Putting together an espresso program that is effective across the entire menu is a matter of striking the right balance. It has to have body and crema in milk-based drinks, but at the same time must be clear enough that the shot doesn’t taste flat when ordered plain. Standard Brazilian beans grown in flatland usually perform well in the first half but fail in the second.
The region of Matas de Minas is the one that fills that gap. It is located in the eastern mountain area of Minas Gerais, and in almost every way it contradicts the flat, mechanized picture that most roasters have of Brazil: instead of an open savanna, it has steep hills, small family farms, and a cool, humid forest climate. The coffee from there is dense, naturally sweet, and has a roasting consistency that is difficult to find at this price level. The following explains what is actually causing this and shows where it should be placed on the menu.
Where it grows, and why the terrain changes everything
Matas de Minas is located in the southeastern part of Minas Gerais and stretches along the Atlantic Forest region close to the boundaries with Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro; in contrast, the dry, flat plateau of Cerrado Mineiro (as described in our Brazil regions guide) has a completely different climate.
The air from the Atlantic causes frequent rain, morning fog, and large temperature differences between day and night. The forest canopy shields the soil, keeping it damp and retaining the organic nutrients which would otherwise be destroyed by direct exposure to the sun. This results in cherries taking longer to ripen, and this slower ripening allows the tree to produce more complex sugars in the seed before harvest.
Hand-picked because there’s no other option
The way in which harvesting is carried out in this area differs from that in most of Brazil in that the cherries are removed from the tree. On flat land, mechanical harvesters cut entire rows at a time, picking up green, overripe, and ripe cherries together; this method is quick and cheap but requires subsequent optical sorting to detect defects.
The equipment is not suitable for use on the slopes of Matas de Minas because the ground is too steep. Farming in this area involves small, family-owned operations where pickers walk the rows on foot and select only the deep-red cherries at peak ripeness. This care in selection is having a real effect: it excludes faulty and underripe beans from the batch right from the beginning, helps retain more of the fruit’s natural sugars, and, as a result, yields lots that roast much more evenly than those from strip-picked coffee.
Altitude and why it shows up in the roaster
Farm sizes in the area range from about 600 to 1,450 meters, and in the Caparaó subsection, one of the better-known areas of Matas de Minas, the elevation approaches the upper end of that range. The finest specialty plots are usually found on farms located between 900 and 1,300 meters.
That altitude matters for a few concrete reasons:
On cool nights, the tree’s metabolism slows, and it stores sugar in the seed rather than using it up when temperatures fall in the valleys.
The longer the ripening period, the greater the amount of minerals acquired. Since the growth process is slower, the seed has more time to absorb nutrients from the mountain soil, causing a denser bean.
The density affects the way the beans roast. Denser green coffee conducts heat more evenly, is more tolerant of a hot charge, scorches less easily, and generally maintains its structure during the first crack.
The varietals doing the work
Producers here lean on several varietals suited to sloped, humid ground:
Red Catuaí is a compact plant which withstands wind well on exposed slopes; in the cup it exhibits the sweetness of cane sugar, a smooth body, and clear cocoa notes.
Mundo Novo is a natural combination of Sumatra and Bourbon, which grows tall and has a deep root system, allowing it to draw minerals from deeper in the soil; it tends to produce a heavier mouthfeel, more intense caramel notes, and greater solubility during extraction.
Catucaí is a hybrid of Icatu, and in this area both the red and yellow varieties of Catucaí are found, it being well adapted to the humid forest climate.
What ends up in the cup
Processing choice, natural versus pulped natural, shifts the details, but the region has a recognizable fingerprint regardless:
- Aroma: orange blossom, jasmine, roasted hazelnut
- Flavor: milk chocolate, raw panela sugar, yellow peach, dried apricot, toasted almond
- Acidity: medium and soft, citric rather than sharp
- Mouthfeel: velvety and sweet, with a lingering dark cocoa finish
Natural lots that have been pulped appear brighter and cleaner, with greater clarity reminiscent of stone fruit; full greenlot naturals, on the other hand, go further into a heavier body and sweetness, with almost no harsh edge.
Where it fits on an espresso menu
As a single-origin espresso, it offers a simple option for customers who find washed coffees with high acidity too sharp, with a round mouthfeel, thick crema, and chocolate-covered stone-fruit flavors.
The high content of soluble sugars results in a thick, long-lasting crema that remains visible when served in glasses.
The milk is cut through, and in the case of larger drinks, the caramel and cocoa base remain, whereas thinner coffees tend to disappear.
As a blending anchor, when paired with a highly acidic washed ethiopian coffee or Colombian batch, it helps stabilize the drink, reduce its sharpness, and add sweetness and body.
What to ask before you buy a lot
A few questions worth running past your importer or producer before committing:
Whether it was hand-picked selectively or in a strip manner needs to be clarified.
Since these two methods are not the same, selective picking is the one that actually reduces the number of defects and increases sweetness.
What are the moisture and water activity figures?
You should aim for a green moisture content of 10.0% to 11.5% and a water activity below 0.60 to prevent premature flavor fading during storage.
Are we dealing with a single varietal or a co-op blend?
A single-varietal lot (for example, 100% Yellow Catucaí) has its own distinct microlot characteristics. At the same time, a blend from a regional co-op provides the volume consistency required for a year-round program.
At what time did it enter hermetic storage?
Make sure the coffee was packed in GrainPro or vacuum-sealed immediately after dry milling, so it did not absorb any ambient moisture while sitting in a warehouse.
A few questions we get on this origin
Does Matas de Minas work as a single-origin filter coffee, not just espresso?
Yes, Matas de Minas can be used to make filter coffee, not just espresso; high-altitude natural and pulped-natural beans produce a sweet, easy-to-enjoy filter coffee that suits both informal drinkers and those with a more refined palate.
For how long will fresh green coffee remain fresh?
Since the beans are dense and dried with care, high-grade batches stored in a hermetic container generally retain their flavor for 10 to 14 months after harvest.
What is the difference between this and the flatland Brazilian coffee that I usually buy?
The main difference is that it is mechanically harvested rather than hand-picked, which is clear in the defect rates and cup clarity. For the general comparison with Cerrado Mineiro, Canastra, and Mantiqueira de Minas, refer to our Brazil regions guide.
Sourcing from this region
The coffee from our Matas de Minas estates is sourced from Fazenda Inhame, a farm that has been a direct partner of ours as we have been developing this area for inclusion on our menu. Should you prefer a variety with greater brightness than one from a flatland Cerrado estate yet that remains clearly Brazilian in character, please get in touch with us, and we will send you current samples.