Commonly known as Vertentes, the cool, green hills of the region make for an ideal condition to produce quality coffee. Avelino Ferreira de Aguiar and Maria Julia de Paiva Aguiar settled in these area back in the 1920s, and with Avelino already an established coffee producer, he constantly sought for innovative tools for his farm. In addition, the processing facility which he established was a rarity at the time.
The next generations followed his footsteps in managing the farm, with Ivan Junqueira Ribeiro being the current owner of Fazenda do Cruzeiro. Avelino's great grandson unified some fragmented family farms and formed one expansive estate in 2006. Along with this wonderful family history, 394 hectares of this farm is preserved as native wilderness, striking a balance between coffee production and the surrounding ecosystem.
For this lot, the cherries are carefully harvested and delivered to the mill, where they are placed in clean plastic barrels and layered with a yeast solution. For 48 hours the cherries are fermented to develop the sugars within the cherry skin. Afterwards, the coffee is evenly spread on patios to dry under the sun until the ideal moisture content is reached.
This results in a rich and intense cacao flavour, with notes of chocolate coated cherries encompassed in a velvety texture.
Recommended to rest beans for 7-10 days from roast date before consuming.
