SURE SHOT Espresso

Mió is a forward-thinking, technology-driven coffee farm spanning 1,589 hectares. A third of the land houses coffee processing and milling facilities, alongside pasture areas and Eucalyptus trees, which are home to some thriving bee colonies. The remaining land is split evenly between coffee trees and a native forest reserve, which helps preserve the area's natural ecosystem. The estate's abundant spring water supplies many neighbouring properties, making one of Mió's core responsibilities not only to maintain the flow, but to also improve the water quality.

Through state-of-the-art facilities, Mió maintains exceptional traceability of their entire annual crop. Using satellite imagery, they monitor every stage of production—from cherry harvesting locations to truck movements and processing details. This advanced technology not only provides precise tracking but also improves farmworkers' quality of life, ensures bountiful harvests, and maintains the highest processing standards.

We're thrilled to feature this unique and delicious lot as our house espresso. A peaberry is a natural mutation where the coffee cherry develops just one seed instead of two. These distinctive beans roast differently from regular coffee due to their shape and size. They're highly sought after from certain origins for their density and concentrated flavours.

Mió has developed innovative modular blending practices which enable them to produce consistent flavour profiles for their major lines regardless of unpredictable environmental conditions. This exclusive lot has been blended from both honey and natural processed coffees to fit our specific flavour profile and delivers an espresso which is both rich and complex.

The Catucaí variety was developed by researchers at the then Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC). This cross between Catuaí and Icatu was first selected in 1988 from a population of the red Icatu cultivar. After generations of breeding and selection in both Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, the program gave rise to cultivars with red and yellow fruits. The plants are characterised by their low height, good productivity, early maturation, and resistance to disease.

The Procafé Foundation developed Arara at its experimental farm in Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The variety originated from a natural cross between Yellow Catuai and Obatã. Discovered unexpectedly in a master plot, Arara stood out for its yellow cherries, high productivity, and immunity to coffee leaf rust.

After more than 15 years of evaluation and selective breeding, Arara was officially released in 2012. It has since gained popularity for its resilience and cup quality.

The plant is a medium-sized tree with large, wide leaves and rounded yellow cherries. It thrives at elevations above 1,000 meters and tolerates both drought and heavy rains. Its cherries cling well to branches, reducing harvest losses.

Arara shows strong resistance to coffee leaf rust, bacterial blight, and Phoma leaf spot, making it ideal for sustainable farming.

Acaiá is a tall-growing cultivar of Mundo Novo, developed from a natural cross between Sumatra (Typica) and Red Bourbon in Brazil during the 1940s at the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC). The variety thrives in Brazilian growing conditions, particularly at elevations above 800 meters. Known for its large fruits and seeds, Acaiá produces an excellent cup profile and regularly performs well in Brazil's Cup of Excellence competitions.

The dry/natural process is the oldest and simplest method of preparing green coffee. Well-suited to environments with limited water access and hot climates, this process typically uses no water and requires no specialized equipment.

After harvesting, coffee cherries are dried until they reach about 20% moisture content. They're then usually rested for a few weeks in bags before being sent to a mill for hulling and export preparation.

The cherries can be dried on large patios or raised African beds—large trays with a mesh base that allow increased airflow for even drying. Best practices include keeping the drying coffee in shade during the hottest parts of the day and avoiding re-wetting by rain or condensation. Regular turning and good ventilation are also crucial to prevent mould formation.

To avoid defective seeds and sour fermentation off-flavours, it's best to sort the harvested cherries during the initial drying stage when under-ripe, over-ripe, and damaged cherries are easily spotted. After just a couple of days, the cherries turn a dark red-brown colour before becoming black, making it impossible to visually identify problem cherries.

Coffee begins fermenting from the moment it's picked and continues while there's enough moisture and high temperatures—conditions that favour microbial growth. This uncontrolled fermentation leads to the development of wild, fruity flavours and an increased perception of sweetness and body.

The pulped natural, honey or semi-washed process falls between washed and natural methods in terms of fruit left on the seed during drying. After harvesting, the cherries are pulped to remove the skin, then dried with the sticky fruit mucilage remaining—hence the name "honey." The coffee is sometimes classified by the colour it turns during drying, which depends on how much fruit remains and how it's arranged and turned. Colours range from black honey (darkest) through red, yellow, and sometimes white. More fruit on the seed provides more fuel for fermentation, which can unpredictably affect the flavour profile. However, it usually yields more intense fruit flavours than washed coffee and higher perceived acidity than natural processing.