Bem-Te-Ví

Bem-te-vi is one of two main fermentation experiments we did this year, the name comes from a the bem-te-vi (named after the song they sing) birds that are commonly found on our farm around the coffee trees and in our dry mill. The cherries for this lot partially came from the same lot as our Peixoto Honey but with very different results.

We processed the entirety of this lot in a giant ultra-hermetic bags, with a one-way air valve attached; after the fermentation started, it quickly pushed all the oxygen out, allowing the cherries to ferment in a low oxygen environment for 144 hours. This results in a lactobacillus favored fermentation, which creates both lactic acid and a multitude of fruit esters.

This fermentation style came out of years of research and experimentation on the farm in which we tried many different fermentation times, temperatures, environments, and added substrates. We found the microclimate of our farm mixed with the unique yellow catucai variety required a long and low temperature fermentation without any oxygen to emphasize the acids, body, and sweetness found in the variety. 

This lot is fully planted with the yellow catucai variety. This is the same variety as our main three lots but through the processing all the natural flavor has evolved. The citric/malic acidity present in our main lots presents as grape, and pineapple, while brand new flavors like red wine and bubble gum get added to the mix.

We slow dried this coffee on concrete patios until it arrived at the optimal moisture content. This slow drying enhances the fruit characteristics and allows the coffee to hold its flavor long after the harvest.

When roasting this coffee, we wanted to showcase the unique characteristics of this coffee. We achieved this by roasting to a similar development as the main lots but with a hotter and faster approach to the end of the roast. This leaves the fruit notes intact while also allowing the sugars to caramelize creating higher sweetness and body.

The result is highly clean and fruited cup, with a vibrant acidity, silky and coating body, and a cup that continues to evolve throughout the cup – showcasing the complexity it offers.

Farm details:

Farmer:          José Augusto Peixoto

Farm:             Fazenda São José da Boa Vista

Region:          Sul de Minas

Country:         Brazil

Altitude:         1250 MSL

Process:          Low o2 Natural

Varietal:         Yellow Catucai

Flavor profile:

Taste:             Blackberry, cranberry, mango, kiwi, bubble gum, winey, banana chips

Acidity:          Medium intensity/bright

Sweetness:    Medium intensity/soft

Body:            light/silky