Onze Mil Virgens means ‘Eleven Thousand Virgins’. People in the region say that Onze Mil Virgens previously belonged to a bigger farm in the rural area of Rio Paranaíba that had around 11,000 acres. It was a ‘Virgen’ forest (The Cerrado biome) at the time. When it was divided into many farm lots, the sections that got separated off kept the name. 

A look at the specs –

Farm: Onze Mil Virgens (part of Sao Luiz Estate Coffee)
Varietal(s):  Red Cataui
Processing:  Honey ( Mucilage kept entirely intact)
Altitude: 1 160 metres above sea level
Owner: Ana Cecilia Velleso (Sao Luiz Estate)
Town: Rio Paranaiba
Region: Cerrado Mineiro

Onze Mil Virgens has been in Ana Cecilia Velloso’s family for four generations. Ana is an architect by trade but was born into coffee, where her great-grandfather, Miguel Veloso, was a pioneer in the Carmo do Paranaiba region. When he first established São Luiz Estate in 1969 (of which Onze Mil Virgens is part) , the Cerrado Mineiro was agriculturally underdeveloped. Manoel Velloso dos Reis, Ana’s grandfather, was also a pioneer. He took over from his father, strengthened the family’s legacy, and founded the town’s first agricultural cooperative. From there, the families reputation for quality and innovation grew.

Harvesting

Harvesting is mostly mechanized on Onze Mil Virgens with the exception of certain lots- like this one (Lot 33). The farm has plots of Yellow and Red Catuaí, Red Catucaí, Yellow Icatú, IPR 100, and Arará. Every lot is separated according to its varietal, and the harvest is planned with the intention of keeping the varietal lots seperate. The team at São Luiz have been thoroughly trained so as to ensure that the ripest cherries are picked and to minimise the picking of under-ripe beans. 

Brazil Onze Mil Virgens

Red Catuai

The cultivar was created in 1949 from a crossing of yellow Caturra and Mundo Novo, and initially called H-2077.The variety was released in Brazil 1972 after pedigree selection (selection of individual plants through successive generations) and is in wide cultivation there. (Source- www.coffeeresearch.org). The name means ‘Very Good’ in Tupi-Guarani language.

Processing

Ana and her team were surprised with the amount of sweet and sticky mucilage remaining on the coffee parchment after the coffee was pulped. The team then decided to use a modified honey process, where the mucilage is kept entirely intact, rather than placing the coffee in a demucilager to determine the level mucilage to be left on the coffee parchment.

This lot was taken to the patio and spread in a thin, one bean layer for sun-drying. The coffee stayed one week on the patio and was regularly turned to prevent excessive fermentation. After a week, the layer was made a little thicker to reduce moisture loss. When it reached the proper moisture levels, it was taken directly to the warehouse, where it was kept in parchment ( the last shell like layer surrounding the bean) for 60 days. 

Conclusion 

In the cup expect milk chocolate, red grape and fig. Medium bodied and smooth. A high quality and tasty daily drinker that’s excellent value for money. Until next time.

A look at the specs of these two delicious coffees-

Gigesa Guji
Varietal(s):  Heirloom (Arabica)
Processing:  Fully washed & dried on raised beds
Altitude: 1,800 to 2,000 metres above sea level
Owner: Various smallholder farmers
Town: Denbi Uddo, Shakisso District
Region:  Oromia, Guji

Sidamo Werka
Varietal(s): Heirloom (Arabica)
Processing: Natural
Altitude: 1 900 to 2 050 metres above sea level
Owner: Various smallholder farmers
Town: Werka, West Arsi Zone
Region: Nensebo Woreda, Sidamo

The Guji region

Like Yirgacheffe, coffees from the Guji area were previously categorised together with coffees from Sidamo (a very wide geographical classification encompassing much of central-south Ethopia). However Guji coffees are quite distinct from either Yirgacheffe or Sidamo. Located in southern Sidamo, the people of Guji have a long tradition of coffee cultivation. They are called the Oromo people and the hills and landscape allow for particular cultivars to develop in this region.

The Sidamo region

Sidamo (or Sidama – the latter refers to the Sidama people, the former is what used to be known as Sidamo province) covers a large area in Southern Ethiopia spreading through the fertile highlands south from Lake Awasa in the Rift Valley. It is made up of over 20 different administrative areas, or ‘ woredas ’, with varying microclimates and altitudes. There is a big variety of both grades and cup profiles that end up labeled as Sidamo. The famous Yirgacheffe region geographically lies within Sidamo, though it is ultimately classified as its own coffee region.   Most central-southern coffees from Ethiopia are considered ‘Sidamo’ and are then classified further using certain town names or micro-regions.

Ethiopia Gigesa Guji washed

It’s all in the Genes

These coffees, and Ethiopian coffees in general are unique in that they are always composed of heirloom varieties and not too mention it’s the birthplace of Arabica ( Southern Sudan is a likely candidate for that title too).

The genetic database for the Arabica species in Ethiopia is the largest the world has to offer. Aaron Davis and colleagues from Kew Botanical gardens in the UK have been working for a number of years now in Ethiopia in classifying various varieties of Arabica, primarily as a means to develop new hybrids that can combat the deleterious effects of climate change but also with the hope of finding new and exciting varieties. This is a necessary step to prevent early extinction of the Arabica species.

Conclusion

This is an excellent opportunity to taste a wet processed and natural processed Ethiopian coffee side by side. In the cup you can expect-
Gigesa Guji – Crème caramel, orange, vanilla pod. Light and velvety with a tart, apple-like acidity.
Werka – Nougat, litchi , blackcurrant. Buttery, with a tangy, berry-like acidity.

Until next time.