About This Single Origin 

Brazil Cerrado Mineiro | Rafael Vinhal 

ROAST:  Espresso Roast

PROCESS: Anaerobic natural 
REGION: Cerrado Mineiro

ELEVATION: 980m

VARIETAL: Yellow Catucai and Red Catuai

CUP: Guava, Ripe kiwi, Almond

Last year we released two hit coffees from Brazil. Both of these were from Rafael Vinhal, a very special producer pushing the boundaries of experimental processing methods. This year we are back with another one of his lots, a yellow catucai and red catuai. This is an anaerobic natural coffee from the Cerrado Mineiro region at 980 metres above sea level.

Sustainability and quality are two of the core pillars in Rafael’s work. His farms, Recanto and Estrela, are both certified by the Rainforest Alliance, 4C (Common Code of the Coffee Community) and Certifica Minas. The first two certifications are internationally independent and based in the USA and Germany respectively, whilst the Certifica Minas is a national certification. Needless to say, acquiring all these certifications requires a great deal of compliance and auditing. You can be sure that Rafael’s coffees are all produced with responsible social practices and in ethical working conditions, focused on sustainability and environmental conservation. They are clean cups indeed!  

In addition, his coffees have generated a reputation for having unique and pronounced aromas. This is largely achieved by the experimental processes he painstakingly uses on his coffees. This coffee we have roasted for you is an anaerobic coffee that was initially mechanically harvested and then washed and sorted for ripeness. It was then placed in a dry anaerobic fermentation for 96-158 hours before being administered a thermal shock. Afterwards, it is dried under patios for 16-21 days.   

We are so privileged to share again in the fruits of his labour. There is also a tropical or guava-like character to this coffee in both the aroma and flavour, alongside notes of almond and a juicy, ripe kiwi acidity.