in this way will improve, bringing more uniform flavor to the coffee.

The introduction of the pulped natural method doesn't mean all Brazilian producing regions are using it. Cerrado, with lower humidity, still primarily uses the dry processing method. In Cerrado, pulped natural processing actually plays a supporting role. However, the Red Bourbon from the Cerrado region that FrontStreet Coffee has acquired is processed using the pulped natural method.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Grading System

Typically, we see information like this on Brazilian coffee bean bags: Brazil NY.2 SC - 17/18 FC. This is Brazil's unique 3-segment grading method, not adopted by other countries, because the production area is too large with too many beans. To blend coffee flavors specifically for export, these coffee beans are often mixed, leading to inconsistent quality that requires "cupping" grading. This way, consumers can roughly know the coffee's quality just by looking at the green bean information.

1. Grading by Defect Rate

Brazilian coffee uses a "deduction method" evaluation approach, grading based on the number of defective beans in every 300 grams of main beans. There are seven levels from No.2 to No.8. If deductions are below 4, it can be classified as No.2. Beans with no defects can certainly be called No.1, but this situation is rare and cannot maintain a consistent supply, so Brazil sets No.2 as the highest grade rather than No.1.

2. Grading by Bean Size

Screen size: This is screened using a mesh based on 1/64 inch as the standard. Screen sizes typically range from 14 to 20. Additionally, it should be noted that the corresponding size of the screen number refers to the short side of the coffee bean, i.e., the "width." The largest screen size for Brazilian coffee beans is 19, but production is limited, so 17/18 screen is considered the highest grade.

3. Cupping Quality

Fine cup | fine | good cup | fair cup | poor cup | bad cup. FC (Fine Cup) and GC (Good Cup) are more common. Many companies or platforms also add information about processing methods (dry/washed/honey) and estates.

4. Flavor Grade

Brazilian coffee beans are classified into five major categories by flavor grade: Strictly Soft → very smooth, Soft → smooth, Softish → slightly smooth, Hardish → harsh, Rioy → iodine-like medicinal taste. Brazil-Cerrado coffee beans were cupped by the local coffee association and rated as Strictly Soft Fine Cup (very smooth), which is the best grade. In summary, Brazil NY.2SC - 17/18 FC Cerrado means country: Brazil, defect grade: 2, green bean screen: 17-18, cup quality: fine, origin: Cerrado. This is also the Brazilian formula bean that FrontStreet Coffee has been using in its Frontsteet espresso blend.

Next, FrontStreet Coffee will conduct green bean analysis, roasting, cupping, and brewing comparisons using two Brazilian coffee beans currently on its shelves: Yellow Bourbon from Mogiana Queen Farm and Red Bourbon from Cerrado.

FrontStreet Coffee Green Bean Analysis

Brazilian coffee generally grows at altitudes of 1,000-1,300 meters. FrontStreet Coffee notes that its density is relatively low, moisture content is moderate, bean texture is soft, and the thickness from the bean surface to the core is thin, making it unsuitable for roasting at too high temperatures, which would produce bitter burnt flavors. We use a medium heat approach when dropping beans, maintaining heat until the dehydration stage, and making fine adjustments after first crack as temperature rises to promote more complete caramelization. This Frontsteet Brazilian semi-washed coffee bean heats slowly after first crack, and can be removed from the roaster just before second crack.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Experience

Frontsteet Brazilian Queen Farm Yellow Bourbon roasting suggestion: Yangjia 800N, bean loading amount 550g. Preheat to 200°C and load beans, adjust heat to 150, damper open to 3. Return temperature at 1'30", maintain heat, turn yellow at 5'10", grassy smell disappears, enter dehydration stage, reduce heat to 125, open damper to 3.5. Dehydration complete at 8'20", bean surface shows wrinkles and black spots, toast smell turns to coffee aroma, as prelude to first crack. When reaching 178°C, reduce heat to 80, pay attention to listen for first crack sounds. First crack starts at 9'14", fully open damper to 5. Development time after first crack 3'00", remove at 201°C.

Frontsteet Brazilian Red Bourbon roasting suggestion: Yangjia 800N, bean loading amount 550g. Preheat roaster to 200°C and load beans, adjust heat to 160, damper open to 3. Return temperature at 1'30", maintain heat, turn yellow at 5'00", grassy smell disappears, enter dehydration stage, reduce heat to 130, open damper to 4. When reaching 168°C, reduce heat again to 100. Dehydration complete at 8'00", bean surface shows wrinkles and black spots, toast smell turns to coffee aroma, as prelude to first crack. Pay attention to listen for first crack sounds. First crack starts at 8'50", fully open damper to 5. Development time after first crack 3 minutes 10 seconds, reduce heat to 50 when reaching 190°C, reduce to 30 again at 194°C, remove at approximately 200°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping 8-24 hours after roasting sample coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's barista typically uses 200ml ceramic cupping bowls marked with 150ml and 200ml measurement lines. Water used follows SCAA standards with TDS around 150ppm. Too low TDS can easily cause over-extraction, while too high TDS affects taste and can lead to under-extraction. Cupping water temperature is 94°C. Cupping grind size follows SCAA cupping standards, controlled to 70-75% passing rate through a #20 standard sieve (0.85mm). Ratio: 11g of coffee powder to 200ml of hot water, i.e., 1:18.18, so the extraction concentration falls within the golden cup range of 1.15%-1.35%. Steeping time: 4 minutes.

Frontsteet Brazilian Queen Farm Cupping

Dry aroma: Roasted nuts, cinnamon

Wet aroma: Roasted nuts, peanuts

Flavor: Roasted nuts, peanut butter, fermented fruits, sugarcane sweetness

Frontsteet Brazilian Red Bourbon Cupping

Dry aroma: Roasted hazelnuts, caramel

Wet aroma: Nuts, chocolate

Flavor: Nuts, peanuts, cream, chocolate, caramel

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Experience

Brewing parameters: Using Kono dripper

Water temperature: 88°C

Coffee amount: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine grind (70-75% passing rate through China standard #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction, also called three-stage brewing: Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds, pour in a small circular motion to 125g for segmentation, continue pouring to 225g when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, stop pouring, and remove the dripper when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again (counting from bloom start). Extraction time is 2'05"-2'15".

Frontsteet Brazilian Queen Farm coffee brewing flavor: Fresh sweetness of sugarcane juice, black tea, mellow and smooth fruit sweetness, distinct nutty flavors, balanced and smooth acidity, weak and clean bitterness, with rich chocolate aroma and nutty flavors, bright and refreshing taste, smooth and delicate texture.

Frontsteet Brazilian Red Fruit brewing flavor: Obvious sweetness on entry, with faint lemon aroma, containing rich nutty flavors, with distinct dark chocolate flavors in the aftertaste, overall feeling is relatively rounded.

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