Crown Jewel Brazil Carmo de Minas Luiz Paulo Pereira Natural Sudan Rume CJ1548 – 32473-1 – SPOT RCWHSE

taste

Taste Analysis by Chris Kornman 

If there was ever a coffee capable of shaking loose the shackles of Brazil-bias, of overcoming the odds and setting the record straight, this Sudan Rume variety from Carmo coffees is it. The distinctive combination of ancient landrace genetics, careful cultivation, and precise processing interplay perfectly in this selection cultivated by Luiz Paulo Pereira on Santuário Sul. 

This is a distinctively floral tasting natural coffee. Notes of rose and bergamot and black tea are present in most of our cuppings, and hints of lemongrass and cardamom. 

It’s also got great acidity, especially for a Brazilian grown coffee – not always known to be electric in the cup. I wouldn’t call it a zinger, per se, but it does have a great sparkle, a delicate effervescence, and we noted plenty of citric and bright malic notes like green grape, lemon, lime and apple. 

But I think it really shines in the stone fruit department. More plum-like than berry like for a natural, this is a fruity coffee that’s squarely drupe-like. I love its nectarine-ish sweetness, the aromatic apricot flavors, and unique guava fruit complexity. 

source

Source Analysis by Chris Kornman 

Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho is an undeniable creative genius and a force to be reckoned with in the coffee world. 

I first met LP in 2012, buying his family’s coffee for Intelligentsia. The son of a coffee farmer, with a legacy of award-winning cattle and coffee, like so many stories, Luiz’s comes down to a confluence of the right place, the right time, a little luck, and a lot of hard work. For a few years I was the firsthand witness to the ascent of Carmo Coffees, from a humble but delicious source of coffee that helped me shed the preconceptions I’d often heard repeated about Brazilian coffees (that they lack quality and consistency, that they’re mass-produced, that they’re not a specialty) to a world-renowned purveyor of the country’s finest. 

Luiz and I grew together during those formative years, learning about importing and exporting, contract approvals, using growth and scale to invest further in quality and innovation. I fondly remember visiting his parent’s farmhouse and celebrating our rising stars over a cafezinho, brewed by hand in one of those pour-over cloth filters, and paired with guava jelly and farm cheese and piping hot fried cornbread broas dripping with butter.  

In the years since moving to California and joining Royal I’d admittedly taken a break from buying his coffee, sold through his export company Carmo Coffees. But as it happened, we bumped into each other at the SCA Expo in Boston in April of 2022. He shared a cup of Starmaya cultivar from his Santuário Sul project with me and I spent the entire rest of the year obsessing over it. 

Royal brought in some of Luiz Paulo’s coffee into the US from the 2022 crop, and we released a Crown Jewel from his uncle’s farm last year. Around the time it arrived – a year to the day after we’d met in Boston – we sat in a dark restaurant in Portland, outside the din of the SCA Expo hall. Over a glass of orange wine and a plate of fussily arranged food neither of us knew exactly how to eat, I pleaded with Luiz, “Please, get me something like that Starmaya.” 

I’m thrilled to share with you that he did. 

This Sudan Rume is attention-grabbing and spectacular. It’s one of the most pristine expressions of the intersection of cultivar, process, and terroir I can imagine. And it’s just far too easy to drink. 

The uncommonly cultivated landrace – often used as an ingredient in hybrids rather than grown commercially – is a perfect example of Luiz’s creativity, innovative techniques and exceptional location. 

Santuário Sul is Luiz Paulo’s variety garden and experimental farm, a 300-acre tract with 30 cultivated varieties of coffee and a legacy as Cup of Excellence and Carmo Best Cup winner. The estate is located in Carmo de Minas (for which the export company is named), a small town Luiz and his family have practically put on the map.

