FIRE - STARTER

BRAZIL 40%
Sertao

Fazenda Sertăo is an 850-hectare farm with 330 hectares planted in coffee trees of several varieties, including Red and Yellow Bourbon, Yellow Catucai, and Yellow Catuai. The farm also grows bananas and corn and is used to raise dairy livestock. This farm has a love story behind it: Among the first generation of coffee growers in this area was Jose Isidro Pereira, a dentist-turned–coffee producer who inherited Fazenda Sertăo from his mother when she passed away—an incident that ended his dentistry career but put him on a path to coffee farming. In 1949, Jose Isidro met the "love of his life," Nazareth, who continues to run the farm her husband left in her care. Nazareth and Jose Isidro's children—Francisco, Luiz Paulo, Clycia, and Sandra—are also coffee producers, carrying on the family tradition.

Yellow Bourbon

Yellow Bourbon is a program coffee formalized really after we took one of our first major leaps of paying a premium so far above the going rate for a Brazilian coffee in the 90s that it was kind of scary at the time. The quality was undeniable however back then. Those early days we tasted a distinct sweet chocolate orange in the cup that was unlike anything we had ever had from Brazil. We knew we had to have it and we knew the market wanted an elevated option from Brazil, so this program was built alongside our partners to meet that demand. These coffees are generally higher quality than standard Brazils, and traceable to a specific farm and variety. We cup for distinct fruit characteristics, sweet, mild nuttiness and chocolate flavors. 

There is a social premium included in the purchase of these coffees that directly funds a charity called CriaCarmo, a youth initiative established by CarmoCoffees, our export partner in Carmo de Minas, that aims to provide social, educational, and athletic opportunities to at-risk youth in the region. Cafe Imports has supported this project since 2013 with owner-equity donations, and also partners with CarmoCoffees on one lot of coffee annually that is priced to benefit CriaCarmo. The youth who participate primarily come from the local coffee-producing families and enjoy karate, futbol, and chess lessons among other things.

Natural

Brazilian Naturals are picked either selectively by hand or strip-picked by hand or mechanically for more commercial quality. They are then typically spread to dry on patios or, in the production of some specialty coffees, dried on raised beds. Drying can take 20–25 days, depending on the weather.

Minas Gerais

Minas Gerais is the largest state for coffee production, accounting for half of the country's coffee. It contains many subregions with varying elevations and climates, all part of the Brazilian highlands. Brazil's largest rivers and mountains are in this state, with the southern portion producing the most coffee due to the forested hills and cool weather. Coffee is also produced in the highland savannah in the west, the Mantiqueira Mountains in the south, and the Atlantic forest in the east. 

Brazil

It’s hard to imagine the “beginnings” of coffee in Brazil, as the two things have become so synonymous. The first coffee plants were reportedly brought in the relatively early 18th century, spreading from the northern state of Pará in 1727 all the way down to Rio de Janerio within 50 years. In 1820, Brazil was already producing 30 percent of the world’s coffee supply, but by 1920, it accounted for 80 percent of the global total. Since the 19th century, the weather in Brazil has been one of the liveliest topics of discussion among traders and brokers, and a major deciding factor in the global market trends and pricing that affect the coffee-commodity market. Incidents of frost and heavy rains have caused coffee yields to wax and wane over the past few decades, but the country is holding strong as one of the two largest coffee producers annually, along with Colombia. Brazil's post-harvest processing is also somewhat unique, and has been adopted largely in response to a combination of productivity, climate, and desired profile: Pulped Natural and Natural processing still dominates the industry here. Pulped Natural coffees are depulped and allowed to dry with their mucilage still intact; while Naturals are typically either dried on the trees before harvesting (called Boya) or picked and laid out on patios in order to finish drying before being hulled. Both processes tend to lend the coffees a nutty creaminess that has a more tempered fruit tone than the bright and acidic Washed or even Honey coffees we see elsewhere from Mesoamerica.

COLUMBIA 40%

Excelso Gran Galope

Gran Galope was born after the creation of “Regional Select”, which was our way of highlighting the distinct regional differences we saw coming out of Colombia. We heard from producers that they wanted to sell us more of their coffee, and Gran Galope as a program allows us to buy more and pay more along the larger quality spectrum for high quality coffees from these hardworking men and women in Colombia. 

Gran Galope lots are Excelso grade coffees (15/16 screen size) that have been cupped and evaluated for their "workhorse" versatility. These lots are expected to have a balance of sweetness, fruity effervescence, and a foundation of cocoa and/or toffee. Most Excelso Gran Galope offerings are a blend of coffees from between 10–30 smallholder farmers and are traceable to the region. Gran Galope selections from Huila are cupped and purchased in Pitalito; selections from Cauca are cupped and purchased in Popayán; and Nariño Gran Galopes are cupped and purchased in both Pasto and La Unión.

Washed

Colombia is best-known for its Washed coffees. While the processing details might vary slightly from farm to farm or by association, generally the coffee is picked ripe and depulped the same day, then given an open-air fermentation in tanks or buckets for anywhere between 12–36 hours. The coffee is washed clean of its mucilage before being dried either on patios, in parabolic dryers, solar driers, or mechanically. Some Washed coffees in Colombia are mechanically demucilaged.

Castillo, Caturra, Colombia

Although this offering is not traceable to a specific variety, the most commonly grown coffee varieties in Colombia are Castillo, Caturra and the Colombia variety.  This lot is representative of this blend of popular varieties, two of which (Castillo and Colombia) were developed by CENECAFE — the agronomical research arm of Colombia's FNC.

Cauca

Cauca is in central-western Colombia, stretching from the Western Cordillera mountain range to the Pacific Ocean. Ocean winds and elevation result in Cauca being one of the coolest regions of the country. The coffee in this area is grown mostly by indigenous or Afro-descendant communities. Geographically, the region has many features including the Popayan Plateau, many rivers, and the central volcanic mountain range. 

INDIA 20%

Indian Kaapi Royale is one of India's finest washed Robustas, considered as specialty coffee. It is an A grade coffee, meaning it is free from primary defects. Kaapi Royale typically has a big body and a predominant spice and chocolate cup profile, without any bitter flavours you would expect in Robusta. The coffee is washed, which greatly enhances its clean cup profile. Thanks to this clean character and its full body, it is an international favourite for espresso blends. It can almost replace a Brazilian Arabica, in terms of cup profile, while at the same time adding a lot more body and character to the blend. It also helps to create a beautiful crema on your espresso. The beans for this lot were produced by various smallholder producers, who sold their production to the local mill. All coffee in India is shade-grown, which contributes to a healthy and sustainable cultivation system. The coffee was harvested between December and February.