Producer: José Edivaldo Gonçalves
Location: Poços de Caldas
Altitude: 950 -1,300 masl
Cultivar: Catuai & Mundo Novo
Process: Natural
Flavour profile: Dried strawberries & praline
Located in the in the unique volcanic terroir of Poços de Caldas, Barra Estate is perfectly situated in this mountainous region, with altitudes ranging from 950 – 1300 masl. The farm sits on the periphery of the volcanic caldera (old crater) which has a diameter of 31km and has soils and climate suited for producing specialty coffee with distinct profiles.
The Barra Estate farm has been in the family since 1966 when José Edivaldo Gonçalves' father decided to start growing coffee. Now the farm is run by José and his three sons - Tiago, Felipe and André. The farm land spans 190 hectares, of which 120 are used to grow coffee. Each harvest the farm produces around 800 bags of specialty coffee, and employs 250 seasonal workers to hand pick coffee, as the steep terrain of the farm and is not accessible by machines.
During harvest season the coffee is manually collected when the cherry reaches maturation. Once picked, the coffee is then pulped to remove the mucilage covering the bean, before being laid out on patios and turned regularly until the coffee is dried down to 11% moisture. The process lasts usually between 10 – 14 days. Once dried, it is then stored in wooden hoppers for 20 days to rest and equalise before being hulled and bagged ready for shipment.
(In partnership with Falcon Specialty)