Daterra Sundrop Medium, Brazil

The owner of Daterra, Luis Pascoal, is a key coffee visionary in the quality movement who never tires of tweaking everything he does to improve his coffees and social/environmental policies. Daterra was the first farm in the world to package its raw coffees in sealed packages, preserving its coffee’s subtle nuances over the long oceanic journey to our shores.

Daterra is always innovating and keeping growing concerns, such as climate change, in mind. From planting 150,000 native trees throughout the farm, to composting 14,000 tons of organic matter, to working on establishing corridors to allow the natural passage of wildlife easily throughout the vast farmland, their attention is fixed on sustainability in the face of climate change. Daterra was the first coffee farm in the world to receive The Rainforest Alliance Certification Level A, their highest designation, in 2018. The farm goes above and beyond every year to achieve sustainability through its practices. Technology and consistent innovations help contribute to its ecosystem, protecting the Cerrado Bioma of Brazil, the second most important hotspot in the world.

Natural processing is traditional for regions with a dry climate, such as Brazil, and our roasts of Daterra aim to highlight their sweetness and nuanced fruit notes. For Sundrop, Daterra allowed the cherries to go one step past full maturation while staying on the trees. The coffee was then dried the rest of the way on raised beds until stabilized and ready for hulling. Absorption of starches throughout the drying process yields a full-bodied cup.

This natural-processed Brazilian coffee from Daterra showcases the characteristic profile of natural coffees, which tend toward pronounced fruit-forward sweetness through extended skin contact during drying. Roasted to a medium level by George Howell Coffee, the Sundrop emphasizes sweetness and fruit notes that highlight the processing method's influence. Natural processing allows the fruit to ferment around the bean, often intensifying berry and stone fruit qualities compared to washed counterparts. This roast level preserves the coffee's fruit complexity while maintaining balance—darker roasts might overshadow the delicate flavors developed during natural fermentation. For tasters seeking to explore how processing shapes flavor, this lot offers a direct window into the relationship between method and cup character.