For the past 15 years, the word Carmo has become synonymous with quality. Part of this has undoubtedly to do with the region’s naturally ideal environment. Carmo de Minas is located in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range, peaks spanning from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, and the slopes that fall within the borders of the vast bread-basket state of Minas Gerais are known under an “Indication of Origin” as the “Mantiqueira de Minas.” The region is the epicenter of some of Brazil’s most exceptional coffees and award-winning coffee farms.    

The word Mantiqueira is derived from a Tupi phrase meaning “crying mountains.” The range is rife with natural springs, including Carmo’s neighboring city of São Lourenço, where the water bursts forth from the earth, mineral-rich and effervescent. The abundance of fresh water in the region is uncommon in many Brazilian production zones, and combined with distinctive elevations, terrain unsuitable for mechanical harvesting, and smaller-than-average estates, the perfect ingredients exist in Carmo de Minas for exceptional coffees.

Perfect ingredients still require precise techniques, however, and these have been honed by Luiz Paulo, his family, and Carmo Coffees, over the years. To the untrained eye, processing natural coffees may seem a simple task – just dry the coffee in the sun! Creating coffees with flavors as unparallelled as this Sudan Rume, however, require attention and precision on every step of the journey. 

green

Green Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

Sudan Rume is typically an ingredient in making hybrids and traditionally has not been used in commercial cultivation. It has been slowly gaining traction in the specialty world and this lot will be our first Crown Jewel release of this varietal type in five years. 

With the especially low density coupled with it being a natural coffee and their tendency to take off, be sure to take extra care of this in the roaster. The sorting size has an even spread with most of the screen sizes hitting the 16-18 range.  

On the nose the green is slightly fruity and some slight discoloration that one can expect from a natural. The average moisture content is indicative of good drying practices and the green should have a lengthy shelf life with the proper storage conditions.  

diedrich ir-5

Diedrich IR-5 Analysis by Doris Garrido 

I have a Sudan Rume Variety from Carmo de Minas Brazil on my roast analysis this week, a cool coffee name for an overly complex coffee. Nevertheless, being a natural process, this coffee lets the flavors of the variety shine without overwhelming the palate. This is a clean and well-processed coffee, and you can taste it in the cup. Since the day I did my roast, I have been drinking this coffee and because of the way I perceive the body from the brew versus on the cupping table, I feel the coffee has achieved another level. This happens with all coffees, but in this one the post-roast aging process is particularly remarkable. 

As I was roasting Sudan Rume for the first time, I took into consideration the country of origin, the process, and the green grading. Based on the low-density results I decided to roast as gentile as possible. 

The charge temperature for 5.5lbs. on a 5-kilo roaster I chose was 400F, with gas set at the lowest (30%) with no airflow to start. 

After charging I waited for the turning point to decide on the next gas application. I did this to observe how fast the coffee absorbs heat based on the temperature reading at the turning point.  

At 2 minutes, I started with 70% gas and let it run until 6:09, then lowered it to 30% again. Therefore, the heat power I have applied to the whole roast was enough to allow me to enter the first crack and finish with the development I was looking for, but well measured by keeping an eye on my roasting speed. 

On this roast, I used a basic air setting. Started it at 0% at the beginning of the roast and then 50% at 345F (around minute 6:30) then opened to 100% air at 360F. The airflow decisions I made were mainly to help lower the rate of change and to clean as much smoke out of the drum as possible. 

This coffee was developed for 1:30 minutes and dropped at 397.6F. Due to the position of the roaster trier and the temperature sensor it is noticeable a bump at the end of the curve; I was trying to go by smell with not much success. At the end I went mostly by looking at the bean.  

Among all the flavor notes collected from the cuppings we did, these are the most common: Nectarine, plum, rose, peach, candy, silky strawberries.  

I would suggest treating the coffee softly, as much as possible! 

aillio bullet r1

Aillio Bullet R1 IBTS Analysis by Evan Gilman 

Unless otherwise noted, we use both the roast.world site and Artisan software to document our roasts on the Bullet. You can find our roast documentation below, by searching on roast.world, or by clicking on the Artisan links below.  

