Which Brazilian Coffee Regions Shape the Cup and the Market?

Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world, so the climate, harvest size, and transport conditions of its coffee producing regions move international prices. The Cerrado, in particular, yields beans with low acidity, a solid body, a smooth sweet entry, and nutty notes. That profile suits drinkers who want neither sharp sourness nor heavy bitterness.

Grade markings and terroir differ across the country's growing areas, and prices react fast to weather. In 2020/2021 a drought cut Brazil's output from over 70 million 60-kg bags to more than 50 million, while market prices nearly doubled. Colombian coffee, such as Huila, offers a useful comparison: usually brighter and more aromatic than Brazilian beans.

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, and the climate, yield, and transportation conditions of its producing regions directly affect international coffee market prices. For friends who are new to coffee and can neither accept sourness nor tolerate bitterness, Front Street Coffee recommends the Brazil Cerrado coffee beans from its daily ration series—low acidity, good body, smooth and sweet on the palate, with nutty notes. This article will comprehensively sort out the knowledge framework of Brazilian coffee, from Brazil's coffee planting history, green bean grade markings, and the terroir differences of six major producing regions, to the flavor comparison between Colombian and Brazilian coffee. It also includes specific information on two daily ration beans, Front Street Brazil Cerrado and Colombia Huila, as well as the complete brewing parameters for a three-stage pour-over, for coffee enthusiasts to reference and practice.

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Among those just starting to get into coffee, some cannot appreciate the beauty of coffee's acidity, but at the same time cannot accept bitterness. The baristas at Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) then recommend the Brazilian coffee beans from the Front Street daily ration series. The Brazil Cerrado coffee beans are characterized by low acidity, good body, a smooth and sweet entry, and nutty notes.

It should be noted that Brazil ranks first in the world in coffee production, and the climate, transportation conditions, and coffee yield of its coffee-growing regions have a profound impact on world coffee market prices. For example, in 2020/2021, Brazil suffered a once-in-a-century drought, and Brazil's coffee production fell from more than 70 million bags (60 kg/bag) in the previous season to more than 50 million bags, while coffee market prices nearly doubled.

Brazilian Coffee Planting History

Brazil's current status seems pivotal, but looking back 300 years, Brazil did not have a single coffee tree. The reason Brazil has secured the throne as the world's leading coffee-producing country is thanks to a Portuguese officer named Francisco de Melo Palheta. James Hoffmann mentions in The World Atlas of Coffee that when this Portuguese officer went to French Guiana on a diplomatic mission, he met and seduced the local governor's wife. On his return trip, the governor's wife gave Francisco a bouquet, and coffee seeds were hidden in the bouquet. After returning to Brazil, Francisco planted the coffee trees, and the coffee trees quickly adapted to Brazil's environment and spread southward.

By 1830, Brazil's coffee production accounted for 30% of global production; by 1840, it increased to 40%. Around 1920, Brazil's coffee production accounted for 80% of global coffee production. Around the 1930s, coffee exports accounted for half of Brazil's export revenue. With the Great Depression, Brazil's coffee prices at the time depreciated by nearly 90%. As the export market collapsed, more and more inventory piled up in warehouses storing coffee, and prices naturally plummeted. Subsequently, the Brazilian authorities decided to burn billions of pounds of coffee.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Grades

When it comes to coffee bean grades, everyone may be more familiar with the G1 and G2 grades of producing countries such as Ethiopia. Sharp-eyed friends can easily notice that various burlap sacks used for green coffee beans are hung in Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) stores, and the information marked on the burlap sacks can be said to be the coffee beans' ID card.

Among them, on Brazilian green coffee bean burlap sacks, one often sees "Brazil NY.2 SC – 17/18 FC." Most friends' first reaction is that the information obtained is 17/18 screen size, while the rest is unknown. Next, Front Street will explain the above information in detail for you.

"Brazil NY.2 SC – 17/18 FC": the first word, needless to say, means Brazil. The remaining content needs to be split into 3 parts for interpretation. They respectively represent defect rate, green bean particle size, and cup quality.

[Defect Rate]

The defect rate is divided into 8 levels, and the number of defective beans per 300 grams of green beans determines the defect classification.

[Particle Size]

Green beans are screened using screens based on 1/64 inch, and screen sizes are usually 14 mesh to 20 mesh.

[Cup Quality]

It is divided into Fine Cup, Fine, Good Cup, Fair Cup, Poor Cup, and Bad Cup. Among them, Fine Cup (FC) and Good Cup (GC) are more common.

