Coffee in the Clouds
In the town of Piatã in the Bahia state of Brazil lies a small farm called Vista Alegri in the Chapada Diamantina Region. Roughly translated, it means “Joyful View” no doubt named for its captivating location atop a beautiful plateau of limestone.
As cooler temperatures and higher altitudes contribute to the coffee quality, this farm has very favourable conditions that vary from 10°C to 26°C with an altitude of more than 1200 metres. Piata has been renowned for producing some of the best pulped natural coffees in Brazil, ranging from blends to single origins.
Vista Alegri is an organic and tranquil farm with rows of shady trees set under high sweeping clouds. It is fast becoming a globally recognised producer of organic green coffee beans that offer a variety of sensory experiences.
Renato Rodrigues inherited the farm from his father and is actively involved in making sure Vista Alegri remains an integral part of the local community. The farm produces natural and pulped natural coffee beans on raised beds using 100% sustainable processes. They use only organic methods for fertilizing the plants such as compost and manure and do not use any harmful chemicals and pesticides.
Renato has been working in collaboration with eight local producers on a very special coffee, which we are pleased to have our hands on – the Bahia coffee. There are no more than 100 bags of 60kg per year for each farm, so it only makes it into the hands of a few selected roasters all over the world!
The Bahia coffee offers an exceptional sensory experience. It is fortified with a bold chocolate upfront, followed by a clean orange peel acidity with a brandy and liquorice finish.
Renato works closely with other regional farmers by sharing his methods through co-ops such as the Mucuge community group. Almost 95% of all farms in Piatã are only between 1 and 8 hectares in size, making locally produced coffee beans truly a cottage industry. These small farms rely solely on fair trade buyers who care about their products and practices.
Our Minas Hill Coffee director Marcelo had the opportunity to travel from Australia to Brazil to attend some of these local meetings and worked closely with Renato, his family and associates to help build beneficial relationships with local farmers. Minas Hill is committed to supporting these local farmers as they continue to enhance their methods of growing organic, sustainable coffee. For example, we are contributing towards de-pulping machines which will assist them in supplying even higher quality coffee.
Together we can ensure that the small town of Piatã, with its beautiful waterfalls, natural pools and stunning sunsets, contiues to be supported as a leader in Brazil’s sustainable, fair trade coffee industry.
While sipping a cup of Bahia coffee, let your mind wander – transporting you to the high plateau of Chapada Diamantina. With every detail of Bahia coffee being a true reflection of this unique region, you might even feel as though you are drinking coffee in the clouds!
Maybe better add this in the paragraph below, as both altitude and temperature are geography characteristics that contribute for the coffee quality
See PDF of winners for reference