Brazil Luiz Paulo Starmaya Fermented Natural - Filter Roast

COUNTRY - Brazil
REGION - Carmo de Minas
ALTITUDE - 1300 M.A.S.L
VARIETAL - Starmaya
PROCESSING METHOD - Fermented Natural

Specialty coffee producer Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho is the eldest of four brothers in his family, and, together with his cousins, are all fourth generation coffee `producers who are rooted deep in the local coffee culture history of the Carmo de Minas region.
Beyond the historical understanding, however, Luiz Paulo recognised his local coffee growing area had an incredibly unique identity, resulting in coffees with such distinct flavours that should be placed amongst the greatest world-wide, but there also seemed to be a lack of appreciation for this region in the buying market. This region that homed thousands of lives depending on the cash from cultivating coffee.
Recognising this disparity. Luiz Paulo with his cousin Jacques Pereira Carneiro began a pioneering project: the valorisation of special coffees of Carmo de Minas.
During this period, Luiz Paulo married his wife Mariana Poli, who supported Luiz Paulo through this endeavour. In 2007, Luiz Paulo and Jacques Pereira began CarmoCoffees, with the aim of exploring potential sustainability in coffee business.
This goal has been possible due to Luiz Paulo’s studies, having graduated in Business Administration in Sao Lourenco prior to his pioneering project. Not only does CarmoCoffees pay attention to sustainable coffee business practices, but they also boost research on coffee, and operate in a direct trade channel with
exporters. With a greater appreciation for coffee, many coffee growers and families in the area have been able to improve their lives through greater cultivation and processing understandings.
“My passion is the search for quality. It means being able to improve our coffees every year. I love being part of that process,” - Luiz Paulo

NATURAL PROCESS
The ripe coffee cherries are hand picked and allowed to dry completely around the seed before being husked or hulled off. While historically this hulling was done by hand with a kind of mortar-and-pestle setup, today it’s done by machinery that can be finely calibrated.
While the coffee is drying the sugars are continually fermenting inside the cherry while there is enough moisture to feed the microorganisms. This can take up to 30 days on average.
Due to the long fermentations, natural processed coffees often display fruity or “pulpy” flavours, often described as “boozy” or “winey”; can also have strong nutty and/or chocolate characteristics, and typically has a heavier or syrupy body

Starmaya is the first F1 hybrid propagated by seed rather than through costly biotechnology. It is a cross between Marsellesa and a male-sterile Ethiopian or Sudanese landrace variety.

During the mid-to-late 2000s, CIRAD and ECOM field-tested the hybrid in Nicaragua. Studies show it can grow at medium altitudes while still producing high yields and desirable flavour profiles.

Other characteristics include a large bean size, greener leaves, and a higher resistance to leaf rust. The variety thrives at a medium growing altitude between 800 and 1,400 m.a.s.l, typically considered being the average height in Central America.