Lengthy observable as “filler coffee,” canephora—recognized in Brazil as conilon—is experiencing a renaissance. These days, we’re chatting with Lucas Venturim of Venturim Farms to be informed extra.
BY ISABELLE MANI
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Footage courtesy of Lucas Venturim
We’ve lined canephora (Coffea canephora, often referred to as robusta espresso), broadly within the day, discussing how the species has historically been observable as “filler coffee” however is recently present process a revival. In recent times, manufacturers, scientists, and high quality advocates were operating to redefine canephora’s position within the strong point and top class sections, and lately, we’re chatting with Lucas Venturim to be informed extra.
Lucas, from Venturim Farms, is a manufacturer and roaster from Espírito Santo, Brazil’s biggest canephora-producing condition. His society’s shift from volume-driven farming to flavor-focused innovation displays what’s conceivable when canephora is approached with lend a hand, science, and interest.
A Transient Background: Canephora Manufacturing in Brazil
Year Brazil is the sector’s manage manufacturer of arabica, it’s additionally the second-largest supply of robusta, accounting for approximately 25% of worldwide quantity. The rustic has two authentic Designations of Starting place for the species—Montanhas do Espírito Santo and Matas de Rondônia—with smaller manufacturing in Bahia, Pará, and Acre.
Canephora reproduces thru cross-pollination, and its genetic range is essential to its resilience and taste doable. Kouillou-type crops, a part of the Guinean team, arrived in Brazil by way of Angola and the Republic of Congo within the mid-Twentieth century. They have been presented all over efforts to rebuild espresso manufacturing upcoming wretched frosts struck arabica farms within the south, transferring cultivation towards Espírito Santo’s tropical lowlands. There, the crops tailored nicely and become recognized in the neighborhood as conilon. Till not too long ago, should you requested about robusta costs in Brazil, the most probably resolution was once: “We only farm conilon.”
Within the Nineteen Eighties and 90s, analysis targeted principally on giveover, pest resistance, and drought tolerance. Sensory high quality wasn’t but a part of the image. However within the day decade, manufacturers have begun exploring post-harvest tactics and cup doable—to not mimic arabica, however to spotlight canephora’s personal persona. Robusta by no means lacked high quality—it lacked a quality-focused way.
Taking a look forward, Brazil is making ready to inauguration the Canephora Taste Wheel in 2025. Created by way of Dr. Fabiana Carvalho (from the Coffee Sensorium research project) and Dr. Lucas Louzada, in conjunction with the involvement of 4 world universities, the mission analyzed 67 samples from 13 international locations over 5 years. Totally volunteer-supported, it won refuse primary investment. The findings will likely be printed open-access, and the wheel will likely be to be had on a pay-what-you-can foundation. Its purpose: to explain canephora’s sensory attributes on their very own phrases—now not compared to arabica.
Q&A with Lucas Venturim
Isabelle Mani: When did the high quality dialog begin to snatch order in Brazil?
Lucas: For arabica, it in reality began across the Nineties. With canephora, it took a few decade longer. From the early 2000s, a shift started—crowd like my father, who had revel in with arabica, knew that tumbler high quality was once conceivable. He worn to mention that arabica wasn’t excellent simply because it was once arabica; it was once excellent when it was once ripe and well-produced. And that caught with us.
In 2007, we made up our minds to transform 100% of our farm to concentrate on strong point manufacturing. And tiny by way of tiny, establishments began catching up. In 2012, all over the centennial birthday celebration of canephora in Espírito Santo, INCAPER (the Capixaba Institute of Analysis, Technical Support, and Rural Extension) excepted 3 brandnew cultivars: Jequitibá, Diamante, and Centenário—all decided on with a focal point on cup high quality along with agronomic characteristics.
When did you get started experimenting with fermentation and sensory innovation?
In 2015, my spouse and I found out on-line the lifestyles of the Brazilian International Coffee Week (SIC), and we made up our minds to move. That’s the place we first heard about fermenting coffees. We reached out to a Norwegian roaster who was once giving a path, and even if he was once absolutely booked for the shuttle to Espirito Santo, he correct to consult with our farm in early 2016. He confirmed us a Espresso of the Age-winning arabica—fermented—and that was once our turning level.
That very same month, we did our first fermentation checks. We didn’t even understand how to do cupping again after, however the flavors have been so other that we knew we have been directly to one thing. In 2017, we teamed up with the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo (IFES) and Dr. Lucas Louzada (from the Taste Wheel Initiative) and carried out 120 fermentation experiments all over harvest. We took the most efficient samples to SIC that month. They have been little loads—5kg right here, 10kg there—however the response was once massively certain.
By means of 2018, we scaled up and enrolled our coffees in Cup of Excellence (CoE)’s nationwide canephora festival (Notice: Brazil’s Cup of Excellence bankruptcy is the one one with a canephora section).
3 of our loads made it to the manage 5, all the usage of fermentation tactics. That was once additionally the month we become individuals of BSCA and made our first world export of good robusta to Russia, to Valentina Moksunova of Hummingbird Espresso. That sale came about at a worth 3 times upper than the commodity marketplace.
How did blazing play games a task within the evolution of conilon?
That was once one of the crucial greatest bottlenecks. Maximum crowd roasted canephora like arabica, the usage of the similar profile. However conilon has a denser construction and desires extra power and month. Should you underdevelop it, it finally ends up tasting like popcorn or peanuts—the ones vintage under-roasted notes. So we based our roastery, Torra Paixão, in 2017, to backup shoppers perceive right kind roast curves and free up canephora’s true doable.
To this while, once we ship samples to brandnew shoppers, we regularly come with a roasted reference. The purpose isn’t to offend somebody—it’s simply to backup them see what this espresso can transform.
What’s nearest for conilon in Brazil—and globally?
I consider we’re simply getting began. In Brazil abandoned, we now create round 50,000 luggage of top quality conilon a month, particularly in Espírito Santo, but additionally in Rondônia and Bahia. A accumulation of that is going to export—Italy, Russia, the U.Ok., and increasingly more to portions of Asia. We see blends the usage of 20 to 30% superb conilon now.
To me, the largest mistake is treating canephora and arabica as though they have been the similar factor. They’re two other drinks. Our process isn’t to album arabica—it’s to turn what canephora can do on its phrases. That’s the place the week lies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Isabelle Mani (she/her) is a scribbler, journalist, and communicator that specialize in the world espresso business. Since 2017, she has interested by writing articles and contours for numerous world espresso information shops. Isabelle has traveled to coffee-producing international locations akin to Colombia, Kenya, Rwanda, China, and Brazil to check and analysis espresso. She holds coaching certifications from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (Arabica Q Grading).
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