Brazil | São Silvestre farm, Natural, Aerobic Fermentation

Region: Minas Gerais, Carmo do Paranaíba

Farm: São Silvestre farm

Owners: Andrade family

Taste Notes:  Passion fruit, banana bread, cacao nibs, dried pineapple.

Roast: Filter

It is another superb lot from our long-lasting partners from São Silvestre farm. To unlock the full potential of this coffee, it was fermented in open-air tanks for 72 hours and then slow-dried on raised beds for 26 days. 

Why is this coffee special?

As you might imagine there are thousands and thousands of Brazilian coffee farmers. Although - I still haven't tasted better coffees than those from this farm. They are 2 generations working at the moment on the coffee farms. Two brothers and the son of one of the brothers, to whom they are passing the treasure of their knowledge. 

When we cupped this coffee, we had a full table of amazing coffees from Brazil from different farmers, all of them 87 plus coffees, but once we got to this lot - it left no chance to others. It stood out immediately and we had no doubt about this lot from the first sip. This is what we call “drop the mic” coffees. 

When we cupped this coffee, we had a full table of amazing coffees from Brazil from different farmers, all of them 87 plus coffees, but once we got to this lot - it left no chance to others. It stood out immediately and we had no doubt about this lot from the first sip. This is what we call “drop the mic” coffees. 

Sao Silvestre Farm

We visited this farm in late 2019. We were astonished by what we saw and experienced. The surroundings are amazing, the local scenery is a place where you can stand and have your head cleared in an instant. You can admire the landscape and the extent of the plantations, it is really beautiful.

The soil, the fresh air, and the climate – produce the coffee that we all like so much. But nothing would be possible if each and every person on the farm wouldn't work as a team, they are a family of coffee producers, and they have selected their team to make sure that everyone would put as much effort into it as the owners do.

Owners

The Andrade family history began in 1901, with their ancestors at Capim Branco Farm, in Carmo do Paranaíba, High Cerrado, state of Minas Gerais. With the aim to produce high-quality coffees, the new generation of the Andrade family established their farms in this region during the ’70s. This region has an altitude between 1.100 and 1.200 meters, which provides ideal conditions for growing coffee due to its perfect balance of wet and dry seasons.

In the early '90s, with the need for expansion of coffee production, quality, and volume improvement, the brothers acquired São Silvestre farm in Serra do Salitre, state of Minas Gerais, this farm produces high-quality coffees because of its climate and altitude between 1.100 and 1.200 meters.

Combined with the natural conditions of the region, the correct management of crops, crop planning, and post-harvest with selection criteria of cherries, grains, and natural drying, the results are excellent quality, award-winning beans, appreciated worldwide.

The volcanic soils are perfect for growing Yellow Icatu, Yellow Catuaí, and Red Catuai varietals, which thrive here and account for the majority of the farm’s yield. This is where Brazil’s best natural coffee beans are produced.

In 1991 through the initiative of twelve producers, who envisioned the opportunities that investing in the quality of the coffee would bring, they founded the BSCA ( Brazil Specialty Coffee Association) which supports all small coffee producers in the region, not only that, it also helps producers improve quality, which improves sustainability. Helping producers reach out to importers worldwide, with eco-friendly coffee is another activity that BSCA performs.

Coffee

Process: After picking and sorting out just the ripest coffee cherries, they were placed inside the open-air tanks to ferment at an ambient temperature of an average of 23 degrees Celsius. After 72 hours, the coffee mass reached the appropriate temperature (around 35 degrees celsius) and was removed from the tanks. The fermentation process promotes producing products that potentialize the coffee sensorial profile. 

After fermentation, the coffee cherries were transported to the raised beds (which is very unusual in Brazil) to slowly dry for 28 days. A slower drying promotes more excellent uniformity of coffee beans.