Brazil Fazenda Saquarema Organic

This Organic selection from the Fazenda Saquarema is top notch. Perfect as an espresso or drip, it's got low acidity and a lingering peanut butter finish accompanied by notes of cocoa powder and almonds.

Arrival Date: January 26th, 2018

Acidity & Brightness: Moderately low acidity, crisp front

Balance & Finish: Slightly complex, lingering peanut butter finish

Body & Texture: Medium bodied, silky mouthfeel

Flavors: Cocoa powder, almonds & peanut butter

Grade: Relatively soft, lower altitude 

Certifications: Organic

Processing: Natural (dry) processed, sun dried

Roasting: Start with a City Plus  (Light-Medium), or in between first and second cracks. This coffee does well into Full City Plus (medium-dark) and we like it best smack dab at medium. This coffee will roast a little unevely due to the natural processing. We don't recommend carrying Brazil coffees too dark in the roasting spectrum. Since they are grown in full sun, they mature fairly rapidly. This results in a softer bean that is more susceptible to heat than most. With coffees like this, it's best to think "low and slow" while roasting.

Our Review

Brazil exports more coffee than any other nation.  OK, so you already know that. The bulk of Brazilian coffee goes into a veritable sea of beans that gets all mixed together and ends up in commercial coffee.  This Brazilian coffee, however, comes from the Fazenda Saquarema estate and is truely first rate. The vast majority of Brazilian coffee is dry processed (the fruit is allowed to dry on the seed and then is mechanically removed instead of being soaked in a vat of water to let fermentation loosen the sticky fruit), or as a coffee marketers there call it "naturally processed". This results in a coffee that is a bit more complex with a smooth, silky body and moderate to low acidity. It's worth mentioning that unlike most Central and South American coffee producers, coffee in Brazil is not shade grown, resulting in a bean that is a bit softer than most. The key to roasting it well is to go slow and low and you'll be happy with the results.

Brazilian coffee is a key component to any Italian style espresso, imparting a nutty, smooth, sweet character that makes the espresso easy drinking. We use Brazilian coffee in our Hybrid blend and would be hard pressed to find a substitute! This coffee also makes a great single origin espresso or drip coffee, with a slightly forward bite and smooth, lingering peanut butter-like finish. In the middle you'll find a silky body accompanied by pleasant notes of cocoa powder and almond. A perfect coffee for those who prefer a dash or cream, sugar or both as the flavors blend well with sugar and cream, but still shine through the mix.