Brazilian Coffee Producing Regions

In many articles introducing Brazilian coffee producing regions, Front Street has mentioned that Brazil's coffee-growing areas are mainly divided into six major producing regions: Bahia, Minas Gerais, Sao Paolo, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso Do Sul, Espirito Santo, and Parana.

[Bahia]

Coffee planting in this producing region began in the 1970s. Thanks to high-quality coffee varieties and high-tech agricultural techniques, the coffee from this region has begun to attract more and more attention. Most of Bahia's producing region consists of higher-altitude areas, with rainy winters and dry summers.

[Minas Gerais]

Minas Gerais is by far Brazil's most important coffee producing region, with nearly half of the country's coffee production located here. The region's fertile soil and higher altitude make it the perfect place to grow the country's most famous specialty coffee. The Cerrado producing region under this major region is the first area in Brazil to be granted a designation of origin. Cerrado means tropical savanna in the local language. The average altitude of the Cerrado producing region is 800 to 1,300 meters, with humid summers and dry winters.

[Sao Paulo]

Sao Paulo is not only a coffee-growing region, but also the location of the coffee export port, Santos Port. The Mogiana producing region under this state has fertile red soil, a perfect altitude (900 to 1,100 meters), complex terrain, and suitable temperatures.

[Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso Do Sul]

This major producing region has low coffee production. Because the highlands here are vast and flat, it is more suitable for cattle grazing.

[Espirito Santo]

This producing region is Brazil's second-largest coffee producing region. However, nearly 80% of the coffee trees here belong to the Robusta species.

The altitude here is between 700 and 1,000 meters, and the coffee produced has rich fruity notes and high acidity.

[Parana]

The Parana producing region is called the world's southernmost coffee producing region. Parana accounts for only 2.5% of Brazil's total area, yet produces nearly 25% of Brazil's crops. This region lacks high-altitude areas, but its climate tends to be cooler, which is more conducive to the slow ripening of coffee cherries.

The Difference Between Colombian Coffee and Brazilian Coffee

Colombia and Brazil are among the top countries in Arabica coffee bean production, and Colombia and Brazil share a border. So what is the difference between Colombian and Brazilian coffee beans? Through cupping, Front Street has learned that the coffees produced by these two countries each have their own characteristics.

Colombia has complex terrain, high altitude, and low latitude, and relies on its fine mountains and waters to cultivate a batch of high-quality coffee beans. The characteristic of Colombian coffee is a rich chocolate flavor, yet with a jam-like sweet aroma. Every sip is like fruit-flavored chocolate. Front Street's Colombia Huayueye is a very good example.

Most Brazilian coffee cultivation uses sun-exposed planting. The heat needed for coffee cherries to ripen is also quickly and fully absorbed and ripened because of the sun-exposed method. Brazilian coffee beans have a soft bean texture, thus developing a soft bean flavor. In Han Huaizong's book The Craft of Specialty Coffee, soft bean flavor is described as follows: low acidity, heavy nutty taste, good chocolate sweetness and body, but slightly woody and earthy, with floral and orange notes not obvious. In other words, Brazilian coffee is characterized by low acidity, mild smoothness, and sufficient body and sweetness.

If you want to try the difference in flavor and mouthfeel between Brazilian coffee beans and Colombian coffee beans, you can try Front Street's daily ration bean series. This series is a selection by Front Street of coffee beans from some famous producing countries that represent regional flavors. It also includes the two producing countries, Brazil and Colombia.

For the Brazilian daily ration bean, Front Street chose one from the Cerrado producing region, and for the Colombian daily ration bean, Front Street chose one from the Huila producing region.

Front Street Brazil Cerrado Coffee Bean Information

Producing Region: Brazil Cerrado

Altitude: 1,000 meters

Variety: Red Bourbon

Processing Method: Semi-washed

Flavor: Nuts, chocolate, cream, peanut, caramel

Front Street Colombia Huila Coffee Bean Information

Producing Region: Colombia Huila

Altitude: 1,500-1,800m

Variety: Caturra

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Nuts, dark chocolate, caramel, soft fruity acidity

The brewing method is also very simple. Front Street recommends the pour-over form, with the following specific parameters:

Dose: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Water temperature: 88°C

Grind size: 75% passing through a No. 20 sieve

Dripper: Kono dripper

Pouring method: three-stage

In the first stage, pour 30ml and bloom for 30 seconds; in the second stage, pour 100ml in a circular motion from the center outward; after the water level drops slightly, begin the third stage of pouring; in the third stage, pour 95ml; after the coffee liquid finishes dripping, extraction is complete. The time is 2 minutes.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.