Brazil
Cerrado Mineiro
Jose Serra Neto
Morro Alto
Catuaí Vermelho, Mundo Novo, Topázio e IBC 12
Natural
June-July
Brown Sugar, Fruity, Mellow
950 meters
Rainforest Alliance, 4C
59kg jute with liner
SOLD OUT
Fazenda Morro Alto is located in the city of Ibiá, Minas Gerais, in the Cerrado Mineiro region. José Serra Neto is the fourth generation of coffee producers in the family, starting with his great-grandfather, who cultivated coffee in the region of Sul de Minas. José’s father sold the farm in Sul de Minas to move to Cerrado Mineiro, where his father in law was the preseident of a coffee producers’ cooperative.
Currently, José Serra Neto also owns other properties he acquired over the years, both in Cerrado as well as Alta Mogiana. After his father died, José and his siblings continued to manage his coffee plantations, which had become a meaningful endeavor for them all.
José is dedicated to producing high quality coffees and is attentive to each stage of the process to garner the best result. He uses advanced equipment and a cement drying patio. He greatly values the sustainable production methods he employs, producing coffee without degreading the environment. This led him to earn both 4C and Rainforest Alliance certifications for Fazenda Morro Alto, which produces an annual average of 14,000 bags of coffee.
Read more about coffee harvesting and processing in Cerrado Mineiro.
The Cerrado Mineiro region, located in northwest of Minas Gerais State is a world-recognized, high-quality coffee producing origin and became the first Protected Geographical Indication in Brazil in 2005, with full Designation of Origin in 2013. A strong characteristic of this region is its well-defined seasons—a hot, wet summer followed by a pleasantly dry winter. The dry climate during harvest eliminates potential problems with humidity during the drying process.
Minas Gerais is Brazil’s principal agricultural state, and the Cerrado is home to many of the country’s celebrated coffee estates, with expertise in planting, harvesting, drying, and sorting. We love Cerrado coffees for their big body, rich chocolate notes, and velvety texture when pulled as espresso.
Today, the area’s 4,500 farmers produce a combined average of 6 million bags per harvest, with an average of 35 bags per hectare. To reach these production levels, producers had to first adapt to the region’s conditions. Coffee farmers first arrived in Cerrado in the 1970’s, after being pushed out of the state of Parana by frost and out of the state of Sao Paolo by nematodes. They found the soil in Cerrado to be very acidic, which they rectified with the application of calcium to create the healthy soils they enjoy today.
Cerrado coffee farms are cultivated in areas with elevations varying between 800 and 1,300 meters above sea level and are known for consistently producing high quality coffees with a repeatable profile. Independent of farm size, the spirit of professionalism is present throughout Cerrado’s coffee producers.
Entrepreneurialism is part of farmers’ DNA, and many producers are second or third generation growers who also hold degrees in agronomic engineering, business management, and administration. While each family narrative is different, Cerrado is characterized by an enterprising attitude.