Gourmet
Brazil
Coffee first arrived in Brazil in the 18th century, but ever since the French first brought it, it has become a much-loved national beverage and a major export, with Brazil exporting a third of the world's coffee. It is known for its mild sweetness, nutty flavor and relatively low acidity. Brazilian coffees, which include both Arabica and Robusta, bear the name Santos, named for the port where coffee was traditionally shipped off to around the world. Brazil's mild climate is well suited for coffee growth, and there are a number of different regions, which grow coffee beans reflecting the environment of that part of the country. Minas Gerais Minas Gerais is the region with the largest coffee output, exporting about 50% of the country's coffee.
Growing Brazil
Reference notes on the crop itself. Lot-level detail is confirmed with the desk coffee by coffee.
- Harvest
- May to September, a single annual harvest with no fly crop. Robusta/conilon starts around April, arabica in May, with the bulk picked in June and July.source
- Altitude
- 700 to 1,300 m, reaching about 1,600 m in Chapada Diamantina. Brazil is a notably lower-altitude origin than Central America or East Africa.source
- Varietals
- Mundo Novo, Catuaí (yellow and red), Yellow Bourbon, Acaiá, Icatu, Catucaí and Topáziosource
- Processing
- Natural and pulped natural (known elsewhere as honey) are the norm; fully washed is less commonsource
- Growing regions
- Minas Gerais leads (Sul de Minas, Cerrado Mineiro, Matas de Minas, Chapada de Minas), followed by Espírito Santo, São Paulo (Mogiana) and Bahiasource