Nossa Familia Coffee: An Exceptional Farm-Direct Coffee Experience
Sustainability, family, and heritage have merged to create one of the finest coffee experiences and brands in the Pacific Northwest, Nossa Familia Coffee. Augusto Carnerio has led the way for socially conscious coffee in Nossa Familia since its inception in 2004. Discover why others rave about the quality and community of Nossa.
Nossa Familia Coffee: An Overview
Nossa Familia Coffee is a B Corp coffee roaster in Portland that focuses on building positive and lasting relationships and environmental sustainability. They treat coffee growers as part of their family and extend support to people and organizations they think would make a difference.
Nossa Familia may have gotten off to a slow and unconventional start in 2004 but the four cafe locations and roastery are living proof that slow progress is still progress.
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The Story of Nossa
Nossa Familia coffee founder, Augusto Carneiro, is an avid cyclist from Rio de Janeiro who studied in Portland as an exchange student. He also became a college tennis player. After getting a degree, he worked as a mechanical engineer for a few years but got frustrated with his engineering job he found monotonous and unfulfilling.
His mind keeps on drifting back to his childhood memories, in his hometown, on the days of working at their coffee farm. He was so proud of what his family had been doing for over hundred of years so he decided to quit his job and do what he is passionate about.
He brought his family’s coffee to Portland, Oregon.
Farms
Sul de Minas
The average altitude in the region of Sul de Minas is 950m, and it has a mild annual temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. This region produces 30% of Brazil’s total coffee beans and has a distinct cup and flavor profile.
The coffee varieties that grow in this region are Catuai, Obata, Icatu, Mundo Novo, and Catuai Rubi. These beans have cup notes described as the slightly citric, full-body, and fruity aroma. Its flavor notes display fruity, chocolatey, and honey-like sweetness.
The Nossa farms you can find in this region:
- Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama supervised by Gabriel Carvalho Dias
- Fazenda Recreio supervised by Diogo Dias Macedo
- Fazenda Santa Alina supervised by Lucia ‘Tuca’ Dias
Cerrado de Minas
The Cerrado de Minas holds the Cerrado Mineiro status, a distinction given to Brazil’s famous coffee-producing state. Coffee varieties produced in this region are Mundo Novo and Catuai.
These beans have impressive cup notes of delicate citrus acidity, medium in body, and sweetness. It’s one of the best tasting coffee for its aromatic caramel notes and nuts with a chocolatey finish.
Nossa farms you can find in this region are:
- Fazenda São Francisco supervised by Ernesto Carvalho Dias
- Fazenda Rodomunho and Vereda supervised by Cristiano Ottoni
Nossa Coffee also source other single-origins they offer from the following farms:
- Guatemala – Finca San Jerónimo Miramar
- Guatemala – La Armonia Hermosa
- Guatemala – San Miguel Escobar Cooperative
- Guatemala – Asociación Unión de Pequeños Caficultores
- Kenya – Oreti Estate
- Nicaragua – Finca San Jose de las Nubes
- Peru – Selva Andina
What Makes Nossa Different?
Nossa Familia Coffee is not just another roaster. They operate with social and environmental responsibility in mind. Likewise, they aim to strengthen local and global relationships while celebrating the family’s heritage in cultivating coffee over the years.
Sustainability
Nossa Familia views sustainability from a holistic approach. Everyone involved in the supply chain is treated as part of the family. Every decision made for the farms, their relationships, their places, and their operations is centered on sustainability. Ultimately, these decisions are expected to create a positive impact in the future and improve the quality of their products.
B Corporation
Nossa Familia Coffee is the first Certified B Corporation coffee roaster in Oregon! This distinction is awarded to businesses that strive to use their resources and influence to do good not only to people but to the community and environment they’re into. Likewise, it is awarded to businesses that meet the highest social and environmental performance standards, accountability, and transparency. Considering the level of competition in Portland, OR, this is now small feat!
Nossa Familia received this recognition in February 2016 with an overall impact score of 91.3. Initially, businesses that apply for the B Corp certification are assessed with the B Impact Assessment. To get certified, a business must achieve at least 80 points from the assessment.
Community Support
Nossa treats everyone as part of their family, and giving back to the community is one of their sustainable goals to build a lasting relationship. Their Nossa Giveback Program is one of the many community support initiatives that Nossa Familia implements. It aims to reinvest 10% of its profits to organizations, and farmers whom they believe are doing their best to make the world a better place.
Some of the projects they’ve supported over the years are:
- Raising funds for the new farm at San Jose de las Nubes farm in Nicaragua
- Providing support to the micro-loan fund initiatives for the next generation Guatemalan coffee farmers
- Employment opportunities through Sunday Parkways coffee booth
- Donating $0.50 for every coffee bag purchase to The Street Trust and Community Cycling center in Portland, Oregon.
- Fundraising for Visibles Guatemala and the Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC)
Another community support initiative where Nossa Familia proactively participates is their Origin Education Talks. It is a 5-month educational conversation series about growing coffee, processing, and researching before the beans reach the roastery.
