Direct from our Brazilian trip to origin, our April Bean of the Month Passeio Monte Belo from Brazil was selected by our COO Dave, with some expert assistance from World Cup Taster Champion Dionatan Almeida.
After sampling over 20 microlots from across Brazil, Passeio came out on top, with a cupping score of 84/100. A hand-picked, naturally processed coffee from Minas Gerais, this coffee has flavours of milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar, and molasses, with a smooth and beautiful buttery body.
Direct from our Brazilian trip to origin, our April Bean of the Month was selected by our COO Dave with some expert assistance from World Cup Taster Champion Dionatan Almeida.
After sampling over 20 micro-lots from across Brazil, the Passeio lot came out on top with a score of 84. A hand-picked, naturally processed coffee from Minas Gerais, the Brazil Passeio has flavours of milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar, and molasses, in a smooth buttery body.
The Passeio Fazenda has been producing coffee for over 110 years, under the stewardship of the Vieira Ferreira family for three generations. The hills of the property are thick with coffee trees, a mix of Catuai, Mundo Nova, Acacia, and Icatu varietals. The steep terrain is impassable to commercial coffee harvesters, so each cherry is picked by hand.
This personal touch is combined with the latest in technology after harvest, the solar-powered on-site laboratory analysing everything from the soil to the sugar content of ripening cherries.
Adolfo Henrique Vieira Ferreira, the patriarch of this coffee producing family, is passionate about advancing Brazilian coffee, serving as president of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association from 2015-2017; his wife Edilene de Souza is part of Donas do Café, a leadership program for women in coffee.
Country: Brazil
Producer: Adolfo Henrique Vieira Ferreira
Farm: Fazenda Passeio
Region: South Minas Gerais
Town: Monte Belo
Varietals: Yellow Catuai, Mundo Novo, Acaia
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1,200m above sea level.
The first note of the fragrance of Brazil Passeio takes us all up into the hillsides of Minas Gerais: coffee blossom. Classic Brazilian aromatics of roasted nuts are next in the brewing process, hazelnut and peanut.
Flavours of milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar and molasses combine to create an overall impression of rich, warm, sweetness. The acidity is very subtle, just enough to add a freshness to the buttery body. Roasted nuts come through again in the aftertaste, a sweet praline finish to the chocolate confection that is Brazil Passeio.
Aromas: coffee blossom, hazelnut, peanut
Flavours: milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar, molasses
Acidity: subtle lime
Body: buttery
Aftertaste: crisp, nutty
Cupping Score: 84
Chocolate, honey, brown sugar and molasses are perfect flavours for espresso, but you could mix things up and try the traditional Brazilian version of an short black, the Cafezinho.
Cafezinho Recipe:
Method: Bring water to boil in saucepan on stovetop, remove from heat and stir in ground coffee, steep for 1-2 minutes. You can strain the coffee if preferred, but traditionally it is poured directly into tiny short black size cups, and sipped slowly to avoid the grounds. Sugar can be added if required, but the Brazil Passeio is a naturally sweet coffee so try before adding!
Excellent coffee as described in the tasting notes
Best coffee… love Merlo❤️ it never disappoints! If you have it at home or from a Merlo coffee shop! I always get excited when my Merlo is delivered!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words about our Bean of the Month. Your excitement for our coffee is contagious and we're so glad to have you as a loyal customer Liza.
I love Merlo coffee! I order the bean of the month, it arrives at my door within a few days and I am never disappointed. Thank you!
The flavour is just lovely & sweet. My family love it too! Always enjoy receiving the BOM through my subscription. Always excited to experience new flavours . Love love
Excellent coffee
