agua preta - Intelligentsia Coffee

AGUA PRETA
BRAZIL
JANUARY 2013
F
ive years ago, Intelligentsia forged a fledgling relationship—our first in Brazil—with a small export
group called Carmo Coffees, who represent a number
of multi-generational, mid-sized farms in the Carmo de
Minas region in the sprawling, agricultural-rich state of
Minas Gerais. The bulk of the coffee we purchased from
the region was roasted and blended for Black Cat; its
syrupy sweetness and mouthfeel, predominate chocolate
and caramel flavor, and mild apple-like acidity made it
ideal for extraction as espresso. But we found that of
the coffee we sampled, there were some lots that stood
out with exceptional character and subtleties that were
best expressed as drip coffee. Thus Agua
Francisco Isidoro
Dias Pereira /
Fazenda Santa Ines
Preta was launched. Today, Carmo Coffees
provides more Direct Trade coffee to Intel-
PRODUCER/FARM
ligentsia than any other producer in the
Carmo de Minas,
Minas Gerais
and consistency has made them an ideal
REGION
Yellow Bourbon
world, and their commitment to quality
Ripe Yellow Bourbon Cherries - Fazenda Sertao
model of what a relationship coffee can be.
Notwithstanding the importance of genetic and envi-
This year’s Agua Preta coffee, selected
ronmental factors, coffee still requires careful handling to
by joint effort in Brazil and Chicago, is
realize its potential, a fact understood by producer Fran-
grown on the slopes of the Serra do Manti-
cisco Isidoro Dias Pereira. His family has grown coffee
1250 - 1400
quiera range. Mantiquiera is derived from
and raised cattle in the region for over 100 years, and the
ELEV. (MASL)
the Tupi language and roughly translates
hand-picked coffee cherries are sorted, selected, and pro-
as “crying mountains” – a reference to the
cessed with the utmost care. While most Brazilian farms
numerous natural springs and streams.
in the neighboring region will split their harvest 50/50
CULTIVAR
June - September
HARVEST
The nearby town of São Lourenço hosts
between Cereja Descascado (“Pulped Natural” or “Semi-
thousands of eco-tourists annually as a re-
Washed”) and Traditional “Natural” Sun-Dried process-
sult of its access to this clear, naturally sparkling water.
ing methods resulting in about 10% by volume graded
While innumerable factors influence the quality of any
as “specialty quality,” the Carmo de Minas region has an
agricultural product, it cannot be denied that the unique
astounding 50% specialty grading, with a significantly
terroir of the Carmo de Minas micro-region contributes
higher percentage of their coffee processed as the more
to the high quality of the coffee grown there. In fact, for
labor-intensive and quality-sensitive Pulped Natural.
the past three years, Brazil’s top-ranked Federal Uni-
Francisco Pereira’s Santa Ines Farm has won many
versity of Lavras, led by coffee agriculture specialist Dr.
awards including a 1st place finish at the 2005 Brazilian
Flávio Borém, has been conducting research on the effect
Cup of Excellence, where the coffee set records for both
of numerous environmental and genetic influences upon
highest score (95.85 out of 100) and highest price per
the coffee there. Preliminary findings indicate that the
pound ($49.75 unroasted), benchmarks that still stand to
regional advantages include sufficient elevation and the
this day.
cultivation of the heirloom Yellow Bourbon variety.
AGUA PRETA BRAZIL
COFFEE
PRODUCTION
IN BRAZIL
A
ny conversation about Brazilian coffee, at least within the specialty roasting and consuming sector, is fre-
quently met with skepticism. Many consider coffee from
Brazil to be of little use as anything other than a lowly
blender or a base for espresso, with numerous allegations
circulating throughout the coffee industry as to the cause
of this low quality. Truthfully, it’s not so much that finding coffee there is a problem, it’s that finding high quality,
clean, consistent coffee can be quite a bit like searching
for the proverbial needle in a haystack. After all, Brazil is
the world’s leading producer of coffee, accounting for over
40% of global production. The country is also among the
most industrialized of any coffee producing country, and
the combination of these factors has resulted in a very
unique and complicated situation for those seeking the
highest possible quality beans.
