PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contents of bioactive compounds and/or that of interest for the brew quality (trigonelline, caffeine, total chlorogenic acids and melanoidins), acidity and antioxidant activity (AA) of roasted coffee brews produced with Coffea canephora.Design/methodology/approachCoffee samples corresponded to three cultivars – Diamante ES8112, ES8122 “Jequitibá,” and Centenária ES8132 – with different fruit-ripening seasons (early, medium and late, respectively). The study evaluated five genotypes from each cultivar and coffees were cultivated in two sites, a total of 30 samples.FindingsThe average contents on the coffee brews varied from 1,176 to 1,452 µg mL−1 for caffeine; from 206 to 413 µg mL−1 for trigonelline; from 528 to 942 µg mL−1 for total chlorogenic acids; from 6.8 to 7.8 mg mL−1 for melanoidins; showing total titratable acidity between 1.15 and 1.79 mL of NaOH 0.1 mol L−1 by 20 mL of the brew. AA varied from 6.78 to 8.80 mg of TROLOX mL−1, correlating positively with the contents of caffeine, total chlorogenic acids, melanoidins. Fruit-ripening seasons had no effect on coffee brew composition and AA.Originality/valueThe results presented provide not only a unique analysis of coffee brew from genotypes developed to improve the good agricultural practice and brew quality, but also relevant information that can be extended for research in coffee composition and for the coffee industry.