Story
The history of Coffee du Bernardes is marked by the Bernardes family's passion for coffee cultivation. In the 1970s, they moved to the municipality of Medeiros, which is part of the Serra da Canastra Mountains region, in the locality of Gurita, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and started producing coffee as a family. Over the years, each member formed their own family and divided the plantations, but they remained united by their love for coffee.
Flavio and Antônio Kellysson Bernardes, who are currently responsible for coffee production, value sustainability and environmental protection. They use the coffee husks that come out during the processing to fertilize the coffee plants, in addition to using biological insecticides that do not harm the environment. The harvest is carried out manually and mechanically, and the drying process is carefully executed on sun-drenched patios, resulting in superior quality beans.
In this batch of coffee that you are receiving, the IBC 12 variety is the star and has a unique and distinctive flavor, a result of the dedicated and passionate work of the Bernardes family. In 2017, the brothers planted the first IBC 12 coffee plantation, harvesting the seeds on a farm in the municipality of Piumhi, Minas Gerais. In the first production, the coffee impressed everyone with its size, sweetness, and high score on the SCA scale. Since then, the family has been dedicated to further improving the production of this special coffee.
The coffees produced by the Bernardes family are natural, sun-dried with care and attention by family members, ensuring the best quality beans with special flavours and aromas originating from the typical climate of the Serra da Canastra Mountains in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Most Brazilian coffees are either naturally processed or pulped-natural also known as semi-washed. Natural processing is the oldest process out there. The process itself starts with picking coffee cherries, followed by drying them without removing skin or mucilage. Pulped natural /semi washed then only differs with removing the skin and some mucilage before drying begins.
Natural processing can be challenging to execute without damaging the beans. However, when properly done, it can add a substantial body, sweetness, smoothness, and complexity to the taste profile. Brazil’s climate, with scarce rainfall and long periods of sunshine, makes the country perfect for natural processing. Semi-washed is a more expensive producing method but can be compensated by the fact that it avoids defects and ensures a higher quality coffee.