Brazil Campos Altos is a naturally processed specialty green coffee from the Cerrado Mineiro region of Minas Gerais — Brazil's first Denomination of Origin coffee zone and one of the country's most consistent producers of specialty-grade Arabica. This lot blends Catuai and Arara varieties, screen-sorted to 16 and above for uniform roasting across batch sizes, and scored SCA 83. Catuai brings a clean, structured base that has defined Brazilian specialty coffee for decades. Arara is a newer high-scoring Brazilian variety — a cross between Mundo Novo and Obatã — that contributes fruit-forward complexity and a distinctive sweetness that elevates the cup beyond a standard Brazilian natural profile. Grown at 1,000 to 1,200 masl and sun-dried whole, the result is a balanced, sweet cup built around caramel, milk chocolate, and stone fruit with a full smooth body and soft acidity. Available in 1 lb, 2.5 lb, 10 lb, 15 lb, and 30 lb.
Ships across Canada. Wholesale supply available.
Cup profile +
Aroma
Sweet, nutty, light fruit, caramel warmth
Tasting notes
Caramel, milk chocolate, stone fruit
Acidity
Soft, balanced, non-assertive
Body
Rounded, rich, coating
Finish
Sweet, clean, lingering caramel and chocolate
Roasting guide +
Screen 16 and above sorting means every bean in this lot is within a consistent size range, which significantly reduces the density variation that causes uneven development in unsorted Brazilian lots. This makes Campos Altos one of the more reliable Brazilian greens for production roasting at scale. Catuai roasts with well-defined first crack signals. Arara has slightly higher density and may trail first crack by a few seconds — both signals are well within normal range for a sorted natural lot at this altitude.
Medium roast
Drop 45 seconds after first crack. Caramel and stone fruit most expressive. Milk chocolate rounds the profile. Clean finish. Recommended for single origin filter, pour-over, and espresso where origin character leads.
Medium-dark roast
Drop 75 seconds after first crack. Chocolate deepens, caramel richens, stone fruit fades to background warmth. Full body peaks. Primary roast level for espresso blending — strong body anchor with natural sweetness. Works across all milk-based drinks.
Dark roast
Drop 10 seconds after second crack. Bold dark chocolate and roasted character. Sweetness persists as background warmth. Heavy body. Suited to commercial espresso blends at volume and French press programs.
About this coffee +
Cerrado Mineiro is Brazil's first coffee Denomination of Origin, officially recognised by the Brazilian government in 2013. The designation requires that coffee bearing the Cerrado Mineiro name is grown within the defined geographic boundaries of the region, meets minimum altitude and quality standards, and is processed and certified within the region. For green coffee buyers, the Denomination of Origin status provides a legally protected quality indicator that standard Brazilian export grades do not — it is the Brazilian equivalent of a French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for wine. The Campos Altos municipality sits within this protected zone at 1,000 to 1,200 masl, in the elevated plateau terrain that defines the best Cerrado Mineiro producing areas.
The Catuai and Arara variety blend in this lot is worth understanding for roasters developing their green coffee knowledge. Catuai is one of Brazil's most widely planted Arabica varieties, known for its consistent cup quality, disease resistance, and reliable harvest yields — it forms the structural backbone of this lot. Arara is a more recent variety, developed from a cross between Mundo Novo and Obatã by the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas. It produces larger, denser beans than Catuai with higher cup scores and a more expressive fruit character that adds dimension to the blend. Together they produce a cup that is more interesting than a single-variety Catuai lot while remaining approachable and consistent for production roasting.
Screen 16 and above sorting removes undersized and irregularly sized beans before export, leaving a physically uniform lot that roasts more evenly across batch sizes. For commercial roasteries managing quality consistency across high-volume production, screen-sorted Brazilian greens reduce the defect-driven variability that unsorted lots introduce. For home roasters, the sorting means fewer outlier beans that require additional sorting before roasting.
Specifications +
Origin
Brazil
Region
Campos Altos, Cerrado Mineiro, Minas Gerais
Designation
Denomination of Origin — Cerrado Mineiro
Process
Natural (Sun-Dried)
Variety
Catuai and Arara
Grade
Specialty — SCA 83, Screen 16+
Altitude
1,000 to 1,200 masl
Species
100% Arabica
Recommended roast
Medium, medium-dark, dark
Available sizes
1 lb, 2.5 lb, 10 lb, 15 lb, 30 lb
Frequently asked questions +
What is the Cerrado Mineiro Denomination of Origin?
Cerrado Mineiro is Brazil's first coffee Denomination of Origin, officially recognised in 2013. The designation legally requires that coffee bearing the name is grown within the defined geographic boundaries of the region, meets minimum altitude and quality standards, and is processed and certified within the area. For buyers, the Denomination of Origin provides a legally protected quality indicator that goes beyond standard Brazilian export grades. It is broadly comparable to wine appellations in France or Italy — a geographic quality guarantee backed by national law and regional producer organisations.
What is the Arara variety and how does it affect the cup?
Arara is a Brazilian Arabica variety developed by the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas from a cross between Mundo Novo and Obatã. It produces larger, denser beans than Catuai with a more expressive cup profile — higher sweetness, more fruit complexity, and typically higher SCA scores than comparable Catuai lots from the same region. Arara is relatively new to the specialty market and is increasingly sought by roasters looking for a Brazilian variety that stands out from the standard Catuai or Bourbon profile. In this Campos Altos blend, Arara adds the stone fruit dimension and elevated sweetness that distinguish it from a standard single-variety Cerrado natural.
What does Screen 16 and above mean for roasting?
Screen sizing grades green coffee beans by physical size using perforated screens measured in 64ths of an inch. Screen 16 means beans pass through a 16/64-inch screen and are retained, indicating a minimum bean size that filters out small, underdeveloped, or irregularly sized beans. Lots sorted to Screen 16 and above roast more evenly than unsorted lots because the beans have a consistent density range, which means they all absorb heat at a similar rate. For home roasters this means fewer outliers to hand-sort before roasting. For commercial roasteries it means more consistent development across large batches.
How should I store this green coffee?
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct light and moisture. Green coffee is stable for 12 to 18 months in correct storage conditions. We ship all our green coffee in 9 layer hermetic Ecotact bags to preserve moisture content and the aromatic character of this lot between roasting sessions.