The talks are led by the Director of Coffee for Nossa Familia, Rob Hoos, along with guest speakers to tackle essential topics about coffee and sustainability.
Brewing Guides
For better-tasting coffee, Nossa Familia provides brewing guides for different brewing methods that most homebrewers use. These are Aeropress, Chemex, Pour-over, and French Press. In addition, the guides provide the helpful tips when it comes to brewing espresso.
Coffee Trips
Nossa Familia Coffee offers coffee trips in Guatemala to people who want to experience what it’s like to harvest coffee beans from its tree, what the coffee cherry’s husks taste like, or how farms process their coffee beans. It’s a mini-field trip worth spending as it allows you to:
- Go sightseeing in the beautiful landscapes of Antigua
- Visits coffee farms at Ciudad Vieja
- Learn coffee basics with De La Gente
- Attend Guatemalan Pepian cooking workshop
- Tour the San Jeronimo Miramar coffee farm, visit the nature reserve and see Parma cheese factory up close
- Enjoy the views and the activities prepared in Lake Atitlan
- Experience authentic Guatemalan food, culture and coffee
The coffee trips are available from January 31, 2020, to February 7, 2021. This Guatemalan coffee trip costs $1,450 per head.
Barista Training
If you want to improve your coffee making craft, you can always visit their barista resources page for the most insightful tips and knowledge that you’ll need. They offer learning resources and training for Espresso, Milk Steaming, and Latte Art. It’s not your regular barista training as the learning page discusses the brewing coffee’s ins and outs.
Coffees Offered by Nossa
Familia coffee takes pride with their Brazilian coffee and other single-origin coffee they source from partner farms. Here are some of their best-sellers you should not miss.
Augusta’s Organic Breakfast
Augusta’s Organic Breakfast coffee is a Guatemalan breakfast-style coffee. It is certified organic by USDA and is harvested from shade-grown Arabica coffee plants.
- Origin: Peru (Union y Fe Cooperative)
- Roast Level: Medium roast
- Cup notes: Smooth, bright and balanced
- Taste notes: With hints of brown sugar sweetness
- Brewing method: French Press, Aeropress, Cold brew
Augusta's Organic Breakfast is a blend of certified organic coffee beans grown through sustainable farming practices. It offers a full-bodied, rich flavor with a smooth and strong finish, suitable for various coffee preparations like drip, press pot, espresso, and iced coffee. This coffee aims to appeal to discerning coffee enthusiasts, providing a balance of robust notes and subtle undertones.
Brazilian Decaf
This Brazilian Decaf undergoes the Swiss Water Method to remove 97 to 99% of the coffee beans’ caffeine. It is a blend of Peaberry beans from naturally mutated coffee plants with cherries that bear one seed.
- Origin: Brazil
- Roast Level: Medium to Dark roast
- Varietal: Peaberry
- Cup notes: Smooth and balanced
- Taste notes: With hints of chocolate and floral tones with a lingering sweetness
- Processing Method: Naturally processed; Swiss Water Method (for decaffeination)
- Brewing method: French Press, Aeropress, Cold brew
Brazil Decaf offers the rich taste of freshly roasted coffee without the caffeine, ideal for those sensitive to caffeine. Sourced from family farms in the Sul de Minas region of Brazil, this decaf coffee features hand-selected Peaberry beans known for their naturally sweeter, milder flavor. The caffeine is removed using the Swiss Water Process, ensuring the preservation of the coffee's original flavor and aroma, allowing for a gourmet coffee experience without the jittery side effects.
Camila’s Organic
Camila’s Organic Italian dark roast is certified organic by Oregon Tilth. It’s a Guatemalan breakfast-style coffee with rich, intense flavors.
- Origin: Peru (Union y Fe Cooperative)
- Roast Level: Dark Italian roast
- Cup notes: Rich, chocolatey body
- Taste notes: Sweet with hints of floral undertones
- Brewing method: French Press, Aeropress, Drip, Pour-over, and Chemex
Camila's Organic Coffee is a medium-dark roast with a blend of rich chocolate and sweet, floral undertones, designed for discerning coffee lovers. The coffee is certified organic by Oregon Tilth, ensuring high-quality ingredients and a complex flavor profile. This product aims to provide a robust flavor and subtle sweet aroma, suitable for various occasions like morning refreshments or after-dinner enjoyment.
Nossa Familia Delicia Coffee
Delicia is a medium roast with mild acidity. The coffee beans are sourced from the Carneiro estate in Sul de Minas and Cerrado de Minas. This coffee blend is best to drink black or with milk.
- Origin: Brazil
- Roast Level: Medium roast
- Cup notes: Balanced and appealing, Sweet-toned with mild acidity
- Taste notes: Sweet, chocolatey and nutty
- Brewing method: French Press, Aeropress, Drip, Pour-over, and Chemex
Delícia do Brasil is a medium-roasted Brazilian coffee, sourced from a family-owned farm, known for its balanced blend with notes of chocolate, nuts, and a unique sweetness paired with low acidity. It is designed to appeal to coffee connoisseurs, offering a flavor profile that caters to experienced tastes.
