The country is responsible for about a third of coffee production globally (making it both the biggest coffee producer and exporter by far). Yes, Brazil is heavy weight, and it grows from strength to strength each passing year.
As of such, the country’s production and market behavior has a knock-on effect on international market prices, which means a drought in Brazil can lead to price increases for coffee all over the world.
Most people go to Brazil to source beans for espresso blends.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. Yet this country has, time and time again, produced specialty-grade coffees.
What’s more, Brazil’s single origins aren’t just “adequate”.
They’re high-quality, distinctively brilliant coffees.
Usually, Brazilians possess an intense sweetness in the form of caramel and chocolate notes, big bodies, and a relatively low acidity.
This low acidity is what sometimes makes people underestimate the quality of a Brazilian cup – yet take a second sip, and you’ll find that this flavor profile is surprisingly good.
This has led many coffee lovers (though certainly not all) to believe that Brazil’s emphasis on quantity makes producers forget about quality, and makes it more difficult for Brazilian producers to market their beans.
Brazilian coffees are known for their sweet nutty flavors that are accompanied by a bittersweet chocolate note. Also very common is the hint of toast and low acidity of the Brazilian beans with delicate and agreeable flavors and aromas.
When a coffee tree reaches maturity, which can take from 4 – 7 years, it begins to bear fruit in clusters along its branches. Referred to as cherries, the fruit is initially green and turns red when it is ready for harvesting.
Beneath the cherries’ red skin (called exocarp ) is a pulp ( called mesocarp ), and outer layer and a parchment-like covering the bean ( called endocarp ). Inside these layers are usually two oval shaped beans, with their flat side facing each other. Harvesting time for coffee cherries will vary by region and altitude. Typically, there is only one harvest per year, which will last for 2 to 3 months as cherries ripen.
Traditionally coffee is harvested by hand by one of two ways: strip picking or selective picking.
Strip picking is exactly how it sounds, trees are harvested entirely at one time “stripping” all the beans off the branches, ripe as well as unripe cherries. Typically, only Robusta coffee is strip picked. Modernization has provided machine harvest for Robusta coffee which simply shakes the trees knocking of all the cherries at one time.
Selective picking involves making numerous passes over coffee trees, selecting only the ripe cherries, then returning to the tree several times over a few weeks to pick remaining cherries as they ripen. Selective picking is more expensive due to the labor involved and is only used for Arabica coffee.
On an average farm, pickers gather between 100 and 200 pounds of cherries per day. Out of this only 20 percent is actual coffee beans. Of that 20 percent only a small amount is of the best quality we choose for our coffees at Noble Farms. Now you know what goes in to making our coffees so distinctive
The crop-to-cup journey of NOBLE FARMS Coffee begins with the beans. The coffee beans are fascinatingly unique some coffee plants are grown in shade, under the canopies of tress, giving the coffee an exotic full-bodied flavor profile. Our coffee is made from the highest-grade beans handpicked from estates located in the lush interiors of the Minas Gerais .In the countries of origin, coffee harvesting can be done mechanically or manually. Usually, the mechanical technique is done with the help of machines in countries where the soil is very flat and the coffee quality is average, that is commercial coffee.
For Specialty coffee instead, the harvesting techniques are manual and they are one of two types: selective picking or manual stripping. Extreme care is taken to ensure that the trees are not hurt.
The former is the best technique because it allows harvesting only the cherries, the ripe drupes, from the plants. The latter, manual stripping, is slightly faster but sometimes it involves harvesting some unripe cherries.
Both types of manual harvesting include two or three steps, sometimes four, of harvesting on the same plant to respect the cherries’ ripening time.
The pros of manual harvesting are that coffee in the cup has a much cleaner and sweeter taste, and it has a rounder body.Also, it doesn’t have those flaws due to unripe cherries: flaws that could be described as sensations of astringency and sourness.
The origin of your coffee beans can have an incredible impact on the resulting taste of your coffee.
To guarantee its authenticity, coffee must be produced following the official production process and controlled by an officially recognized association committed to help growers and the development of the coffee region.
Single Origin Coffee. No doubt, you’ve seen this offering beautifully lettered on the chalk board at your local coffee shop. But, have you ever wondered what exactly single origin means? We’ve got you covered. Single-origin coffee, regardless of where it is grown, will provide the coffee-drinker a unique coffee drinking experience.
Simply put, coffee that is labeled as single origin can be traced to a single farm, farmer, producer, crop or region in one country.
Since single origin coffee beans are traceable to one location, they usually boast a distinct, quality flavor that’s based on the climate of the region they’re grown in, as well as the specific processing conditions of the producer.
Single origin coffee delivers an original flavor profile, while a blend combines the elements of various beans. Generally speaking, single origin coffees are usually bolder with a more robust and exotic taste. Coffee blends tend to be more balanced since the variety of beans complement one another.
Deeper Benefits of Sourcing and Drinking Single Origin Coffee
When we support producers of single origin coffee beans, we are providing them with a reliable income that enables them to not only support their families, but to reinvest in sustainable growing and processing practices.