New Coffee Release: Brazil Topázio Natural

Brazil is, by far, the number one coffee exporter in the world with some of the largest coffee farms in the world. Nearly 40% of the entire global supply of coffee comes from Brazil. Harvesting and processing on this scale means that coffee producers have to maintain highly efficient and organized systems. One of the ways they do this is by utilizing different methods of picking coffee cherries as opposed to the oldest and most common method of hand selecting. Strip picking is one of the most widely used methods across Brazil, where pickers will strip all the cherries from branches either mechanically or by hand. This means that cherries of varying ripeness will be picked at one time, but it does not mean that the results are any lower in quality as the coffee cherries are still sorted by ripeness after harvest. 

Another method commonly used on large coffee estates is mechanical harvesting. On these larger estates, coffee is planted in rows, and these mechanical pickers will move through these rows, shaking the trees and loosening the riper cherries. In the past, this style of picking meant that unripe cherries would be taken off the tree and included in post-harvest processing. This would lead to lower cup quality and the perception of Brazilian coffee was often considered “lower grade” or commodity coffee, at best. 

However, through technological advancement, farmers can now begin to harvest with specialty in mind. Mechanized pickers today are incredibly sensitive and will only harvest fully ripe cherries as they pass. In areas of farms where the ground is less level, some farmers will use “manual mechanized” pickers with tools like derriçadeiras, a type of vibrating rake that shakes loose ripe cherry from trees. 

Along with this, technologies have advanced in how coffee cherries can be sorted after they are harvested. This means that any under or over ripe cherries that may have accidentally been harvested can still be removed prior to processing. With technological growth, more farms can focus on and deliver specialty-grade cup quality.  

This coffee comes from a farm that utilizes these technologies and consistently produces incredible results. The Chapadão Farm, named for the area where it is located, is owned by Sebastião Curimbaba and sits on a plateau at high altitudes in the region of Fortazela de Minas, or South of Minas. This area favors mechanized picking due to their ability to move around the land easily and is optimal for patio drying with consistent sunlight and temperature throughout the day. The naturally processed Topázio was left to dry on these patios with the seed left in the whole cherry and developed delectable dessert notes such as Chocolate Pie, Peanut Brittle, and Hazelnut, finishing with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel. This is complimented with acidic notes of lime and a crisp black tea body.