Brazil - Juquinha #1

Background

Ivan manages his farm in the Sul de Minas region of Brazil with his wife, Rosane, and Rosane’s brother, Weder. Nordic Approach started buying coffee from Ivan in 2019, which was only his second harvest, but the coffees stood out for their distinctive character that broke away from typical expectations of coffees from Brazil. We found tonnes of fruity, rich flavours in Ivan’s yellow catuai, that punch through milk beautifully. Ivan’s background is in engineering, and he brought the precision of his dicipline into coffee production. This can be seen in his investment in African raised beds for drying, conducting soil analyses and maintenance, lot separation, and meticulous processing. This says a lot, because using patios and raised beds for drying is not common practice in Brazil, where mechanical dryers are largely used. Lot separation also requires a lot of effort post-cherry picking, especially with a farm that is 10 hectares large. The farm’s approach to fertilisers is equally meticulous, prioritising natural and organic methods, and it shows in the rich, well-tended soil on the farm. All of these actions show in the sweetness and distinctive flavour of Ivan’s coffee.

Although we sourced and roasted this especially for milk espresso drinkers, this coffee can also be enjoyed black if you prefer a richer mouthfeel, a slightly lower acidity, and more sugar-browning flavours, compared to the range of coffees we prefer to showcase solely as black coffees, be it in a filter or espresso format.