Lot DT 11 - 03/03: Macabeia (LOT 03)

MACABEA holds a place in many brazillian hearts – the very popular classic The Hour of the Star (A Hora da Estrela), by Clarice Lispector, touched many young adults with its melancholic and poetic narrative. Lispector, a master of making even the most ordinary things seem magical, tells the story of the poor orphan Macabea who moves to Rio de Janeiro looking for better opportunities. Macabea is very shy, uneducated and lonely, shares a house with three other women, works at a factory and spends her free time listening to the radio. Very sad after a breakup, Macabea goes to a fortune-teller who deceives her by saying great things about her future. Flustered by these words, she goes jaywalking and gets hit by a car. Laying on the ground and wounded, Macabea realizes that a lot of people are looking at her – she feels seen for the first time in her life and thinks of that as her “Hollywood star” moment.

If you’re not familiar with the name Aramosa, you’re not the only one: this varietal is still in a “pre-cultivar” stage. That means that the genetics are being tested, and the seeds will only become available for purchase and cultivation once they are fully stabilized. We have been researching these seeds for many years with IAC, the Agronomic Institute of Campinas – today, we have our own exclusive Aramosa selections! The Aramosa is a cross between Coffea Arabica and Coffea Racemosa. This crossbreeding was performed to inherit Racemosa’s low caffeine and drought resistance and Arabica’s flavor. Because the plant produces less caffeine, the beans always taste very sweet without bitterness.
In our terroir, Aramosa usually has a very distinct flavor of flowers and grapes. In Macabea’s case, we processed the Aramosa cherries by pulping them without water – by retaining the mucilage on drying, we achieved this cup that blends the sweetness of grapes, strawberries, and cherries with unusual aromatic herbs, a touch of cocoa nibs and honey-like sweetness. It’s bittersweet, just like Macabea’s story.

Varietal: Daterra’s Aramosa
Process: Honey
Screen size: 16/18
Harvesting: Selective Mechanical
Drying: Raised Beds
Plot: BV 24 + 36