TASTING NOTES

Coffee tasting notes for Fazenda Recreio, Brazil: dried fruit, hazelnut, brown spice, semisweet chocolate

COFFEE BACKGROUND

Though we’ve worked with importer partner Osito for years to offer great coffees, this is the first time we’ve worked with Osito to bring in a coffee from Brazil. We asked Osito to help us find a flavor profile we were missing in our lineup: sweet, nutty, chocolatey, and low-acidity. This coffee from legacy Brazilian farm Fazenda Recreio offers just that. And we were just as excited by the intentionality and care evident in the farm’s operations.

Fazenda Recreio sits in a mountainous region called Vale da Grama in the municipality São Sebastião da Grama. The micro-region enjoys a mild climate, fertile volcanic soil, and relatively high elevation. Diogo Dias is part of the fifth generation of his family to manage Recreio — the Dias family has owned the farm since 1890. Diogo brings a scientific curiosity to his work on the farm. His spirit of innovation builds upon wisdom earned by farming alongside his grandfather.

Harvesting and processing coffee is done by hand at Recreio — a rarity for Brazilian coffee growers. Workers begin harvesting in mid-May when the fruits are ripe. They wash, sort, and pulp the coffee, then spread it out on a patio to dry, all on the same day in order to prevent unwanted fermentation. Once the carefully monitored moisture reaches 20%, they move the coffee to mechanical dryers to ensure a consistent 11% moisture content. Then the coffee rests in bins, homogenizing its drying process, for at least 15 days.

Fazenda Recreio has a culture of environmental responsibility. Areas of the farm are set aside for environmental preservation, and Recreio has active programs to reclaim and protect its many springs, streams, and riverbanks. Farm workers and their families take classes on sustainability and conservation.

In addition to responsibly stewarding its land, the farm prioritizes caring for its people. Recreio houses several dozen full-time workers and their families in the 68 fully-furnished homes on the property. There are also amenities like a soccer field, church, health clinic, and a computer lab.

We hope you enjoy this sweet, nutty coffee. Expect a balanced cup with notes of dried fruit, hazelnut, brown spice, and semisweet chocolate.