Generally, we have good results starting our 500g roasts with 428F preheating, P6 power, F2 fan, and d6 drum speed. Take a look at our roast profiles below, as they are constantly changing! 

There are some coffee varieties that are just so notable and quaffable that you anticipate tasting them even before you drop them into the roaster. Sudan Rume is one of those, notable for its incredibly unique flavor profile that can range from ginger and cardamom syrup to lemon meringue and cherry pie. Everyone at home who has read my Bullet analyses know that I’m a sucker for sweet coffee, and if the notes above don’t say sweet to you.. I don’t know what to tell ya!  

I am literally on my third cup of this coffee right now and have no idea how the first two disappeared so quickly. Perhaps this coffee counteracts the usual Tuesday time dilation. Or maybe I’ve exited Earth’s gravity well and my perception of time is being mediated by special relativity. Regardless, it’s tasty for now. Let me tell you how my roast went. 

This roast started out on the hot side at 473F, with the usual strong push of P9 and F2 fan. I really wanted to drag this out through Maillard, however, and hit P8 and F3 as my rate of change was peaking. At yellowing, I reduced heat further to P7. This roast was really cooking (moving fast), but at 360F / 5:35 I increased fan speed to F4 to spend just a touch more time in Maillard. Right at first crack, I decreased heat further to P6, and ramped up my fan to F5 to good effect. I dropped the batch at 394.5F / 8:47 with most of the roast spent in Maillard as intended.  

The results were fantastic, but of course that’s easy to say when starting with a fantastic batch of green. This coffee was easy to predict, a pleasure to work with, and a delight in the cup. Smooth sweetness like chocolate hard candy provided a solid backing to bright black cherry, floral apple, and a touch of something like ginger. Tim mentioned honey notes below, and I agree on second (and third, and fifth) tastes that there’s a distinct forest honey flavor coming through. Just a sweet and splendid coffee that keeps me coming back for more sips!  

You can follow along with my roast here at roast.world: https://roast.world/egilman/roasts/F45cHP_Fpltmmubpml6ii 

ikawa pro v3

Ikawa Pro V3 Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

Our current Ikawa practice compares two sample roast profiles, originally designed for different densities of green coffee. The two roasts differ slightly in total length, charge temperature, and time spent between color change in first crack. You can learn more about the profiles here. 

The more I sip this coffee, the more I have grown to absolutely love it. The first round of sample cupping it showed up well on the table but Doris’ production roast…unlocked something. On the table the team got notes like nectarine, rose, plum, white grapes, lemongrass, and guava – the works!  

Chuggable and attention grabbing; the two don’t often go hand in hand and in equal collaboration at that. With the help of Doris, we break down which Ikawa profile is best suited for this low-density Brazil.  

On the high-density profile, we get a vibrant, zesty, nectarine, guava like cup. Although it is a touch dark the cup remains complex and compelling. The low-density profile we got notes of green grapes, mandarin and peach juice. Overall, the cup was bit smoother, with a sharp brightness.  

We recommend trying out the low-density profile to start but when moving to a production batch to do something in the middle of the road between these two. The goal being to retain the complexity of the high-density roast while nurturing the brightness and smoothness of the low-density profile.  

You can roast your own by linking to our profiles in the Ikawa Pro app here: 

Roast 1: Low Density Sample Roast 

Roast 2: High Density Sample Roast   

brew

Brew Analysis by Tim Tran 

In approaching this naturally processed landrace cultivar from Luiz Paulo, we wanted to explore and find a brew to capture some of the qualities that make this coffee so special. A coffee grown and produced with attention to detail and care should be brewed appropriately with just as much care and effort to really help it shine, and we hopefully did it justice in our brews. 

