BRAZIL ENCANTADOR: A CHARMING LIMITED RELEASE
ONE OF THE BEST BRAZILS WE’VE EVER CUPPED
Roasting in May: Brazil Encantador. This limited release is the monthly featured coffee for our Small Batch coffee subscription series.
A TRULY AMAZING COFFEE FROM A PRIME GROWING REGION
This superlative Brazil immediately cast its spell and enchanted our tasters in the Cupping Lab. Nutty flavors are a signature of Brazils, and this spectacular lot from farms near Santo Antônio do Amparo has all the rich, familiar notes we love, including elevated notes of hazelnut and almond butter. The natural processing style at the mill amplifies sweet fruit flavors enlivened by a dash of warm baking spice.
A NUANCED BEAN THAT DESERVES OUR FULL ATTENTION
We do extensive test roasts to bring out the best of each lot, and it was clear that this captivating coffee deserved our complete attention. Our roasters have over 10,000 hours of training under their belt, and mere moments in the roaster can make a difference in the cup. We roasted this Brazil across a number of roast levels, and ultimately our Roastmaster decided a medium roast profile would draw out the sweet, aromatic characteristics of these beans. We use a gentle touch, because this soft, delicate bean demands it. Understanding the nuances between roast degrees allows us to coax the best out of this outstanding Brazil. This nutty, clean cup confirms our belief that one roast style does not fit every bean.
LIVING UP TO ITS NAME
We love brewing this Brazil as a pour over, but it’s also amenable to a press pot or even cold brew. We can’t wait for you taste the nutty creaminess for yourself, and then you can call it what you want. Get ready to be charmed by this Brazil.
NOTES FROM THE PEET'S ROASTERY
"A natural processed coffee from the Cerrado region of Brazil, this lot of small, light-green beans arrived to our Roastery in superb condition with nary a defect.
Responding well to changes in heat, the roast was rapid but steady, with a lively pop that accompanied its surprisingly early finish. We call it the sweet spot in roasting. That's really the whole idea: to draw out the most sweetness and the most aromatics, the most flavor. We have to be a bit gentler with this bean. It's not a Kenya, it's not grown at 6,000 feet. So, it's a little bit softer, and what we're trying to do is deliver the coffee at the peak of the roast, which is going to have to be slightly less aggressive than other roasts. First crack started with one or two individual pops, but built up fast and had a nice snap, giving an obvious cue to reduce heat early, particularly compared with fan-favorite Brazil.
We expected it to be nutty—it’s a Brazil, after all—but this small batch lot has a lovely depth of spice and hints of apple skin that really stood out. It has a lot of the dark roast flavor notes that people look for just based on the origin of the beans, those nutty sweet notes. It's not going to be super bright or floral like you find in a light or medium roasted coffee from, say, east Africa. While it’s technically a medium roast, when you brew it in the cup, you're not going to be thinking about that. It definitely hits the sweet spot, and some of us have been known to enjoy a pot or two at home before heading into the Roastery. Sweet, creamy, great texture: a winner."
-John Nicolini and Michael Madden, Roasters
LIMITED RELEASE PEET’S COFFEES
You might think that a monthly coffee subscription sounds amazing in and of itself, but Peet’s Small Batch coffee-of-the-month takes it a step further. These are microlot coffees, which is why you can only find them at peets.com and you can only access them if you have a subscription. They’re special—their rarity means they can sell out—fast. Subscribing ensures you get to taste each one of these remarkable lots. And if you’re a tried-and-true fan and subscribe to of one of our other coffees or subscription series, not to worry: you can do an add-on of this limited release to your next shipment. At least, while it lasts.