Brazil
Type: 67% arabica, 33% robusta,
Processing: Dry process, washed and semi-washed
Classification:
Region:
Notes on aroma: Brazilian coffees are known for their very low acidity, their mildness, and their nutty notes. This is why they are found in many blends.
History
Coffee was introduced to Brazil in 1727 by Francisco de Mello Palheta, a Portuguese sergeant, who brought back plants from Guyana. The story goes that it was the wife of the Governor of Guyana, with whom he’d had a short affair, who presented him with the gift.
After the first harvests in the province of Grão-Pará, Brazilian coffee was introduced to the southeast of the country. It was here that production really took off, thanks to the more temperate climate and subsequent investments. In 1806, Brazil exported 120 tonnes of coffee, and this made it one of the most important producers in the world. It became the world’s leading producer in 1840, the rank it still holds today.
Geography
Brazil has six main production areas, among them Minas Gerais. It has the largest number of plantations, which between them cover an estimated area of 1,042,310 hectares.
The reason coffee grows so well in Brazil is that it benefits from ideal conditions: the right altitude, plenty of heat, and generous rainfall. The climate is tropical—hot and humid—over most of the country. In winter, temperatures rarely fall below 10° C, whereas they climb frequently over 40° C in summer. Only in the mountains in the south do temperatures sometimes fall below freezing.
Seventeen of Brazil’s 26 states grow coffee, and 4 of these— located mainly in the southeast—account for 98% of the total revenue generated by coffee production: Paraná, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo.
Agronomy
Botanical species:
• Arabica: 85%
• Robusta: 15%
Botanical varieties: Bourbon, catuai, acaia, mundo novo, icatu
Altitude: Between 200 m and 1600 m
Harvest: From May to September
Processing: Dry, washed and semi-washed process
Average caffeine content: 1.2%
Economy
Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee, but it is more famous for the extent of its crops than for their taste. Of the 51.37 million sacks produced in 2016, 85% contained regular coffee, prized by major coffee-roasting groups.
But the South American giant is now making more of an impact in the specialty-coffee market, of the arabica type. Brazilian beans, with their balanced aroma and flavour, now score more than 80 out of 100 on the international rating scale of the Speciality Coffee Association of America, which takes into account aroma, acidity, mildness, and uniformity, among other things.