From the plant to the cup | Part 2
Our Brazilian coffee has now arrived. Both containers reached the port of Hamburg safely and have been stored there.
Our Brazilian coffee has now arrived. Both containers reached the port of Hamburg safely and have been stored there. The first container contained eleven lots, while the second contained three slightly larger lots. The coffee will remain in the port until it is called up by the roasters and begins the next stage of its journey – to the roasters.
These coffees are imported under the ‘amarella’ label. A label that tells a complete story. All coffees must be of outstanding quality, and all background information such as producer, farm name, plot designation, variety, altitude, processing and total harvest quantity must be known and is already indicated on the bag.
Unlike normal Brazilian coffee sacks, which weigh 60 kg, the coffees selected for ‘amarella’ are shipped in specially made 30 kg sacks. Any expert can confirm that this is economic madness, because a 30 kg sack costs the same to produce as a 60 kg sack. From a business perspective, this approach simply doubles the cost of packaging the green coffee.
Nevertheless, it is the right thing to do and will find numerous imitators. This is because many major problems with coffee arise during storage and shipping. If the coffee has not been properly processed and dried homogeneously and then stored in a moisture-protected environment, it will quickly start to rot. This phenomenon occurs particularly frequently with bulk shipments in big bags or with loose transport in containers. The tarpaulins used to package this coffee do not allow air to circulate. If there is a pocket of moisture in the coffee, a rotting process begins that can affect the entire batch. The advantage of traditional coffee sacks is obvious – they can breathe.
Nevertheless, this risk exists for all coffee, which is why it must be checked at every stage for signs of excessive moisture (normal residual moisture up to approx. 11%) or rotting.
Climate change has led to a shortage of jute in Brazil, which has recently resulted in the introduction of polypropylene (PP) coffee sacks. These imitate the traditional sacks in appearance. It remains to be seen whether the neutral taste of this material will prevail as an advantage, or whether there will also be difficulties with the breathability of these new sacks.
The largest batch of coffee from the Dutra brothers in the first container comes from the ‘Agua Limpa’ (meaning ‘clean water’) farm, from the ‘Pedra Grande’ (‘big stone’) plot, which is located at an altitude of 1,100 metres. There are 362 bags (30 kg each) of Catuai vermelho (red Arabica variety), which have been wet processed (pulped natural).
Almost no coffee roasters have this information. And it is only this information that enables the roasting profile to be precisely adapted to the coffee in order to achieve the optimal flavour.
#coffee #café #coffee culture #Amarella #coffee packaging #high-quality coffee #coffee quality #sustainability #climate change #coffee logistics #roasting profile #Arabica #Catuai #agriculture #coffee lovers #coffee journey #coffee knowledge #transparency #durability #coffee passion # Coffee enjoyment #Care #Coffee farm #Coffee beans #Coffee processing #Premium coffee
Climate change has led to a shortage of jute in Brazil, which has recently resulted in the introduction of polypropylene (PP) coffee sacks. These imitate the traditional sacks in appearance. It remains to be seen whether the neutral taste of this material will prevail as an advantage, or whether there will also be difficulties with the breathability of these new sacks.
The largest batch of coffee from the Dutra brothers in the first container comes from the ‘Agua Limpa’ (meaning ‘clean water’) farm, from the ‘Pedra Grande’ (‘big stone’) plot, which is located at an altitude of 1,100 metres. There are 362 bags (30 kg each) of Catuai vermelho (red Arabica variety), which have been wet processed (pulped natural).
Almost no coffee roasters have this information. And it is only this information that enables the roasting profile to be precisely adapted to the coffee in order to achieve the optimal flavour.
#coffee #café #coffee culture #Amarella #coffee packaging #high-quality coffee #coffee quality #sustainability #climate change #coffee logistics #roasting profile #Arabica #Catuai #agriculture #coffee lovers #coffee journey #coffee knowledge #transparency #durability #coffee passion # Coffee enjoyment #Care #Coffee farm #Coffee beans #Coffee processing #Premium coffee
Author:
Dr. Steffen Schwarz
Our latest blog posts
Find out more about our latest blog posts here.
Or subscribe to our The Coffeeologist newsletter by email or on LinkedIn.
Unlocking the Future of Coffee: Why the Nagoya Protocol Matters Now More Than Ever
August 3, 2025
Dr. Steffen Schwarz
The Boiling Point: How Climate Extremes Are Reshaping Global Food and Coffee-Security
July 26, 2025
Dr. Steffen Schwarz
By Dr. Steffen Schwarz, Coffee Consulate
Café in France
July 21, 2025
Dr. Steffen Schwarz
In 1644, an Armenian merchant brought the first coffee to Marseille, but the Coffee culture itself did not reach France until around thirty years later
Cuba – Queen of the Caribbean with a dark charm
July 20, 2025
Dr. Steffen Schwarz
Cuba – the mere name conjures up exotic associations with cigars, rum, cocktails, vintage cars, that incomparable yellowed charm and, of course, the music of this island.
