Brazil Sao Silvestre, Andrade Family, Carbonic Maceration

GrainPro package 60 kg

Fazenda São Silvestre is located in the Serra do Salitre region, on the border between the states of Minas Gerais and Alto Paranaíba, at an altitude of around 1,200 meters above sea level. This area is known for its ideal terroir for growing fine coffee: the combination of mineral-rich volcanic soils, a mild climate with well-defined rainy and dry seasons, and high altitude provide excellent conditions for the slow ripening of the coffee cherries and a rich flavor profile.

The São Silvestre farm belongs to the Andrade family, which has deep roots in coffee farming dating back to 1901. Today, the farm is run by brothers Ismael José de Andrade and Eduardo Andrade , third generation coffee farmers. These brothers not only continue the family tradition, but actively innovate – combining modern agronomic knowledge with respect for nature and an emphasis on the quality of each lot.

The São Silvestre farm grows carefully selected Arabica varieties, most notably Yellow Bourbon , Catuai and Mundo Novo . These varieties are known for their sweetness, full body and delicate acidity – combined with the São Silvestre terroir, they create complex and elegant cups.

Although it is common in Brazil for coffee to be harvested by machine, the microlot we selected this year was harvested entirely by hand . This careful selection of only the ripest cherries contributes to the exceptional quality and purity of the resulting profile.

We have been working with the Andrade brothers for over 15 years . Our partnership is built on mutual trust, a shared passion for fine coffee and a common goal of continuous improvement. We are happy to see our collaboration continue to develop – and we are proud that the Andrade brothers are our long-term partners.

🌱 Mikrolot STL028/24 - Fazenda São Silvestre Carbonic Maceration

🟡 Step 1: Choosing a variety
Based on the sugar content measured with a refractometer, the Yellow Catuaí variety was chosen. This variety showed a high content of glucose and fructose, which is ideal for fermentation - especially in closed environments with a controlled atmosphere.

🟡 Step 2: Harvest
The main part of the ripe cherries was harvested by a high-tech machine harvester, which was set to collect mainly fully ripe Yellow Catuaí cherries. In the case of this microlot, hand picking may also have taken place in carefully selected parts of the plantation.

🟡 Step 3: Sort by density
After harvest, the cherries were transported to the processing facility at the São Silvestre farm. The first step was density sorting, which removed the light floating cherries ("floaters"), thus separating the unripe or defective pieces from the quality ones.

🟡 Step 4: Optical selection
The cherries then went through electronic color sorting, which very accurately separated ripe cherries from unripe ones – an important step for the consistency of the fermentation and the resulting flavor.

🟡 Step 5: Carbonic maceration
The selected cherries were placed in a stainless steel bioreactor, where carbonic maceration took place at a controlled temperature of 20°C. This anaerobic fermentation process lasted for 168 hours (7 days). This allowed the coffee to develop complex aromatic and flavour compounds – including typical fruity and slightly alcoholic notes.

🟡 Step 6: Drying
After fermentation, the coffee cherries were moved to raised drying beds where they were slowly dried for 22 days. This careful drying process ensures even drying of the beans, better stability in the cup and a clean taste.

Flavor profile : yellow fruit, orange, rum pralines

Country of origin : Brazil

Region : Minas Gerais/Cerrado Mineiro region

Farm : Sao Silvestre

Farmer : Famili Andrade

Altitude: 1250 m above sea level

Variety : Yellow Catuaí

Processing : Carbonic Maceration

Screen : 15+

Cupping Score : 86

Harvest: 2024/2025