ESPÍRITO SANTO: THE CAFEES AND THE MOUNTAINS
In July 2022, we got to know some of our favorite producers up close in the mountainous region of Espírito Santo. Edinaldo Costalonga, a skilled producer and dear to us, was the one who guided us through the farms; he is known and loved by most producers. Many mountains and cold winds surrounded our days, the mild climate is a relevant factor in the production of high density and complex coffees.
Due to the climate, maturation tends to be slower, so the fruit absorbs even more nutrients and develops more sugars. The vast majority of producers use pulping machines, which provide sufficient pressure to remove only the skins of the fruit, thus leaving only the grains exposed, ready for drying. This step contributes to more homogeneous drying.
In the second part of the trip, we went to Alto Caparaó to visit the Ninho da Águia farm, owned by Clayton Barrosa. This region is a little warmer, which is why Clayton dries the coffees naturally. He became known for the consistency and quality of his coffees, some of which are produced in agroforestry. This production system consists of combining other fruits and plants, enriching the soil and helping to form a biodiverse ecosystem, ideal for recovering the soil, keeping it healthy and ensuring the preservation of the region.
Beautiful coffees demand special attention at each stage, not by chance, but by hard work. On this trip, we saw up close how laborious it is to grow high-quality coffee. Witnessing a little of the producers' routine made us value this work and each coffee bean we receive in our cafes even more. The potential that the Espírito Santo region has is on the same level as countries in Africa and Central America, this excites us and moves us to look for more brilliant coffees in our country.
