Brazil Cerrado Baicao EstateCoffee Bean Intro:

　Brazil  Capim Branco

Brazil Baicao Estate

Region: Cerrado

Altitude: 1100m

Processing Method: Natural

Varieties: Yellow Catuai, Caturra

Brazil is located on the South American continent, producing approximately 40 million bags of coffee annually (about 30% of global production), making it the world's largest coffee-producing country.

The Cerrado region is situated in the southern part of the central Brazilian "Cerrado Savanna Climate Zone," which spans eight provinces and covers about two million square kilometers. Notably, this savanna is the largest tropical savanna (or tropical grassland) in South America, home to rich native flora and fauna, with distinct climatic and ecological characteristics compared to the Amazon Basin in northern Brazil. The so-called Cerrado Coffee Region refers to the area where the savanna extends into the plateaus of Minas Gerais at elevations of 850–1200 meters. In terms of coffee region classification, it differs from the similarly located "Sul de Minas" in Minas Gerais. The flat and open terrain of the savanna is particularly suitable for establishing large estates. Coupled with distinct dry and wet seasons and the relatively cool climate of the plateaus, the ripening period of coffee cherries becomes more uniform. As a result, the Cerrado region stands out among Brazil's many coffee-producing areas and can be considered a choice for premium Brazilian beans.

|   Baicao Estate

Founded in 1901, Baicao Estate is one of Brazil's historic century-old coffee estates. It is located near Paranaíba on the green Cerrado Mineiro plateau in northern Minas Gerais, bordering Bahia. It is the first coffee region in Brazil to receive origin status, granting it a status similar to renowned wine-producing regions.

Dedicated to producing high-quality Brazilian specialty coffee. At the Andrade family estate, Baicao Estate has a history of 117 years. Ismael Andrade and Eduardo Andrade, the estate owners, follow in their ancestors' footsteps, managing the coffee farm passed down through generations.

With a century of passion for coffee production and reverence for nature conservation, the Andrade family has thrived. High-quality coffee relies on superior natural growing conditions, and Baicao Estate boasts excellent volcanic soil, balanced dry and wet seasons, altitudes of 1100m to 1200m, ample rainfall, and sunlight.

Possessing such superior natural conditions, the Andrade family has long realized that only by respecting and protecting nature can they receive its bounty. Thus, while cultivating coffee, they are also committed to preserving the natural ecological environment.

The soil at Capim Branco is volcanic, and most of the farm's land is planted with the Yellow Catuai variety, which thrives well in this environment. Careful management, such as that carried out by the Andrade family, results in consistent flowering and ripening, creating ideal conditions for natural coffee processing. In this case, ripe cherries are dried on patios without being pulped, producing a sweet, fruity coffee. Once the coffee beans reach the ideal moisture level, they are dry-milled to remove the dried pulp and parchment, followed by sorting and screening for export.

Combining the region's natural conditions, meticulous crop management, forward-looking crop planning, and post-harvest selection, the ultimate result of all Andrade family farms is exceptional quality, award-winning coffee appreciated worldwide.

In the early 1990s, driven by the expansion of the coffee industry, the Andrade family purchased Fazenda Santa Cruz, also located in the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais, in the Serra do Salitre mountains. Santa Cruz Estate also has high-quality soil and balanced dry and wet seasons, and the estate has won awards for its superior coffee quality. In the recent Minas Gerais Regional Best Coffee Competition, it was awarded second place.

| Varieties

Yellow Catuai (Catuai Amarillo) is a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra, first developed by Brazil's "Instituto Agronômico de Campinas." Like Red Catuai (Catuai Rojo), Yellow Catuai has high disease resistance and is suitable for cultivation in high-altitude and windy areas. Both Catuai varieties also exhibit delicate and clean acidity.

| Curve Analysis

Preheat roaster to 170°C, set heat to 110, air damper to 3. Turnaround at 1'36", maintain heat. At 140°C, keep heat unchanged, open air damper to 4. At 6'50", yellowing begins, grassy notes disappear, entering the drying phase. At 176°C, reduce heat to 90, keep air damper at 4. At 188°C, adjust heat to 70, air damper remains unchanged.

At 9'15", drying is complete, bean surface shows wrinkles and dark spots, toastiness transitions to coffee aroma, signaling the prelude to first crack. Pay attention to the sound of first crack. At 10'31", first crack begins, air damper fully open (5), heat unchanged. Development time after first crack is 2'00", drop at 196.5°C.