Pilha, Natural

Delicate florals, glacé fruit; deep & rich with hints of sherbet and ginger.

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The English translation for Pilha is ‘Pile’. The name of this technique is pretty self-explanatory. Rather than spread thinly, the cherries are heaped into small mounds around 25cm high. This mounding increases heat and, in turn, fermentation. Carefully monitored, this technique has been quite risk-free and results in a controlled rise in fruit character to the coffee. A distinct shift from Lado a Lado, you’ll find some delicate floral aromas and a medley of glace fruit; deep and rich but with hints of sherbet and ginger marmalade.

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When an origin and, in this case, one producer, is the source of such a large percentage of the coffee being handled by a specialty roaster, relationships are of the utmost importance. Fortunately, we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy an excellent 8-year-long relationship with our partners at Samambaia Estate in Brazil. As the largest producer in the world, Brazil is the cornerstone for many specialty roasters. The scale of production and resources available to these sophisticated agri-businesses allow exciting experiments to occur with much lower risk and more insight. Pilha or ‘Pile’ technique of natural processing is self-explanatory. Rather than spread thinly, the cherries are heaped into small mounds around 25cm high. This mounding increases microbial action and in turn, fermentation. Carefully monitored, this technique has been relatively risk-free and results in a controlled rise in fruit character. Given the results of this experiment, the team at Samambaia will use the methodology to upscale their production and expend the use of these learned processing techniques to further test the process on other varieties they grow.

The Pilha, a natural-processed coffee from the Samambaia Estate in Brazil, offers a refined look at the Brazil coffee landscape. As a natural-processed coffee, the cherries are dried with the fruit intact, a technique that often imparts a distinct sweetness and complexity to the final cup. In this specific lot, roasted by Five Senses, the profile highlights delicate florals, glacé fruit, sherbet, and ginger marmalade.

When evaluating such nuanced profiles, it is helpful to reference the flavor wheel to better identify the interplay between the bright, citrus-like acidity of the sherbet notes and the deeper, preserved-fruit sweetness of the marmalade. While natural coffees are frequently associated with heavier body and intense fruit-forward characteristics, this selection demonstrates the elegant balance achievable through careful processing at the estate level. It serves as an excellent example of the diversity found within contemporary Brazilian production.