Clayton Barrossa

  • Farm

    Ninho da Águia (~55 ha incl. protected area in national park)

  • Country

    Brazil

  • Region

    Caparaó (Alto Caparaó), Minas Gerais

  • Varieties

    Red Catuaí

  • Crop

    May - November

  • Cooperation

    Since 2016

Clayton Barrossa

Clayton - farmer, roaster, surfer, father of four daughters and above all, a superstar of the new era of specialty coffee in Brazil.

Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa
Clayton Barrossa

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Watch the video from the farm

Ninho da Aguia
Ninho da Aguia

Farm

A visit to the Ninho da Aguia farm (Eagle's Nest) of our long-time friend Clayton Barrossa is an annual gift for us. The Caparaó region is one of the most beautiful national parks in Brazil. It borders the state of Minas Gerais to the west and Espirito Santo to the east. The climate here is completely different from other places where we buy Brazilian coffee. The farms are located at the foot of the Pico da Bandeira mountain, which is the third highest in Brazil at 2,892 m. The climate here is the coldest in all of Brazil. Winter temperatures drop to -10°C. Coffee cultivation is therefore very specific. The harvest is shifted from August to November. The cherries ripen more slowly and drying on African beds is only possible in the shade due to frequent rains and cold nights. It often takes up to 20-30 days.

What makes this farm unique in the world is the amount of roasted coffee sold right on site. After winning the "Coffee of the Year" competition in 2014 and 2015, Clayton has become a target for tourists who are hungry to taste the "best" Brazilian coffee. Clayton roasts a large part of his entire harvest on his 15 kg Atilla roaster, which he then sells directly in the family cafe and shop, which is managed by his wife Rosangela. Several world-class roasters, including ours, then "compete" for the remaining lots.

Producer

Clayton got into coffee farming somewhat by accident. The family farm was founded by his great-grandfather a century ago. Clayton’s father, Mr. Aídes Gomes Monteiro, left the farm in the 1960s due to low prices and the difficulty of growing coffee in a cold climate and moved to São Paulo, where he raised his son and two daughters. Clayton returned to the Caparaó region in 1996, thinking that he would work on the farm for 6 months a year and spend the other 6 months doing what he loved, surfing. Clayton hasn’t surfed much in the last 30 years, but he has become one of the most respected producers in the region.

Processing

Selective cherry picking and transparent microlots are the basis of Clayton’s work. After sorting the cherries in water by density, the cherries are dried on beds in the shade or under foil. At first, they are turned many times a day; later, the layer is thickened to extend the drying time, bringing complexity of flavors to the cup. The typical drying time is 20-30 days; the flavor profile of coffees from the Ninho da Aguia farm is full of tropical fruits and flowers, which is very atypical for Brazil.

Fun Fact

His father, Aides, who is now 87 years old, is also working on the farm again with Clayton and his family.

Enjoy with

Farm • Ninho da Águia

Brazil
435 Kč
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