Also called Coffee Artisans, the program brings the controlled fermentation to the farms of partner producers not only to improve the quality of coffee but also to raise its flavor and aroma. This research has been occurring for the past 20 years, and one of the main goals is to define the decisive factors during the fermentation that contributes to a differentiated coffee.
This controlled fermentation processing project was developed in partnership with the UFLA, University of Agriculture of Lavras in Brazil, that has had positive results over the years, achieving a higher score on the specialty beans rating.
Standardizing the process and keeping quality consistency of the next crop through training and monitoring, is one of the project’s goals as well. Controlled fermentation is a process that occurs with the cherries harvested or pulped, under controlled conditions, through the activity of microorganisms.
For Rosane Freitas Schwan, Fermentation Microbiology specialist and Agricultural Microbiology professor at UFLA, the process proposed by the project has everything to make Brazilian coffee outstand from some other origins. “That is a methodology that has been taught step by step, for better standardization. With that, we hope to increase the range of flavor profiles that can attract a larger group of consumers, both nationally and internationally “ says Rosane.
In its most recent achievement, the artisans project was acknowledged “Top 5” during the SIC (Brazilian International Coffee Week) opening, considered one of the most important coffee events in Brazil.
The event acknowledged the best coffee produced by the Artisans producers through the innovative technique of controlled fermentation. The highlight was the coffee that won first place, having a rating above 86.8 points. Producers Lauro Giovani de Carvalho Siqueira and Maria Helena, from Cambuquira (MG), earned first place. Three batches of the coffee they produced scored 90 points, with characteristics that amazed the judges, who rated the beans as “presidential” due to their complexity.
This is an innovative process that transforms the coffee, offering high consistent results and scalability with maximum quality control of the crop. The project is composed by only 42 producers from the estates of Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo in the regions of Sul de Minas, Mogiana, and Cerrado to name a few. There are more than 20 different coffee varieties being cultivate in this program by using different methods of processing and totalling in the production of only 6000 bags (60kgs). Also, there are more than 2500 workers involved in this project that positively impacts the lives of more than 200 families where they can financially benefit though Fair Trade.
Therefore, the BRAZIL JEWELS project was created to showcase those amazing coffees to the world. These are selections of distinctive specialty green coffees – microlots – available for those aspiring to roast their own coffee at home and to established roasters who want to diversify and offer unique profiles onto their menu. The ten (10) kilos box size, called “Brazil Jewels”, is practical and it can be purchased online. Shop Now ->