Single O Stories: Clayton Barrossa

Posted in Story
Written by Oisín Fogarty Graveson
August 10, 2021
Brazil’s surfer turned coffee farmer
Posted in Story
by Oisín Fogarty Graveson
Back in 2019 we met Clayton at the World of Coffee in Berlin. It was a good year for coffee. It was pre-pandemic and the festival was bursting with new inventions and creations. We met Clayton at our stand on the first day of the festival and chatted surfing, skating, music and of course, coffee.
Besides the language barrier we agreed on most topics discussed, think (universal) keywords as Metallica, kickflips and Yellow Catuai. We were determined to one day try his coffee and after a few logistical set backs we finally managed to sneak his coffee in a shipping container coming from Brazil. So, how did São Paulo surfer, Clayton Barrossa, become one of the most exciting specialty coffee farmers in Brazil? Oisín chatted with Clayton to find out.
Born the same year that the term of specialty coffee was coined – 1974 – you could say that it was fate. But it seems that the seed was really planted when Clayton’s uncle promised him that, in the world of coffee farming, “you work six months of the year and the rest of the time is your own.” Pretty good for a kid who wanted to spend his life on the beach. But signing up for this utopian way of life in 1997, Clayton hasn’t had a day off since. As the man behind our new Single O coffee, we wanted to really get to know how Brazil’s raddest farmer finds balance in his life.

For me, specialty coffee isn’t work. It’s a lifestyle. I love every step, from seed to cup.
Riding the wave
It was the mid-90s when Clayton Barrossa returned to his familial land of Alto do Caparaó. Just 22 years old, he was raised in São Paulo and had been living the life of a city-dwelling surfer. His uncle promised him an easy job with coffee, in return for Clayton returning to Caparaó to care for his family’s land. He had no idea that life was about to get very challenging, but also immensely rewarding. Clayton was about to become one of most exciting names in Brazilian coffee culture.
Sitting at around 1,400 meters-above-sea-level, Clayton’s farm marks the entrance to the Pico de Bandeira park – a natural wonder in Brazil. Temperatures in this part of the world can dip to as low -18’C. Today, it’s clear skies and Clayton’s beloved ocean can be seen in the distance over the bordering state of Espirito Santo.
Though he has never left the surfer mentality behind, that conversation with his uncle marked a time of reinvention for Clayton. It bred an obsession, which meant that he wouldn’t leave the farm except for short periods. The farm itself followed Clayton’s example, as the latest generation of Barrossa’s transformed it into an internationally recognized name in specialty coffee.
It was this obsession with his familial land which ended up leading him on brief excursions to spread the word of his crop. “I’ve visited Florence, Berlin, and others through my coffee travels”, explains Clayton, he fondly remembers listening to reggae in Lot61’s own home of Amsterdam. Now more than two decades since he started farming, Clayton has had a wild ride.

Gold medals and diamond partnerships
So how did Barrossa go from a reluctant 22 year old surfer, to the powerhouse coffee farmer and father of four? A turning point came in 2012, when Clayton’s farm won its first regional competition. This gained them visibility, and it seemed they were on to something.
“From 2012 to 2015 we won most of the competitions we entered in Brazil. In 2014, we won first prize in the Coffee Of the Year competition at the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Show. It was also the year we began to work with FAFCoffees to distribute internationally. That was a game-changer for us. They have placed us with some of the best roasters in the world and helped tell the stories of us and our coffee. The partnership has been incredible!” - Clayton Barrossa
Out of the 55 hectares of land Clayton owns, 25 is used for coffee production. Today, thanks to the demand of international roasters and FAFCoffee’s network, the Barrossa farm produces an average of 300 bags of selectively hand-picked organic coffee per year. “We follow agro-ecological methods,” explains Clayton. “This gives our soil a diversity of crops alongside the coffee. It helps keep our soil alive and produces elegant aromas and complex flavors in the final cup.”
In addition to partnering with FAF, Clayton works closely with a local NGO run by of his friends. “They help children in vulnerable situations through skateboarding.” By creating a social space for the kids to learn and play together, ONG.SOCIAL.SKATE resonated with Clayton due to his background in surf and street culture. “I send them coffee each month.” Every little helps.

In search of balance
At these heights, the sunsets are tremendous. But the ocean is never far away. As Clayton takes us on a tour of his land, we can’t help asking whether he misses his life before coffee. As if to illustrate his mindset, his tattoos come into the conversation: “I have tattooed the names of my three daughters and my son. But I’ve also tattooed the year that the term Specialty Coffee was first coined, 1974, which was the year I was born. And ‘Coffee or die’ which needs no explanation”
For Clayton, coffee is his life now. But that doesn’t mean that surfing doesn’t still hold a place in his heart, or his future. “I have always had a connection with sports that require balance. I used to skate. And when I was 12 I began to surf. Nowadays I only surf the mountains of Caparaó.” There’s something Wild West about these mountains, and Clayton definitely has the cowboy vibe to fit the ride he’s on. But ‘balance’ is the right word, and looking to the years ahead, he can’t deny the need for it after so much work and accomplishment.
“My farm will always be in pursuit of ‘the perfect cup’, with true sustainability in mind. Protecting our natural springs and delivering clean water to our neighbors, leaving a good legacy for my children and those that work with us. But I can’t deny I would like to spend my next 20 years surfing six months of the year, and caring for my coffees the rest of the time. Just like I was promised by my uncle all those years ago.” - Clayton Barrossa
Clayton's coffee is available here.