Thailand: Hua Chang

Big and bold flavours leap out of this indulgent cup, whilst also being a very clean and elegant natural processed coffee. When it's hot, apple and Demerara sugar are backed up by a creamy body and sweetness like a trifle. As it cools that shifts into banoffee, whilst there's a slight star anise adding to the finish too.

Thailand produces around 8,000 tonnes of Arabica coffee annually, mostly in the northern regions of the country, and is the third-largest coffee producer in Asia. However, Thai specialty coffee remains rare on the global stage. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Beanspire to bring you coffees that are not only exceptional in quality but also relatively unfamiliar among UK coffee drinkers. When Fuadi Pitsuwan founded Beanspire in 2013, Thailand only exported 1% of its entire coffee production to the international market - that has risen to 10% today, thanks in part to his innovative and sustainability-driven work.

Chiang Rai is Thailand’s northernmost province, sandwiched between Laos in the east and Myanmar in the west. It forms part of the so-called Golden Triangle which, prior to the rise of agricultural production of coffee and fruit, was considered unsafe due to the prevalence of drug production and smuggling across the borders. Coffee farming in Thailand is a relatively new industry, with the first coffee trees introduced to the region in the 1970s for the opium eradication project initiated by the late King Rama IX. Successful efforts to reforest degraded land and replace illicit crops with coffee and other cultivations have led to thriving mountain farms.

Nawin Yaesorkoo is a 37 year old Thai producer from the Mae Suai district of Chiang Rai. He is known for his bold, innovative approach to coffee production, consistently pushing boundaries through unique processing methods. Mae Suai itself is one of the largest coffee growing areas in Thailand with 500 households of Akha hilltribe. Within the Mae Suai district sits the village of Doi Chang (translated to “Elephant Mountain” in English), and at the uppermost point of that you’ll find Hua Chang (translating to “Elephant Head”!). This is the highest elevation area in the locality. The local geography creates a unique microclimate; nutrient-rich black volcanic soil supports top-quality growth of the coffee plants, plus cool mountain temperatures combined with forest shade slows cherry maturation for well developed, complex flavours. Due to this slow maturation, coffee here is harvested quite late in the season compared to warmer coffee-producing areas nearby.

This is the most northernly farm in Thailand, situated 19º north of the equator. At this latitude, coffee typically can’t grow above 1,500 metres above sea level due to challenges brought on by the cooler, windier environment. High altitude can be a double-edged sword for coffee production; for example, windier conditions can provide protection from harmful pests and disease on one end of the scale but reduce yield or break plants at the other. This effect typically increases the further you move from the equator, although there are other factors that contribute, such as coastal/inland location, which varietals you’re growing, and soil type. For comparison, Tarrazú, Costa Rica sits 9º north with coffee growing well higher than 1,600 m.a.s.l, or Jimma, Ethiopia at 7º north hosting farms up to 2,000 m.a.s.l. In Thailand, Nawin is growing coffee with great care right at the upper limits of its range.

After the cherries were delivered to the mill at night, Nawin placed them in sealed tanks for five days, allowing for intact fermentation in an oxygen-free environment. This process enhances the complexity of the coffee. After five days, the tanks were opened, and the whole cherries were dried on raised beds. The drying house was designed for optimal ventilation, allowing for slow and even drying. Once dried, the cherries were delivered to the Beanspire dry mill for hulling and sorting in preparation for export. For green coffee preparation, the beans were processed using a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, with multiple passes through the density table, followed by hand-sorting. The coffee was shipped in triple layer packaging: an outer cotton bag, a middle layer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and an innermost hermetic bag, to maintain moisture levels for optimised quality during transit. The Beanspire mill is one of Thailand's most advanced. Jane and Fuadi have established Beanspire to ensure quality from the start, we are proud to

• Country: Thailand
• Province: Chiang Mai
• Region: Hua Chang
• Elevation: 1,450 m.a.s.l.
• Latitude: 19º north of the equator
• Varietal: Catuai, Typica, Chiang Mai
  
• Processing method: Anaerobic Natural
• Producers: Nawin Yaesorkoo and Beanspire Coffee
• Mill: Beanspire

Tasting notes: Apple, banoffee, trifle.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean Cup: 7/8
• Sweetness: 7/8
• Acidity: 6/8
• Mouthfeel: 6.5/8
• Flavour: 7/8
• Aftertaste: 6/8
• Balance: 6.5/8
• Overall: 7/8
• Correction: +36
• Total: 89/100

Medium-dark
This should be a nice steady roast - not too slow or too fast. Take the coffee through first crack and you're looking for up to the first pops of second as the roast finishes, no more.