By the early 19th century, coffee production in Brazil
had become a major industry, inspired by the success of
the country’s sugar-cane production and slave labor. The
Coffee in flower on Fazenda Progresso, Bahia
abolition of slavery in 1888 and the industrialization of
the early 20th century brought technological advancements (particularly in harvesting and processing) to the
vast majority of Brazilian farms. Coffee production began
to be automated and mechanized, increasing efficiency
and concurrently muddling the distinction between good
and exceptional quality.
Typical Brazilian estates often strip-pick their trees,
gathering under- and over-ripened coffee cherry together,
or will employ harvesting trucks that violently shake the
branches of the trees, knocking the cherry to the ground
where it is then gathered up, along with dust, twigs, and
leaves, by another machine. The kinds of hand-picking
and sorting that take place in countries prized for their
high quality were not a part of the Brazilian equation.
The method of processing traditional Brazilian coffee
Raking & Pile Fermenting Natural on Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama,
also differs from many other producing regions. Rather
than scrubbing and cleaning the flesh of the cherry from
the bean, Brazilian farmers allow the cherry to sun-dry
(sometimes while still on the tree) and ferment. This
process, called Natural or Traditional Dry, valued for its
AGUA PRETA BRAZIL
Sao Sebastio de Grama Valley
COFFEE
PRODUCTION
IN BRAZIL
hefty mouthfeel when brewed and thick crema when extracted as espresso, is also notoriously inconsistent and
subject to processing defects that result in a variety of
undesirable flavors ranging from boozy, fermented fruits,
black olive, vinegar, and earthy characteristics generally
reviled by specialty coffee buyers.
In 1991, however, much of this began to change with
the introduction of a new processing style called Cereja
Descascado – literally “husked cherry.” In many cases,
these coffees may be referred to variously as Pulped
Natural, Semi-Washed, or occasionally Honey Process, all
meaning slightly different things but each of which falls
under the umbrella of Cereja Descascado. This advancement in processing style improved the quality of separation of cherry, and by extension elevated the cleanliness of
the harvest and improved the consistency of their drying
procedures. (Interestingly, very recently, there has been
an ongoing discussion amongst Brazilian producers of a
“Natural Revolution,” wherein the old traditional styles
of processing are being revisited with an eye to quality
selection and separating, and the results are increasingly
Coffee Parchment Drying, with Wet Mill & Coffee trees in
background on Fazenda IP, Carmo de Minas:
intriguing and unique.)
While coffee is grown in many regions in Brazil, the
Black Cat espresso. Amongst the most important factors
highest quality beans are frequently found in the state
integral to our ongoing relationships in these regions are
of Minas Gerais, located to the north of the major port of
the cultivation of the highly regarded Yellow Bourbon
Santos near São Paulo. Minas Gerais is by and large an
variety, hand-picked coffee cherry with excellent separa-
agricultural hotspot, producing fruits, vegetables, meats,
tion and drying techniques, higher altitude, investment
and cheeses. Driving down any highway or country road
in local communities, good environmental practices, and
will likely bring you past a coffee farm. Since the 1980s,
unique flavor profile. While finding good coffee is never
Minas has been the leading coffee producing state in Bra-
easy, finding exceptional coffee in such a vast sea can be
zil.
nearly impossible. Our long-standing relationship with a
Intelligentsia’s interest in Direct Trade Brazilian cof-
few select farms and producers in these areas is a testa-
fee began in earnest about five years ago, focusing on two
ment to their ongoing pursuit of sustainability and high
micro-regions: The São Sebastião da Grama valley, which
quality.
runs along the border of Minas Gerais and São Paulo
State (commonly referred to as Mogiana), and Carmo de
Minas, from which region comes our Agua Preta single
origin coffee. Both regions contribute significantly to our
AGUA PRETA BRAZIL