Brazil - Recommended coffee

I've heard Brazil produces good coffee. What are the best brands of ground coffee? Thanks

Brazil ships most of the good stuff abroad.
(Note: We use Pilao at home, as do many Brazilians we know, all of whom are finicky about coffee. Reasonably cheap, reasonably good and readily available.)

Brazil ships most of the good stuff abroad.
(Note: We use Pilao at home, as do many Brazilians we know, all of whom are finicky about coffee. Reasonably cheap, reasonably good and readily available.)

Excelente. That's the info I was looking for. Thanks

How are people sure the best stuff is shipped abroad? I've heard that from many countries.

What kind of coffee do you like? If you go into a grocery store you'll see lots of types, including suave, tradicional, forte (strong), organico, etc. I've not found one best brand. Lots of people say they prefer one brand or another, sometimes because that's what they're used to or because of marketing. I know people n Ceará who buy only Santa Clara. Or Pilao. Or 3 Coracoes. Some brands are regional (e.g., Nordestino in, of course, the Northeast). I liked Marata, from Sergipe, but can't say I can taste a big difference between the same types of different brands. I think how you make it is as important as the particular brand.

If you're buying it to take home as a gift, I'd personally buy the brand thathas the nicest-looking (perhaps most exotic) packaging.

How are people sure the best stuff is shipped abroad? I've heard that from many countries.


Well not always. I usually don't look for pisco or alpaca clothes abroad ;)

I just ask as a reference. Yes I'm not sure it will be the best coffee, it depends on preferences (Beatles vs. Rolling Stones? 7UP vs Sprite?). Marketing is a matter of perceptions, not realities. That's right. But what I want to avoid is to buy a tourist trap, so that's why I found VidaNaPraia useful.

Yes it's as a gift (and maybe I'll buy one bag for me), but the nicest-looking packaging is not always the best (rule of thumb for example: never buy a wine with a flashy label on the bottle).

In Peru you usually find those Pisco bottles with the shape of an Inca. That's kind of a tourist trap product. I always suggest tourists to avoid that Pisco. Not only it's not the best, but I've heard it's bad. The most aromatic, good Piscos IMHO are Biondi, Demonio de los Andes, Viejo Tonel. Of course some peruvians will not agree with me. Some of them probably will mention other brands, because it's a matter of preferences. But I think they'll agree that I'll hit the mark with those brands anyway, for a gift.

So maybe my question was not about the best, but a very well accepted coffee by brazilians. So I'm going back to the original title, recommended. Preferably traditional coffee.

Another one here that uses Pilao. They have several different blends although I don't notice much difference.

Another one here that uses Pilao.

How does it compare in price and quality with the average coffee available in the US? Might be worth my while doing a coffee run over the border.

Coffee beans here in Argentina are not only expensive but the quality is really poor.

How does it compare in price and quality with the average coffee available in the US? Might be worth my while doing a coffee run over the border.

Coffee beans here in Argentina are not only expensive but the quality is really poor.

Humm, don't really look, just grab some and throw it in the cart, but the daughter tells me the 250g package is about R$3.80.

Humm, don't really look, just grab some and throw it in the cart, but the daughter tells me the 250g package is about R$3.80.

That's pretty cheap compared to here.

For a kilo of beans you're talking about 3 times that price....and it isn't very good.

How does it compare in price and quality with the average coffee available in the US? Might be worth my while doing a coffee run over the border.

Coffee beans here in Argentina are not only expensive but the quality is really poor.

If you want to search for price and avaiabilty of groceries in Brazil, you can use this link (in portuguese only):

http://www.zonasul.com.br

It's a regional chain (Rio de Janeiro only) but representative of prices you encounter in Brazil. Larger chains (Extra, Carrefour) seem not to show groceries on their web sites.

In the small specialty markets in the Brazilian communities in the U.S., Pilao sells for U$5 for a 17.6 ounce/500 gram package.

I just looked in our pantry, and we have 2 packs of Tres (3) Coracoes, 1 of Santa Clara and one of Pilao. My wife isn't a coffee drinker but used to say she felt coffees from the Northeast didn't have insecticides on the crops. She is from the Northeast. You will see "organico" coffees in supermarkets (often the regular major brands, but costing more than their "regular" types). Regular Pilao is fine. I don't taste a difference between it and most other major brands. As noted, how you prepare it make a big difference. Brazilians refer mockingly to American-style coffee as "chafe" ("cha" meaning tea, and "cafe" meaning, of course, coffee).

