Brazil -Serra Negra - Natural

About the Coffee

Serra Negra is a region in Minas Gerais, Brazil, sitting between 1,100 and 1,300 meters in the southern part of the state. The area is known for its distinct dry season, which makes it well suited to natural processing. The coffee here comes from a mix of classic varieties: Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Catuaí, and Typica, all of which have deep roots in Brazilian coffee farming.

Natural processing means the whole coffee cherry is dried with the fruit still intact around the seed. Rather than washing the fruit off immediately after harvest, the cherries are spread out and dried slowly, typically on raised beds or patios, for several weeks. This extended contact between the seed and the drying fruit is what shapes the final cup. Brazil's reliable dry season in Minas Gerais makes it possible to do this consistently without the risk of fermentation going off course from unexpected rain.

The varieties grown in Serra Negra, particularly Bourbon and its yellow mutation, are valued for producing dense, heavy beans that respond well to this kind of processing. Catuaí and Typica round out the mix, both workhorses of Brazilian coffee farming that have been cultivated in the region for generations.

About Pallet Coffee Roasters

Pallet Coffee Roasters was founded in East Vancouver in late 2014. The goal from the start was straightforward: make good specialty coffee accessible to the broader community, not just to people already deep into coffee culture.

Producer relationships are central to how Pallet sources. They work with a consistent group of farmers and partners over the long term rather than chasing one-off lots, which gives them more visibility into how the coffee is grown and processed before it reaches the roastery.

"I stumbled on Pallet's Semlin Drive location while wandering around Vancouver nearly a decade ago, and since then, they've become a major player in Vancouver's coffee scene. Like a lot of roasters we feature, Pallet's strength is roasting coffees brilliantly across the spectrum - whether you're into darker coffees, brighter coffees, or something in between."

- Dean, Director of Coffee