Named after the crystal clear water that feeds Fazenda Rio Brilhante, this Brazilian coffee is the result of a unique blend of innovation and stewardship, with new techniques and technologies used to improve quality and conservation.

Flavour profile
Aroma: Dried blueberry, chocolate, roasted nuts
Taste: Cherry, chocolate, roasted nuts
Mouth Feel: Creamy
Finish: Sweet

About This Coffee

Producer Inacio Carlos Urban purchased the first plot of land that would become the 2,000+ hectare Fazenda Rio Brilhante in 1984. From those first few trees to today, Inacio has kept innovation and stewardship at the heart of the farm.

Rather than resting on his laurels as the owner of one of the largest farms in the Cerrado, Inacio continues to improve his rigorous quality control methods and strives for excellence in specialty production. Today, the second generation of the family, Inacio’s sons, are involved in farm operations. Inacio believes that his sons’ passion for specialty coffee will help steer Fazenda Rio Brilhante toward continued success for decades to come.

Cultivation

Inacio named his farm Fazenda Rio Brilhante, meaning “bright river,” in honor of the crystal-clear water that nourishes the farm. This water originates from the Guarani Aquifer, the second-largest underground reservoir on the planet, which runs under much of the Cerrado region and extends as far as Paraguay and Uruguay.

Inacio and his sons use a blend of modern technology and age-old agrarian wisdom to manage their farm. Soil content and tree health are tested quarterly, and the results guide the application of fertilizers and other inputs. Trained professionals conduct pruning approximately every two years.

As part of their commitment to innovation, Inacio and his sons are constantly on the lookout for new varieties, such as Arara and Paraiso, to introduce. When selecting varieties to cultivate, they look for a balance of cup quality and disease resistance.

In addition to the 1,600+ hectares planted with coffee, Inacio has dedicated another 700+ hectares to a combination of cotton, soy, tomato, beans, and grazing pasture for cattle.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

Due to their large size, most Brazilian farms are designed for mechanical harvesting and processing. The relatively flat landscape across many of Brazil’s coffee regions, combined with high minimum wages, has led most farms to adopt mechanical harvesting over selective hand-picking.

In the past, this mechanization meant strip-picking was the norm; however, today’s mechanical harvesters are increasingly sensitive, allowing farms to harvest only fully ripe cherries in each pass—good news for specialty-oriented producers.

In many cases, on less level sections of farms, a mixed form of ‘manual mechanized’ harvesting is used, where ripe coffee is picked using a derricadeira—a type of mechanized rake that uses vibration to harvest ripe cherries. A tarp is stretched between coffee trees to catch the cherries as they fall.

With the help of these newer, more selective technologies, a growing number of farms are becoming increasingly focused on—and capable of delivering—high cup quality.

After harvest, cherries are laid to dry in thin layers on a patio for five days. While under direct sunlight, they are carefully monitored and turned frequently. Then, the cherries are dried in a mechanical drum dryer for an additional four days. Once dry, they are bagged and rested for 40 days before being transported to the dry mill for processing.