Taking the lead – Sao Silvestre Farm
Fermentation process explained – Mega lots from Ismael Andrade
We are already familiar with the high-quality coffee Ismael Andrade and his team produce. In 2018 Ismael was awarded for his tireless efforts and he became the Cup of Excellence Champion – Naturals. Of course, this did not come as a surprise for us here in Australia as Ismael’s reputation for quality excelled with his famous Dolce Cerrado, a premium blender that is much loved in the country. In 2018, his Red Catuai Micro-lot scored 93.26 pt which demonstrates the hard work and dedication to produce truly outstanding coffee.
But it didn’t stop there for the team. Ismael has been leading the way in Brazil with state-of-the-art technology and experimentation. Their dedication to investing in new machinery and scientifically researching new methods of processing coffee is endless. Most recently, they have partnered with masters of science from IFES (Federal Institute of Espirito Santo) to elaborate and analyse new processing methods, having a dedicated body to follow up and scientifically test and experiment what is being produced at the farm. We are privileged to have a long- standing relationship with Mr. Andrade as it has allowed us to see the him grow and develop this sense of uniqueness.
We have some mega lots on spot from Ismael and the efforts investing in these lots will explain why having these coffees in your roastery is a must. Let’s explore in further detail the process behind producing such special micro-lots.
It all starts at harvest. At Sao Silvestre farm, Ismael relies on technology to get the best outcomes. Harvest is mechanical and the cherries are electronically sourced to separate ripe from green or dry ones, without using water. After that, the cherries go straight to traditional African beds as they undergo a careful manual inspection to make sure only ripe cherries have been selected.
Mr. Andrade works very closely to IFES (Federal Institute of Espirito Santo) to experiment on different kinds of fermentation. At the moment, there are 2 kinds of fermentation in place at his farm. In both processes there is a strict temperature control and time, obtaining different profiles:
- Aerobic fermentation – this process uses masonry tanks for aerobic fermentation. Coffee is left to ferment for a certain time until it reaches the desired temperature. This is made in open air and in contact with oxygen.
- Anaerobic fermentation – this process uses 200L plastic tanks, completely sealed with valves so there is no contact with oxygen at all. This way CO2 is removed without presence of oxygen during this period, so is possible to obtain a longer fermentation time.
Even though Sao Silvestre farm is located in an ideal terroir with fertile soil and perfect conditions for coffee growing (altitude, temperature and well-defined seasons of rain and dry weather) there is a lot of experimenting to develop complex coffee and unusual flavours. In some fermentation cases, there is use of microorganisms, all under the tutelage of researchers from IFES (Federal Institute of Espirito Santo).
Minas Hill is honoured to represent Ismael Andrade in Australia. We have chosen 2 of these fermented mega micro-lots for our Australian customers:
48h Aerobic fermentation – PMH078 – Citric and floral aroma. Notes of jasmine with a bright acidity. Creamy body with a velvety mouthfeel. 20 bags available.
96h Aerobic fermentation – PMH079 – A sweet aroma with notes of honey, berries and rapadura sugar. A citric acidity and a syrupy body. Clean and pleasant aftertaste. Finalist in Cup of Excellence 2019. 10 bags available.
