Brazil - Caixa de Fruta Natural

Brazil - Caixa de Fruta Natural

Varietal –  Various red fruit 
Preparation – Natural (box dried)
Location – Carmo De Cachoeira
Altitude – 1100+ masl
Importer - Falcon coffees

Brazil produces a fantastic range of coffees but is perhaps best known for producing natural and pulped natural coffees with lower acidity and a chocolate/nutty profile. This experimental lot is quite different and the aim was to produce a fruitier natural processed coffee using an interesting post-harvest box drying method. 

Producer Overview:

The Cocatrel Cooperative was founded in 1961 in Tres Pontas and has now grown to become the second largest Cooperative in Brazil. There are over 6000 members who are part of the cooperative, and they have 11 different buying points across the region. All the coffee are electronically tagged and recorded on delivery with a unique QR code giving full traceability on all the coffees for the growers to know exactly where their coffee is in the supply chain.

Over 50% of the cooperative members grow coffee on land that is less than 10 Ha in size. Falcon Specialty works with a branch of the Cooperative called Cocatrel Direct Trade who work to source the best coffees and promote these for their members. Caixa De Fruta, which translates as "Box of Fruits" is a blend of made mainly from one particular area called Carmo De Cachoeira.

The coffee is selected for its red fruit and creamy milk chocolate profile by the cupping team in the Cocatrel Direct Lab who assign it to this profile blend.

Harvesting and processing:

All the coffees that are part of this blend are dried in static boxes. These are 1 m deep boxes with a capacity for 15000-litre volume of cherry, which equates to 25-30 bags of green coffee.

The boxes have a vented grill at the bottom to allow for air to be circulated from below up through the drying coffee. There are two thermometers at different depths to ensure a safe temperature always below 40c. They are referred to as static due to the coffee remaining still in the boxes and not being turned or rotated during drying. After it is dried, the coffee is then left to rest for approximately 1- 2 weeks before being milled. This method has allowed the production of more fruity and prominent profiles from the usual profile we associate with Brazil natural processed coffee.

Tasting Notes: 

This is an interesting natural process coffee from Brazil. Flavours include peach, apricot, and praline. 

Brewing: