Artisan Roast: Brazil, Lagoa da Serra, Natural

Sul de Minas is the heartland of Brazilian coffee. It’s gently rolling hills are covered in a deep green patchwork blanket of farms, many of whom are members of the local co-operative Minasul. The co- operative supports thousands of growers around the city of Varginha and runs an annual quality competition to give visibility to producers aiming to make high quality specialty coffee.

We’ve long been supporters of Minasul’s competition at Artisan Roast and several of the farms we’re working with long term have won in the past. This year we’ve secured the second-place natural process micro-lot, from a farm just East of Varginha, Lagoa de Serra. Owner Sergio Ameruso Ottoni has been running the farm for just under twenty years, and has just been successful in the competition for the first time with a newer planting of the cultivar Arara along with the much loved and well-known Mundo Novo.

Sergio’s coffee represents all that is loved about Brazilian coffee with an added touch of finesse. It has a dense milk chocolate and almond like base on which succulent fruit flavours of maraschino cherry, cranberry and pomegranate sit. A creaminess in mouthfeel adds weight to the chocolate like flavour and a pleasing lime citrus note comes through on the finish. Part of the joy of high-quality Brazilian coffee are the range of brewing options open for enjoying the coffee at home. Filter brews will bring out more of the citrus and berry notes while the opulent cacao and brown sugar like flavours are enhanced with immersion or espresso-based drinks.