ORGANIC Brazilian Fazenda Jacaranda ESPRESSO
ORGANIC Brazilian Fazenda Jacaranda
As we get closer to new coffees heading our way from Brazil, (we have been pushing to get new crop early this year) we felt it was time we mixed things up a bit. Jacaranda has held up well, but we haven’t shouted about it as an espresso this year and it is still tasting great!
Cassio is a big part of our coffee journey in Brazil.
Farm: Fazenda Jacaranda
Owners: Cassio Franco Moreira, agronomist, PhD, and his mother Telma Teixeira Franco
Region; Machado, south of Minas Gerais
Process: Natural
Size 150 Hectares
Altitude: 1.100 – 1.250mts
Selectively picked, and dried on semi-parabolic or covered raised beds.
Varieties: Bourbon, Catuai, Mundo Novo, Icatu, Catucai
Scale: Anual production potential of around 400 bags of 60kg
Roast: Medium Espresso: A little lighter than blends like Simply Brazil; and Formula 6.
Cup Potential
Espresso
Recipe:
Based on a brew temp of 93-94C
16g-18g ground coffee/34-8g espresso liquid in 28-34 seconds around for milk-based drinks.
16-18g ground coffee/45-50g espresso liquid 28-35 seconds for espresso/ Americano
From the biggest drink downwards:
In a 9oz drink, this is like drinking a dark chocolate, brazil nut. Super creamy (helped by the appropriate dairy).
6oz Milk-based drinks, suddenly, from nowhere there is such a great boozy, blueberry ripeness. Sometimes Flatwhites can make things just stronger, but for me… this is just better.
The espresso. This is a funny one. I have brewed this from 35-50g over 21-(wait for it) 43 seconds and all of the shots have had merit. There has been no “it’s too this or too that in extremes” If you are looking for more fruit, I would brew on the side of the early 20 seconds and if you are a fan of cocoa and dark chocolate with a long lingering finish, then go longer. These guides are here as broad brushes, but the most important factor is that you find a place where you like the coffee best rather than a search for what I might like if that makes sense.
Farm Stuff.
The Franco family has produced coffee since 1860, originally at the Serra Negra Farm. Carlos Fernandes Franco inherited part of Serra Negra farm in 1969 and started Jacarandá . He died in 2003 and was always passionate about nature and a true ecologist (also an engineer who made huge bridges in the Amazon). He was the pioneer in organic coffee production in Brazil and the farm has been organic since 1992. His grandson Cassio Franco Moreira started agronomy college in 1995 already having a strong organic coffee influence.
Today the farm is divided between Carlos Franco´s widow, Francisca Franco, and her sons and daughters. All of the areas are still organically managed but some coffee plots have been abandoned. Today 2 daughters, a son, and the grandson of Carlos run several parts of Jacarandá with around 30ha of organic coffee being managed and a plan to renew 15ha in the next 5 years.
When we visited Jacaranda, the level of re-planting and reinvestment was staggering. Cassio is an optimist and a long-term thinker. Quietly, I also hope that Jacaranda does so well it wins Cup of Excellence one day, as a reward and recognition for his long-term dedication. Cassio wrote us a brilliant article on organic coffee farming in Brazil and climate change here if you are interested.
Over the last few years, Cassio has been investing more resources in processing and drying on raised, covered (parabolic) beds. Last year was a very good harvest, and we sold more Jacaranda than ever before as a single farm. Jacaranda also looked destined to do great things in competition.
Why not share your brews with us?