We started our analysis with a fairly standard 1:15.79 ratio at a moderate-to-coarse grind setting in a flat-bottomed brewer. This recipe yielded a coffee that was frontloaded in taste, swimming in black tea tannins, earthiness, and some quieter fruit notes. The intensity of the brew and richness of the body were reflected in the higher-than-average TDS of 1.44, but in a classic case of a heavy-handed brew, we looked to open the coffee to a more approachable flavor intensity. 

The next brew explored a coarser grind setting to unpack some of the more intense flavor that came out of our initial brew. At a coarser grind and the same brew ratio, we found a more mellow body but the brew carried a more herbaceous profile underscoring the honey-like sweetness. 

In efforts to provide more clarity to the brew, we decided to explore a lower dose while making the grind a bit finer. Moving to a 1:17.65 ratio with a lower amount of coffee brought the TDS down to 1.21. At this moderate grind setting, the fruit notes really shone in this brew, with the lovely stonefruit notes standing over a body of honey and agave sweetness and some crisp, tart, apple notes, all while keeping the flavor and aroma of black tea tannins. This brew really highlighted some of the more fruit-forward taste we hoped to find in a naturally processed coffee. 

For the sake of exploration, we wanted to contrast our flat-bottomed brewer recipe with a conical brewer recipe. At a similar grind coarseness and ratio, we found the coffee to lean into a sweetness profile echoing caramelized sweetness with a much nuttier aroma, reminiscent of sesame. The flavor still teased at some underripe fruit notes but presented itself in a lighter-bodied cup. 

This was a lovely coffee to brew and we are excited to feature such a special coffee. For this coffee, we recommend a moderately coarse grind, a lighter dose, and a flat-bottomed brewer like the Kalita Wave. 

espresso

Espresso Analysis by MJ Smith & Alisha Rajan 

Recipe 1: 18.5g dose, 28.6 g yield, 29 seconds
Recipe 2: 19g dose, 31.6g yield, 33 seconds 

AR: This Brazil Sudan Rume from Luiz Paulo’s estate in Carmo de Minas was a delight to dial in. The bright, savory, and balanced flavors more than adequately extoll the virtues of a region that contains abundant fresh water and distinct elevations, as well as the artistry of Luiz Paulo’s processing methods. The bright yet complex citrus, ginger spice, and gentle mineral-like umami notes mirror the effervescence of the natural spring waters of the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range. The liveliness of the coffee is balanced by the earthiness of cacao, chicory, and rose, from which emerges for the taster a more complete story of the terroir. We tried many different dial recipes, but these two were our favorites.  

MJ: First up, we’ve got a shot weighing in with an 18.5g dose, a 28.6g yield, and a 29 second pull time. Yes, you read that correctly, a 28.6g yield! I’ll admit, my finger slipped and turned the shot off a little bit early, but sometimes mistakes can lead to miracles! This shot was as delicious as it was surprising! Alisha and I picked up notes of cacao, ginger, orange zest, a hint of chicory, and a bouquet of florals, including rose, hibiscus, and chamomile. Exceptional! While I really enjoyed this shot, I’m going to let Alisha tell you about our next recipe, which happened to be my favorite of the day. Take it away, Alisha! 

AR: Thanks, MJ! Our “got shot” for this gorgeous Brazil came from a dose of 19.0g, pulled at 33 seconds for a yield of 31.6g. This shot retained all our favorite flavors of lively green apple, orange, and apricot from the previous extractions, while adding earthy chicory and herbaceous elements that made our tastebuds dance! The cherry cola and zing of the ginger sang of the effervescence described in this coffee’s origin story. Playing with the yield allowed us to arrive at a concentration of flavors that was perfectly balanced, an amalgamation of all the best qualities of the previous extractions. This one was both of our favorite for sure.  

MJ: I couldn’t have said it better myself! In conclusion, we really enjoyed this coffee with a lower-than-average yield, paired with a pretty average pull time and dose. It’s wonderful on its own, but also incredible when paired with milk. This is another one of those coffees that is sure to please espresso drinkers of all different palate types! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!