Brazil - Rio Brilhante - Low Caff

ALMOND, NECTARINE, CREAM

Low Caff? Yep, not decaffeinated, no no, this is a new to varietal to me, a fairly unique crossbreed that is naturally low in caffeine (some studies suggest around 50% less caffeine content). It’s 3PM you want a coffee, but you kind of don’t want a coffee… Know the feeling? This is the one to go for.

Aside from that, it’s bloody lovely. An 88 scoring naturally processed lot, creamy mouthfeel with almond, apricot and raisin. It’s roasted light/medium and works well across all brew methods, I’m supping as filter and really enjoying it. It’d be remiss of me not to mention that this isn’t a boozy/funky natural, it drinks to me a little more delicately than a typical natural. Easy to drink, easy on the caff. Cheers.

THE COFFEE ITSELF

The Aramosa variety is grown at altitudes between 1000-1150 m.a.s.l. Produced by the Urban family, a traditional coffee farming family with both first and second generations, the father and his older children own a 1755-hectare farm, Rio Brilhante.

Of this, 840 hectares are dedicated to coffee production, and 566 hectares are set aside for preservation. The family impacts the local economy by employing 87 local workers and 199 temporary workers. After Lauirina, Aramosa is one of the lowest caffeine content varieties, with a content of 0.7% to 0.8%. Aramosa is a cross between Coffea Arabica and Coffea Racemosa. Coffea Racemosa is endemic to the native forests that stretch from South Africa to Mozambique. This variety was bred by the Agronomic Institute of Campinas, resulting in the most drought-resistant variety. It boasts an exceptional cup profile with floral and citrus notes. This coffee is picked manually, then hand-sorted to select the best cherries. The coffee cherries are fermented for 36 hours under aerobic conditions. Afterward, the coffees are transferred to a concrete patio for 15 days to sun-dry until they achieve the ideal moisture content.