Description
Cooperative: Cocarive
Region – Serra da Mantiqueira
Varietal – Yellow bourbon
Processing – Pulped Natural
Altitude – 1,100 – 1,300 m.a.s.l
More about Mantiqueira Mountains
This regional Mantiqueira Mountains Yellow Bourbon blend consists of the production of several smallholder farmers who are associated to the COCARIVE cooperative in Carmo de Minas. Coffees are selected on quality, variety and process by COCARIVE. In order to be selected for their regional blends, the farm must meet a set of quality criteria. The cup score target for this selection lies between 83 and 84. Balance and sweetness are the key features of this coffee.
There are a growing number of farms in Brazil that are focusing more on cup quality than volume. These farms approach growing, harvesting and processing with a great attention to detail. The altitude and volcanic soil in Brazil are prime conditions for growing the balanced, well-bodied coffees of Brazil. Wide, flat farms make mechanisation easier and allow for reduced production costs, making Brazil one of the few countries with consistently comfortable margins in the face of low world prices. Ripe coffee is picked using a derricadeira – a sort of mechanised rake that uses vibration to harvest ripe cherry. A tarp is spanned between coffee trees to capture the cherry as it falls. After harvesting, cherry is pulped and laid to dry in the sun on concrete patios.
For cooperative members, after the drying stage, the parchment coffee goes to the COCARIVE warehouses. The cooperative takes further care of grading, commercialization and export. They have their own quality lab and storage and milling facilities in Carmo de Minas. COCARIVE gives support to its members in all parts of the production chain. They will verify which lots are suitable and of high enough cup quality for specialty microlots. Their team of agronomists and technical experts assists with cultivation techniques, machinery, storage and finally commercialization of the beans. All COCARIVE member farms have the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certificate. On top of that, they are all certified by the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), which guarantees the implementation of environmentally friendly practices on the farm during all steps of the coffee production process.
