Ba Vi No. 1

Single Origin

Origin:

Vietnam

Coffee Process:

Natural

CERTIFICATIONS:

•RFA - Rainforest Alliance

RFA stands for Rainforest Alliance, a certification system that emphasizes climate-smart agriculture. RFA farms have at least 40% of land covered by canopy, significant species diversity (at least 12 native tree species per hectare, on average) and a system of natural vegetation buffers between agricultural land and bodies of water.  The farms also use organic fertilizers.

Cup Score:

80 points (SCAA-Q® scale)

Roast Type:

Dark

Tasting notes:

Mild Acidity, Medium Body, Leather, Roasted Nuts, Clove

Ethically sourced directly from farms in Vietnam. Roasted in America.

Specific details about this coffee:

COFFEE GRADE:

GR1.WP.16

FARM/COOP/STATION:

Various

ALTITUDE:

500 to 1,200 meters above sea level

SUBREGION/TOWN:

Various

REGION:

Central Highlands

FARM SIZE:

1.2 hectares on average

BAG SIZE:

60kg Jute

PLACE IN WORLD PRODUCTION:

#2

AVERAGE ANNUAL PRODUCTION:

30,850,000 (in 60kg bags)

COMMON ARABICA VARIETIES:

•Catimor, with some Typica & Bourbon

The main variety planted in Vietnam is Catimor, a hybrid of Caturra and Timor (itself an Arabica-Robusta hybrid). While Catimor boasts high yields and high disease-resistance, it’s not typically prized for its cup quality. So, many producers are turning to other varieties to produce more dynamic and higher-paying coffees.

KEY REGIONS:

Central Highlands (Lam Dong province) | North Vietnam (Son La, Dien Bien provinces)

HARVEST MONTHS:

Central Highlands: November - January | North Vietnam: October - January

Specialty Coffee Expand:

From the beginning of the Đổi Mới reforms to around the end of the International Coffee Agreement in 1989, the government purchased all coffee grown in Vietnam at set prices. Since all coffee received the same price, there was little incentive to improve cup quality or cultivate the more-difficult-to-grow Arabica.

Today, the growth of the specialty coffee industry, combined with low prices for commercial coffee, has sparked farmers’ interest in growing higher quality Robusta coffee and venturing into Arabica cultivation.

The main variety planted in Vietnam is Catimor, a hybrid of Caturra and Timor (itself an Arabica-Robusta hybrid). While Catimor boasts high yields and high disease-resistance, it’s not typically prized for its cup quality. So, many producers are turning to other varieties to produce more dynamic and higher-paying coffees.

Producers are also focusing on improving their selection and processing techniques. This focus on improvement begins at harvest time. Farmers and their workers have begun to employ more selective harvesting techniques, and better post-harvest quality controls are increasingly being implemented.

Other producers are venturing into experimental processing to increase harvest quality and, ultimately, sale price. Some producers are focusing on yeast or enzyme fermentations, others are using anaerobic fermentation. At this point, most of this experimentation is used on microlots. In the future, more farmers may turn to processing most or all of their harvest using advanced or experimental processes to help increase sale prices.