Ernesto’s House
Ernesto’s House coffee blend is an excellent, balanced medium roast coffee. The coffee beans used for this blend are sourced from the Carneiro farms in Sul de Minas and Cerrado de Minas.
- Origin: Brazil
- Roast Level: Medium roast
- Cup notes: Balanced and well-rounded
- Taste notes: Nutty with smooth and honey finish
- Brewing method: Balanced espresso, Drip, Cold brew
Ernesto's House Roast is a medium roast coffee blend that offers a balance of bold flavor and mellow sweetness. It is characterized by its intense aroma, smooth finish, and rich flavor. This versatile blend is suitable for various coffee preparations, including espresso, drip coffee, and iced coffee, making it an ideal choice for different occasions.
Full Cycle
The Nossa Familia Full Cycle is a signature espresso blend of Brazilian coffee. This blend’s coffee beans are seasonally appropriate from other single-origin beans to give that bright and fruity characteristic you’ll love in every sip.
- Origin: Brazil, Guatemala, and Nicaragua
- Roast Level: Medium roast
- Cup notes: Balanced with a bright. Fruity finish
- Taste notes: Hints of chocolate and caramel
- Brewing method: Balanced espresso, Drip, Cold brew
Full Cycle is a signature espresso blend featuring a mix of Brazilian and seasonally sourced coffees, offering a flavor profile that combines bright, fruity notes with a rich, chocolatey base, suitable for various brewing methods. This coffee aims to provide a unique drinking experience while contributing positively to community causes.
Mathilde’s French Roast
Mathilde’s French Roast Familia coffee is a coffee blend that is not oily and doesn’t smell or taste burnt. It is sourced from one of the coffee farms the Carneiro family owns in Sul de Minas and Cerrado de Minas.
- Origin: Brazil
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Cup notes: Bold, dark chocolatey body with a smoky and smooth finish
- Taste notes: Hints of dark chocolate
- Brewing method: Drip, Moka pots, Aeropress (Not recommended for automatic coffee makers)
Mathilde's French Roast is a dark, robust coffee offering a smoky flavor without bitterness or burnt taste. The roast features a smooth, chocolate body with a bold and intense flavor profile, catering to discerning coffee enthusiasts. The specialty beans are meticulously selected and roasted to ensure consistency and enjoyment in every cup.
Teodoro’s Italian Roast
Nossa Familia Teodoro’s coffee blend is a “crowd pleaser” Italian roast. You can enjoy it black or with a touch of cream and sugar. It’s a fantastic roast in the morning for its intense and creamy flavors.
- Origin: Brazil
- Roast Level: Medium-Dark roast
- Cup notes: Full-bodied with recognizable flavors of cocoa and roasted nuts
- Taste notes: With hints of woody spice and almond
- Brewing method: Drip, Chemex, French Press, Aeropress
Teodoro's Italian Roast is a medium-dark blend with a rich flavor profile, including cocoa, roasted nuts, caramel, woody spice, and almond hints.
It's designed for coffee enthusiasts, offering a full-bodied and flavorful experience, suitable for various brewing methods like drip or press pot. The coffee can be enjoyed black or with cream and sugar for a creamier taste.
What the Community Says about Nossa
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Alternatives to Nossa Familia Coffee
Here are some alternative coffee brands we recommend you check out:
A dark roasted blend featuring sweet caramel flavor with dense spices like nutmeg and clove, designed to complement milk and pastries.
This blend combines South and Central American coffees to create a robust flavor profile. The coffee offers a bright yet rich espresso shot, characterized by balanced acidity, thick crema, and notes of caramel and cocoa.
Tiny Footprint Coffee offers a dark roast with chocolate, apricot, fig, and spice notes, and is the world's first carbon-negative coffee. The company supports reforestation in Ecuador's Mindo Cloud Forest, offsetting more CO2 than it emits in its production process. In addition to its environmental efforts, the coffee is sustainably sourced, often organic or fair-trade certified, and is crafted in a carbon-negative roastery.
Kicking Horse Coffee's Cliff Hanger Espresso is a medium-roast, whole-bean blend that features a chocolaty and smooth flavor profile with aroma notes of blackcurrant, milk chocolate, and brown sugar.
It also comes with tasting notes of silky wild berry syrup and a smooth cocoa finish. It is certified organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher.
Verdict
Nossa Familia Coffee is a B Corp coffee roaster in Portland that focuses on building positive and lasting relationships and environmental sustainability. They treat coffee growers as part of their family and extend support to people and organizations they’d think would make a difference.
Their coffee blends are deeply rooted in heritage. They celebrate the goodness of Brazil, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Kenya farm-direct coffees. No wonder, in terms of coffee quality, the three coffee shops where Nossa Familia Coffee usually serve their exceptional coffee is always a favorite spot for coffee lovers in Portland.
If you’re considering buying sustainable coffee, we highly recommend Nossa Familia.
Have you visited the Nossa Familia Coffee Portland cafes? What’s your favorite Nossa roast they offer? Please share with us your Nossa Familia experience in the comments below.
