Brazil Cup of Excellence #9 Fazenda Das Almas

Producer Adriano Muniz
Farm Fazenda Das Almas
Plot Talhão da Paineira
Municipality Cabo Verde
State Minas Gerais
Region South of Minas

Sun Exposure Sun grown
Farm Size 109ha, 40ha dedicated to forest
Altitude 1,150 masl
Latitude -21.434381
Longitude -46.340730

Variety Arara
Process Natural
Fermentation Anaerobic 140 hours and inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Drying Patios and Mechanically

Harvest 2025/26

Flavor Caramel, Honey, Cherry, Banana Split, Dried Fruit
Descriptors Winey, Creamy Mouthfeel

Certifications UTZ and Rainforest Certified, Cup of Excellence 2025 #9 Experimental

About this coffee Fazenda Das Almas is a truly beautiful place that Adriano and his son, Matheus, have spent years carefully protecting and restoring. What began with Adriano in 2004 as a personal curiosity—gradually removing coffee trees to allow native forest to regenerate—has evolved into a farm-wide commitment to environmental stewardship.

Today, natural forest covers 38% of the property, nearly double the 20% required under Brazilian law. These forests protect the farm's 21 natural springs while providing ecological reserves and wildlife corridors for native flora and fauna. That same environmental philosophy extends throughout the operations at Das Almas. Wastewater from coffee processing passes through a series of natural filtration tanks before flowing into an onsite lagoon and eventually being returned to the fields, never entering the local waterways. The farm is powered by solar energy, with surplus electricity fed back into the nearby town of Cabo Verde. In 2017, the family installed a biogas generator fueled by organic waste produced through coffee processing and farming.

This lot from Fazenda Das Almas placed 9th in the 2025 Cup of Excellence and was harvested from the Talhão da Paineira plot, where the Arara varietal is cultivated. The harvested cherries were sorted before being sealed in large stainless steel tanks for approximately 141 hours. During fermentation, a selected strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast was introduced to guide microbial activity and shape the coffee's flavor development. Cherries were then transferred to concrete drying patios and spread in thin layers for the first two days. As moisture content decreases, the drying layers are gradually deepened and the turning frequency adjusted to ensure even drying. The final stage is completed mechanically at temperatures below 38°C, protecting the seed's cell structure and embryo. They then utilized tall wooden boxes to rest and homogenize the lot of coffee for approximately 18 days before being submitted to the competition.