Not surprisingly, as with many other products, one big company may produce several brands (e.g., Tres Coracoes is apparently part of Santa Clara). Just like Brahma and Antarctica beer are made by the same company (Brazil has some good beers, but the major brands are pretty weak).

I buy "CAFE MELITTA EXTRA FORTE" for espresso.

I'm not a coffee drinker. I can drink it, but it' rare. My father likes Bom Dia though.

http://www.bomdia.com.br/

Thanks for the info....might be worth doing a coffee run after all.

I hope it tastes better than the overpriced rubbish we get here. :D

Thanks for the info....might be worth doing a coffee run after all.

I wouldn't bother. FWIW I like my coffee dark and strong without sugar. Have found the supermarket brands mentioned above to be dark and bitter i.e. need sugar. Typically I'll bring down a pack of Starbucks Dark French Roast or some Java to brew at home when going to Brasil. If I'm out I'll have a cup of espresso at a lanchonete which is okay but nothing special.

If you were in Jamaica by all means stock up on packs of Blue Mountain but not worth a run to Brasil for Pilao etc.

P.S. Hope to see you at Cow Do.

I wouldn't bother.

I don't think you understand how pathetic most widely-available coffees are in Argentina. Even the more "premium" brands without the toasted sugar "filler." And if you want to splurge on Starbucks (which is a last resort coffee back home, but here, it is almost a treat), then you'll pay a fair chunk more for the same stuff than you would in the US.

I wouldn't bother. FWIW I like my coffee dark and strong without sugar. Have found the supermarket brands mentioned above to be dark and bitter i.e. need sugar.

That's actually how people like coffee here. Putting sugar or sweetener is a must. Anything else is not coffee for Brazilians.

And I drink the Pilao dark and strong and don't find it bitter. YMMV

I don't think you understand how pathetic most widely-available coffees are in Argentina. Even the more "premium" brands without the toasted sugar "filler." And if you want to splurge on Starbucks (which is a last resort coffee back home, but here, it is almost a treat), then you'll pay a fair chunk more for the same stuff than you would in the US.

Indeed....even a Buenos Aires wine seller I know doesn't seem to understand how awful the over priced coffee is here. ;)

I managed to get some Gimoka Gran Festa coffee beans (Italian import) from the Disco supermarket for 110 pesos a kilo which isn't too bad but not as nice as something the Starbucks French Roast I got in Costco Vancouver last year.

I don't think you understand how pathetic most widely-available coffees are in Argentina. Even the more "premium" brands without the toasted sugar "filler." And if you want to splurge on Starbucks (which is a last resort coffee back home, but here, it is almost a treat), then you'll pay a fair chunk more for the same stuff than you would in the US.
You're right I don't. I live in the Caribbean so US brands dominate. Aside from expensive Blue Mountain I'll take Starbucks French Roast over the likes of Folgers, Maxwell House, Cubita and various flavoured abominations. :)

That's actually how people like coffee here. Putting sugar or sweetener is a must. Anything else is not coffee for Brazilians.

Oh I know. Sometimes I see people put so much sugar into their coffee that I wonder whether the cup has got a false bottom. I get enough sugar through the copious amounts of caipirinhas I drink without adding it to my coffee as well. ;)

I managed to get some Gimoka Gran Festa coffee beans (Italian import) from the Disco supermarket for 110 pesos a kilo which isn't too bad but not as nice as something the Starbucks French Roast I got in Costco Vancouver last year.

Given you're Pucci's other half ;) and I enjoy your posts on FT I can bring some decent coffee down if I make the Cow Do. You'll need it if you're listening to me over lunch. :(

Given you're Pucci's other half ;) and I enjoy your posts on FT I can bring some decent coffee down if I make the Cow Do. You'll need it if you're listening to me over lunch. :(

Do you have room for 15 kilos? :D

Do you have room for 15 kilos? :D

Possibly, if I'm going to transport Colombian stimulants into Argentina I may as well do it in bulk. ;)

We'll talk in August if/once I'm confirmed although if our host wants a piece of the action I'll have to accommodate him as well.

