Brazil Fazenda Ipanema "Dulce"

Sweet Maria's Coffee

For more information on Utz Kapeh ( a sort of "Fair Trade Lite" designation) see this article. The Fazenda Ipanema "Dulce" (sweet) is a traditional Brazil, prepared using the natural dry method where whole unpeeled coffee cherry is layed out to dry on the patios intact. I have seen other farms refer to their dry-process coffee as "Dulce" but i am not sure if this is a uniform designation. Basically, natural dry-process is the old, traditional Brazil method. This means that the coffee has all the pulp, fruity mucilage and skin on it as it dries. Natural coffees have greater concentrations of organic components, minerals and soluble solids, meaning that they have more body in the cup, and more intense flavors. While these flavors are chocolate and fruit in flavor, there is a husky side to them, a natural honey or naturally-dried fruit aspect to them. Some would call that "unclean" in cup character. Even Illy frowns upon the wild notes in these coffees. But these coffees have more impact, more character, than other Brazils. The "Dulce" has a raw honey sweetness to it great body, earthy chocolate tones. It has very low acidity too, which to some is ideal but it does make the cup seem a bit incomplete to me: it doesn't register on the tongue, and most of the flavors are sensed toward the back of the palate. For a infusion (French press) or drip coffee, a bit of a natural dry-processed Ethiopian (Harar etc) would add a great accent to this cup. But as espresso the top end of this cup really comes up, balancing out the overall profile: it is great straight espresso! (Like other Brazils, don't overroast or they become ashy as espresso: restrict it to Vienna or lighter.) There is also a soft winey fruit tone that lurks in the back of this cup, certainly not as pronounced as the natural Ethiopian coffees, but along these lines.

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For more information on this product, visit Sweet Maria's Coffee's website.

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