the best coffee in the world?
Do not let Colombians be upset by the title of this blog post. There is a slight touch of irony on it.
Brazil is the main coffee producer in the world. In 2004 it was responsible for 35% of the world exports. Its fame is due to the quality of the beans grown and the great variety of types of coffee.
The main coffee-producing states, in order of importance, are Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Paraná and Bahía. The best quality coffees are found in the south and the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais, and in the Mogiana region of the state of São Paulo.
In general, Brazilian coffee is known for its soft taste, pleasant flavour and balanced content. It is neither to acidic nor too bitter.
The importance coffee had for Brazil is seen in its history. It was coffee that brought waves of Italian and Japanese immigrants to São Paulo, and it was the commodity behind the growth of the city.
Don’t be surprised if, when ordering at a café the quintessential Brazilian cafezinho (expresso coffee) you feel let down. For a long time, the best Brazilian coffee beans were exported, while Brazilians drank a substandard product.
Thankfully, the last few years have seen a renaissance of coffee within Brazil, of which the opening of gourmet cafés is an unmistakeable sign.
The best cafés are found in São Paulo (the Octavio Café is unmissable), Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Curitiba. Santos is known as the “city of coffee” and is host to one of the most interesting museums in Brazil, the Museu do Café.
This post has 5 comments
December 18th, 2008
Thanks for the interesting article.
April 19th, 2009
Did you mention the cost of the resurgence of gourmet coffee here in Brazil? think your starbucks is expensive? At $14 a pound and more its less expensive to have the good Brazilian coffee shipped back from the US or Europe – and of course the people that pick that coffee can’t afford to have a cup. Some of the coffee Fazendas (farms) will not even sell inside the country even for the same price that they are exporting. My hope is that President Lula recognizes that all that is good is shipped out of the country, even if the people inside are willing to buy it at the same cost. soybeans (Brazil is the second largest producer of soy after the US), shoes, wood are among some of the other products
April 19th, 2009
Chris, I didn’t have Starbucks in mind so I won’t comment on that. Lula will do whatever his agronegócio allies ask him to. You can also add chicken and other basic foodstuffs to your list.
September 3rd, 2009
Even if you can’t get the good stuff in Brasil why is it seemingly always served so weak in pousada’s. I thought the Brazilians would like it strong?
September 3rd, 2009
Michael, it’s becoming much easier to get the real stuff in Brazil nowadays. Anyway, it’s got all to do with the way the coffee is prepared, I still have to stay at a pousada with a proper expresso machine – no doubt top end pousadas must have them! It’s all colander coffee produced in large quantities to last for hours.