Possibly, if I'm going to transport Colombian stimulants into Argentina I may as well do it in bulk. ;)

We'll talk in August if/once I'm confirmed although if our host wants a piece of the action I'll have to accommodate him as well.

^

I'll get the other Irish attendees to bring the tea bags. :D

That's actually how people like coffee here. Putting sugar or sweetener is a must. Anything else is not coffee for Brazilians.

Not exactly a must. I do see people drinking coffee without sweetner, but we are definitely in a minority. I've at least learned to know that if I see free coffee, such as in a store or doctor's waiting area, and there's no containers of sweetner sitting with it, it's already sweetened, probably with sugar. I can tolerate almost any coffee in Brazil without sweetener, and never pay the high prices of Starbucks when I'm in the States.

Not exactly a must. I do see people drinking coffee without sweetner, but we are definitely in a minority...

Mrs jbc and I are coffee fanatics, a species that is rare in brazil, but rapidly growing. We have Jura machines (four of them!) that grind the coffee beans directly and search constantly for the best beans. Two of our family members grow coffee commercially, but are of the typical low quality brazilian beans.

really serious coffee drinkers in Brazil often do not use sweeteners, but the ordinary coffee is usually loaded with lots os sugar or sweetener, even more so in major cane producing areas.

The generic Brazilian supermarket coffee brands (e.g. Pilâo, Bom Dia, etc) are fairly low quality and roasted almost as espresso. Most of them have a mixture of arabica and robusta beans. Robusta beans are used worldwide mostly for instant coffee and coffee flavorings. Directly the stuff is unpleasant to drink.

During the last few years there has been a steadily growing trend to producing higher quality and organic coffees in Brazil. There are still few growers that have enough capacity to sell in supermarkets, but the supply is rapidly increasing as new plantations in Rio de Janeiro (reestablished 17-18 century ones, mostly) and Minas Gerais are becoming mature.

Three seriously good, world standard, Brazilian coffees are:

Native Orgânico- this one is distributed nationally in both beans and ground versions and is also sold in some other countries. They also have several non-coffee products. The website is in English and Portuguese. http://www.nativealimentos.com.br/en/

Taeq Orgânico- this is produced for Pâo de Açúcar, a Rio de Janeiro based supermarket chain that is affiliated with Casino of France. Taeq is the Casino house brand and there are a wide variety of high-quality low-price organic products available there.
http://www.taeq.com.br/data/Pages/LUMIS43D407FBITEMIDFD836FF53A5C4C60A911CDAEF215494 1CATEGORIAIDFD836FF53A5C4C60A911CDAEF2154941PTBRIE .htm

Verdemar Orgânico Sul de Minas- Verdemar is a small supermarket chain in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. They buy green coffee, roast it in their stores and sell in both in bulk and in prepackaged versions. The Sul de Minas varietal is quite famous in France and italy and is widely available in those countries in high-end coffee sellers. We discovered it in France and it has been our favorite coffee for soem years. Recently Verdemar began selling it.
http://www.pastadellamammaverdemar.com.br/

Beware, if you want excellent Brazilian coffee do not buy the generic supermarket brands that are widely sold. Those have the sole advantage of being cheap, but will disappoint any serious coffee aficionado.

In most high-end Brazilian restaurants the coffee sold will be Nespresso or Illy and will use the worldwide ubiquitous coffee capsules that are very, very good, but imported to Brazil. Illy even has Brazilian coffee exported to Italy, repackaged and exported to Brazil.

Very interesting and informative post jbcarioca. ^

Thanks for the info....might be worth doing a coffee run after all.

I hope it tastes better than the overpriced rubbish we get here. :D

Just remember not to buy it at the airport on your way back! (we're talking arms and legs).

As for brands, I'm convinced the difference in coffee has a lot more to do with how it's brewed.

I've just got back from SE Asia with coffee beans collected from the droppings of weasels and civet cats. Quite what difference passage through a feline alimentary canal makes, I do not know. Though it certainly has an upward push on the price.

If Argentina coffe tastes like sh*t, perhaps they are employing the wrong beasts in the production process:)

Very interesting and informative post jbcarioca. ^
I agree, very interesting. ^