Brazil Minas Gerais Yellow Catuai Coffee
Milk chocolate, hazelnut and panela from Yellow Catuaí grown in Brazil's biggest coffee state.
A Yellow Catuaí from Minas Gerais, the Brazilian state that grows about half of the country's coffee. The cup is easygoing and sweet, with milk chocolate, hazelnut, panela and a little yellow apple. Brewed as drip coffee at 93°C.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 90 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related reading
| Brewing method | Drip Coffee |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 14.4g → 240g |
| Grind size | Medium-fine |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 3:00-3:30 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 14.4 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted
- 240 g filtered water at 93°C
Required gear
- Cone or flat-bottom dripper
- Paper filters
- Gooseneck kettle
- Burr grinder
- Scale accurate to 1 g
- Timer
- Server or carafe
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Rinse the paper filter with hot water, discard the rinse, and add 14.4 g ground medium-fine. Level the bed.
- 0:00Start the timer and pour 29 g of water at 93°C, wetting every part of the bed. Let it bloom.
- 0:45Pour in slow spirals up to 144 g total, keeping the bed submerged and the level steady.
- 1:30Final pour up to 240 g total. Give the dripper one gentle swirl to settle the bed flat.
- 3:15Drawdown should finish around here. Swirl the server and serve.
What it may be good for
How strong is it?
We list about 90 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Black or with milk
The chocolate and nut flavors in this coffee are gentle enough to enjoy black, and they also sit comfortably with a splash of milk.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A Yellow Catuaí from Minas Gerais, the Brazilian state that grows about half of the country's coffee. The cup is easygoing and sweet, with milk chocolate, hazelnut, panela and a little yellow apple. Brewed as drip coffee at 93°C.
Origin & Story
The name Minas Gerais means General Mines, and it goes back to the gold that was found in these hills in the 1690s. The gold brought towns with it: Mariana was founded in 1696 and Vila Rica, today's Ouro Preto, in 1698.
Coffee came later, and it stayed. Today Minas Gerais grows about half of all the coffee in Brazil, and the harvest runs from about June to September. Southern Minas Gerais is hilly country where coffee and dairy farms share the slopes.
The variety here is Yellow Catuaí. It was bred at the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, which crossed Yellow Caturra with Mundo Novo in 1949 and released the result in 1972. The word catuaí comes from the Tupi-Guarani language and means very good. The yellow in the name is the color of the ripe fruit, which turns gold instead of red.
In the cup it is gentle: milk chocolate and hazelnut first, then panela, the unrefined cane sugar of Latin American kitchens, and a touch of yellow apple. Nothing in it is sharp, which makes it an easy everyday coffee and a comfortable one to start with if you are new to specialty coffee.
A drip machine or a simple pour-over is all it needs. Brew it with 14.4 g of coffee and 240 ml of water at 93°C, ground medium-fine.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 84/100 |
| Acidity | 52/100 |
| Bitterness | 30/100 |
| Body | 76/100 |
| Aroma | 82/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Brazil Minas Gerais Yellow Catuai Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 90 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Brazil Minas Gerais Yellow Catuai Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F).
How long should Brazil Minas Gerais Yellow Catuai Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 3:00-3:30. Method: Drip Coffee. Ratio: 60g coffee per Liter of water. Grind or leaf format: Medium-fine.
What does Yellow Catuaí mean?
Catuaí is a word from the Tupi-Guarani language meaning very good. Yellow refers to the ripe fruit, which turns yellow instead of red on these trees. The variety was bred in Brazil in 1949 and released in 1972.
Is this coffee good as espresso?
It can be. Brazilian coffees with milk chocolate and hazelnut notes are often used for espresso, though the recipe on this page is for drip coffee. For espresso, grind much finer and use a shorter, more concentrated brew.
Who should avoid Brazil Minas Gerais Yellow Catuai Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Hario V60 Size 02 Ceramic Dripper
In this recipe: Cone or flat-bottom dripper
Affiliate link: CupCura may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. We have not tested this product ourselves. Disclosure
Drinks like this one
Brazil Minas Gerais Pulped-Natural Coffee
Milk chocolate, hazelnut and dried fruit from Brazil's in-between process, the pulped natural.
Specialty CoffeeBrazilian Cerrado Natural Coffee
Milk chocolate, almond and brown sugar from the sunny plateaus of Brazil's Cerrado Mineiro.
Specialty CoffeeBrazil Jacu Bird Natural Coffee
Bright, fruity and floral with a sweet anise aftertaste, from coffee cherries chosen by a wild forest bird.
Specialty CoffeePeru Chanchamayo Coffee
Milk chocolate, toffee and plum from Chanchamayo, where Peru's Andes fall away into the jungle.