The Pinnacle Series:
Fazenda California ‘Honeymoon’
Country: Brazil
Altitude: 600m
Processing: ‘Honeymoon’
Varietal: Obatā
Region:Parana
Cupping Score: 89
Located in Jacarezinho, Fazenda California is a century old coffee farm in one of Brazil’s oldest producing states. Situated at the southernmost range of the coffee producing belt around the equator, Paraná used to be the biggest coffee producing area in the world. However, after the black frost in 1975, many producers either switched crops to those less susceptible to climate influence such as soy or migrated to Minas Gerais where land was cheap and plentiful. In recent years there has been a resurgence of farmers producing spectacular coffees in the region, with Luiz Saldanha Rodriguez at the forefront.
After purchasing the farm in 2004, Luiz rented much of the farm to sugarcane production and focused all of the income towards renovating the farm. Luiz began planting coffee in 2006 and by 2008 he had 200 hectares of coffee.
This particular lot is processed using his ‘Honeymoon’ method, named for the fermentation method (as well as celebrating his marriage to wife Flavia). After selective harvesting, cherries are placed in the farm’s tanks and soaked in cold water that is supplied to the wet mill via natural spring. This water is 8-10 degrees at most which slows down and controls the fermentation process, providing the coffee with a slow, even ferment before being pulped. The beans are then placed on covered, African style drying beds to complete the process.
This incredible coffee is a great showcase of what Brazil has to offer when radical and modern processing techniques are applied.
Our Pinnacle Series is a selection of ultra-premium coffees, showcasing and celebrating the highest achievement in quality. These are coffees that are elusive, and unattainable – the kind that are saved for champion baristas and judges of the World Barista Championship. In very unique circumstances, we’re super excited to be able to release coffees of this kind as part of our first ever global virtual coffee tasting experience.
