Farm info

Sidney Grunewald produces coffee on his family’s farm, Sítio Grunewald, in the Itarana municipality of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Sidney is part of the fourth generation of coffee producers in his family, working the land alongside his brother, Siderly Grunewald. The brothers assumed operations at the farm from their father, Laudelino Grunewald, and now the pair each manage a part of the farm. Laudelino always worked toward high quality crops, utilizing selective harvesting techniques and Pulped Natural processing techniques to set himself apart in the region, and he passed these practices on to the brothers who now implement them with care.

Sítio Grunewald covers 21 hectares in the Montanhas do Espírito Santo region, and includes 5.5 hectares of coffee cultivation. The family grows Catucai and Catuai variety coffees, and uses both Natural and Pulped Natural post-harvest processes.

This lot of Yellow Catuai coffee underwent Pulped Natural processing. Catuai was developed by the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) of Sao Paulo State in Campinas, Brazil by crossing Mundo Novo and Caturra varieties. Catuai coffees are cultivated widely across Brazil, and are known for their high productivity potential.

Region

Montanhas do Espirito Santo

The Montanhas do Espírito Santo region is dominated by small-scale coffee-growers and is characterized by the presence of farmers who are actively engaged in the entire chain of the production process. Growers in Espírito Santo work with family members and build off of traditional knowledge to innovate and improve their quality of life and coffee.

Located in the southern area of the Espírito Santo state, where mild temperatures (73ºF) and steep highlands (between 700 and 1,000 meters) favor growing Arabica coffees, this region produces a superb quality coffee with a round body, nice acidity, and fine sweetness. While the most common process for the region is Natural, Pulped Naturals are increasing in popularity due to a program of quality launched in the 1980’s that included improvements in equipment necessary for this newer style of processing.

The state of Espírito Santo has its capital in the city of Vitoria, and the coastal location of Espírito Santo to the south of Bahia, east of Minas Gerais, and North of Rio de Janeiro makes it a popular destination for its beaches. Inland, Espirito Santo is home to natural parks and preserves that protect the rich diversity of flora and fauna. Many communities in the mountains of Espírito Santo were settled at the beginning of the twentieth century by European immigrants from Italy and the Pomeranian region along the Baltic Sea coast, straddling the border between what are now Germany and Poland.