Brazil Cerrado

Cerrado  is a huge region in Brazil,  meaning  “savanna”,  or  central  plateau.  Coffee  grown in this region is cuItivated at an altitude of 900—1250 meters above sea level——quite a bit lower than a Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) Central American Coffees.   Because Cerrado is a softer bean, we wouId typically suggest  not  roasting  it  dark.  However, we think Cerrado is an exception to that ruIe. Roasting it dark  brings  out the exceptional  nutty flavor and  enhances  the body of the coffee. That  being said, it  is innportant to be carefuI when roasting  this  bean to  a dark  roast  level.   You  need to avoid  scorching  by  making  sure  that  you  get  good agitation and the temperature increases slowly.

Our Cerrado is a traditionally natural dry processed coffee. This method creates a complexity of flavors. Brazilian coffees make excellent bases for some very intriguing blends, particularly in espresso.  A lot of the very best espresso blends have a Brazilian base. Many of the finest Italian espresso blends are mostly Brazilian coffee. It will add body and sweetness to your blend, and helps form a wonderful crema in your espresso. Since it is a dry processed coffee, it may roast a bit unevenly, but this only adds to the complexity in the cup. It actually makes a fine cup on it’s own.

Cerrado seems to break some of the “rules”. It benefits significantly from an extended rest after roasting.  Right out of the roaster it may seem a little harsh.  If your aren’t satisfied with your Cerrado after the normal 4 to 48 hour rest, try letting it sit in an airtight container

for a week or more! It mellows out, gaining sweetness and the nuttiness is most enjoyable, especially if you can coax a darker roast out of it without scorching.