May promotion on Brazil Santos coffee: get 25% off
Did you know that Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer? Although Ethiopia is considered coffee's homeland, Brazilian plantations supply the greatest quantity of this crop to the market. What is the history of coffee in Brazil, a country covering more than half of South America? In what conditions do its coffee beans ripen? And what flavours and aromas can we expect from a Brazilian coffee? We explore all of this below. There is also a special discount code for Brazil Santos coffee!
Coffee in Brazil — history
Coffee shrubs are not native to South America. Legend has it that the first coffee tree arrived in Brazil in 1727. At the time, Brazil was still a Portuguese colony, and the Portuguese wanted coffee from their neighbours in French Guiana. Unfortunately, those neighbours were unwilling to share their seedlings. Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta succeeded through an alleged affair with the French Guianan governor's wife, the Countess d'Orviliers. The woman he had charmed gave him coffee shoots concealed in a bouquet of flowers. He returned to his homeland, Brazil, with this gift, achieving a very important goal.
Unfortunately, Brazil's coffee history is also linked to grim events. Plantation owners needed cheap labour and readily “bought” enslaved Africans. The English transported them on ships travelling between Africa and Brazil. It is estimated that around 1850, more than 1.5 million enslaved people worked on Brazilian coffee plantations. Fortunately, slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888. Interestingly, this did not reduce coffee production. Growers actually expanded their plantations, eventually creating overproduction. In the first half of the twentieth century, Brazil clearly dominated the coffee market, accounting for 80% of the world's crop. This became a considerable challenge, so the Coffee Institute imposed restrictions on growers, including an extra fee for each new seedling. To use the surplus, Swiss company Nestlé worked with Brazilians to develop a method of producing instant coffee. This strategy went a long way towards rescuing Brazil's excess coffee crop.
Brazilian coffee — the environment
Today, Brazil accounts for around one third of the world's coffee harvest. Coffee plantations cover approximately 30,000 km², mainly in the south-east, in regions such as Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo and Paraná. They sit at relatively low elevations, from 600 to a maximum of 1,200 metres above sea level. This location, together with fertile soils and a favourable climate, gives Brazilian coffee its distinctive flavour and low acidity. Central American coffees grown above 1,500 metres have a different taste: notably more pronounced and acidic.
Arabica dominates in Brazil, with varieties including Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Catuai, Caturra and Typica. Interestingly, Brazil also produces Robusta, known as Conilon, which accounts for around 20% of production. Harvesting takes place during the dry season, from May to November, and coffee is processed using the dry method.
Brazil Santos coffee — flavour and aroma
Brazilian Arabica stands out for its mild, balanced flavour, which will delight any coffee lover. It is the most universal and widespread flavour in the coffee world.
The Brazilian coffee available in our online shop, Brazil Santos, has medium acidity and a black-tea aroma. Sweet fruits such as mango and melon, together with ripe citrus, give it an exceptionally delicate, slightly sweet flavour. There is certainly no unpleasant bitterness.
Brazil Santos 100% Arabica is ideal for people seeking subtle flavour and aroma, together with a low caffeine content, among the many coffees on offer. It will delight every guest's palate and pleasantly surprise anyone who receives it as a gift!
Brazil Santos on promotion — seize the opportunity
In May 2021, you have the opportunity to buy freshly roasted Brazil Santos 100% Arabica — a great coffee classic at an exceptionally low price. Enter the discount code Brazylijskakawa at checkout to reduce the value of your purchase by 25%! The promotion covers both whole-bean and ground coffee, in both pack sizes: 250 g and 1 kg.
Shop for less!