Let's start with the obvious. Brazil is the world's leading producer of Arabica coffee. Its majority production is concentrated in naturally dried coffees, either on patios or in mechanical dryers. In broad terms, this is how it works. Producers deliver their harvests to cooperatives or exporters as "hulled" coffee; that is, they hull the dried cherries at their dry mills and deliver the green, ungraded coffee. Then, the exporter grades the coffee for export or domestic consumption. This coffee is mostly used in blends, where it plays a base role: it contributes body, sweetness, and low acidity to commercial coffees worldwide.

Our goal with Brazilian coffee

Traditionally, Brazilian coffee hasn't had a significant presence in the specialty coffee market, although this is changing year by year. In our initial direct dealings, we faced many challenges in finding our niche in this country, breaking down this stereotype, and discovering the antithesis within its borders.

Our focus in 2018 had a set of requirements. We were looking for a region where coffee was hand-harvested, where producers controlled the entire process, where there was a family tradition, and where the farms were truly their own. All of this was found in a very special place in Brazil: Espírito Santo. Here, the terrain was far removed from the large, flat areas that allow for mechanized harvesting. And the producers have a vision and way of working similar to those in Colombia or Central America. The high-quality coffees from this region develop a very particular profile. Here, we found a little Kenya for washed or naturally pulped coffees with a very complex acidity, juiciness, and fruity presence that is unusual for this origin.

Challenges and opportunities

This year we've faced a complex market situation due to a complex mix of circumstances: poor harvests, crop losses in Brazil, and speculation, among others. This has led to an exceptional price increase on the New York Stock Exchange (specifically, 233%). All of this has made it a challenging year to maintain existing relationships and expand them.

The other side of the coin opened up a world of opportunities that pushed us to step outside our comfort zone in Espírito Santo, and we set out in search of new profiles. We wanted elegant and clean natural coffees. Classic naturals and 'funky' (extravagant and carefree), which we always love to share. Intense yet delicate. Suitable for both filter and espresso brewing.

In this venture, we partnered with Rafael Marques and his team in Brazil to identify potential growing areas. We were looking for a solid base of varieties adapted to the region, such as Catuaí, Caturra, and Catucaí. Ideally, we wanted plants older than 10 years, which limits production but is a sure bet for producing high-quality specialty coffee.

A fully equipped mobile laboratory in a van accompanied us on our trip. This allowed us to collect samples, select, roast, and taste coffee with the producers, initiating negotiations right there and then. This made us incredibly efficient in our search, focusing our efforts on the Caparaó and Corrego do Sossego area in southeastern Minas Gerais. Here, the vast majority of the coffee produced is marketed as "rio" or "phenolic" coffee. Its main destinations are Arab countries, where this profile is highly valued, or for the production of instant or freeze-dried coffee. We had many doubts about achieving our goal.

Conclusion?

We tasted a total of 75 samples from different producers across the Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais coffee regions. The washed coffees remained clean with a complex acidity characteristic of Espírito Santo. And with Theodoro Stein, we worked with a honey-processed batch of coffee with an extraordinary sweetness, like a Twix bar. This is our first espresso offering of the season.

It turned out that a little Ethiopia had appeared in Caparaó and the surrounding area, a real find. Extremely clean natural coffees like Creonisio Correa, with notes of very ripe and sweet strawberry, accompanied by high-definition honey. In short, exquisite in the cup. Delicate and interesting coffees from producers who had no connection to specialty coffee. That's why it's our first choice for filter coffee to kick off the season.

In the coming months, as new harvests arrive at the roaster, we will be adding more batches from other small producers to our menu who, like Theodoro and Creonisio, will change your concept of Brazilian coffees.