Brazil Cerrado 15/16 FC SS

Burman Coffee Traders

Details

Origin

Brazil

Process

Natural

Roast Suitability

Description

This Brazil Cerrado natural is a regional lot from growers across the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, the largest coffee producing state in Brazil. A lot this size is not tied to one farm: the coffee is pooled from many neighboring producers, most of them organized through local cooperatives, then milled and graded as a single offering. That is worth knowing before you roast it, because you are buying a regional profile that holds steady from batch to batch rather than the personality of one microlot. The Cerrado sits on high plateaus in western Minas Gerais. Its geographical indication covers 55 coffee producing municipalities, the region earned a protected origin seal in 2005, and in 2013 it became the first Brazilian coffee region with a denomination of origin. Farms across the region run from 800 to 1,300 meters above sea level and this lot sits at 850 to 1,100 masl. The calendar is what makes the place work for coffee: a wet summer and a dry, cool winter split the year cleanly, so cherries on a farm tend to ripen together and the fruit can dry without rain interrupting it. The soils are clay based. This is a natural, so the cherries dry whole with the fruit still on the bean, on patios in the sun and then in mechanical driers to bring the moisture down evenly before milling. Harvest runs April through September. The varietals in the mix are Yellow Bourbon, Mundo Novo and Obata, the first two classic Brazilian selections and Obata a shorter, yellow fruited IAC selection valued for rust resistance and yield. The grade marks on the name are the real spec sheet: NY 2/3 is the defect count, near the clean end of the Brazilian scale, 15/16 is the screen size, a medium bean smaller than the 17/18 most Santos lots run, and SS FC stands for strictly soft and fine cup, the Brazilian cup marks for a soft, mild, clean cup. It is a conventional lot, not certified organic. Tasting notes: The aroma is very nutty and sweet. There was a surprising hint of smoke on the palate. Full bod