BRAZIL - Cruzeiro

The Flavour Profile

This coffee boasts a medium dark roast that brings out delicious notes of raisin, caramel, praline, and chocolate. No matter how you prepare it, this coffee offers a full-bodied experience that will energize you at any time of day.

The Little Details

This coffee comes from Fazenda Cruzeiro in Araxa, Cerrado Mineiro in Brazil. It's grown 1000 meters above sea level and it is processed by been Pulped natural and then use silo dryers. It's 100% Ruby varietal coffee beans. 

About the Process

Once picked, the coffee cherry is deposited on asphalt patios, at a density of 5cm. Here, the coffee will remain for 5 days to reduce its moisture; before being taken directly to the drying silos.

The biggest innovation that Cruzeiro has implemented with regards to quality is the use of silo dryers in the processing of their coffee. These silos are commonly used for seeds and other grains and help control and manage the drying process. Their use in drying coffee has produced excellent results in the cup due to the slower drying process under controlled temperature, which increases uniformity and prevents over-fermentation. Furthermore, by using eucalyptus from the farm to fuel the fire for the drying process, Cruzeiro can reduce energy consumption by 60%. Perhaps even more importantly, the silo drying process does not kill the bean, meaning that the bean can be replanted after being dried. This ensures a longer storage life and promotes profile stability over a longer period.
The coffees drying process is controlled by a stove which indirectly heats the air to a temperature of 40.c. Inside, the silos have are turning threads that mix and remove the coffee layers from the bottom to the top, allowing for consistent drying. Each silo can dry 500.000 litres of coffee, allowing Fazenda Cruzeiro to produce large scale lots whilst maintaining a pattern on quality and traceability.