Thailand: Mae Chedi

From the misty highlands of Northern Thailand comes a coffee that bridges tradition and innovation. Grown in the Mae Chedi tambon (subregion) of Chiang Rai, this lot represents a remarkable transformation, both in agriculture and in community. At the heart of this story is Watchara Yawirach, a 36-year-old farmer and leader of a 19-member cooperative who is pioneering a new era of Thai specialty coffee.

Mae Chedi has long been known for its tea plantations, with tea serving as the region’s primary cash crop. Coffee, by contrast, has historically played a smaller role. It was introduced in 1977 as part of a royal initiative under King Rama IX to help hill tribe communities transition away from opium cultivation. Today, that legacy continues with a new generation of farmers embracing coffee with renewed purpose. This is the cooperative’s third year producing specialty coffee and its first year exporting—a major milestone for the community.

The coffee grown here is the Chiang Mai varietal, a locally developed hybrid that combines SL28, Caturra, and Híbrido de Timor. As a Catimor variant, it shares lineage with Colombia and Castillo varietals, but has been backcrossed with SL28 to enhance cup quality while maintaining resistance to coffee leaf rust. Developed under the late King’s initiative, this cultivar is both resilient and high-performing, capable of producing exceptional flavour when grown and processed with care.

What truly sets this coffee apart is its processing method, which draws inspiration from the region’s tea-making heritage. The cooperative has adapted traditional tea fermentation techniques for coffee, resulting in a process that is both innovative and deeply rooted in local knowledge. Ripe coffee cherries are fermented anaerobically for nine days in sealed HDPE bags, creating a near oxygen-free environment. This extended fermentation encourages the production of lactic acid, contributing to a cup with wine-like acidity, rich body, and layered sweetness. Managing such a long fermentation requires precision. By carefully controlling variables like temperature and sugar content, the team slows down the process to avoid over-fermentation or harsh flavours. The result is a coffee that is both complex and clean, expressive of its origin and process.

After fermentation, the cherries are pulped and dried on raised beds, then undergo a series of meticulous processing steps: destoning, hulling, size grading, multiple passes through a density table, and final hand-sorting. To preserve quality during transport, the coffee is shipped in triple-layered packaging. This includes an outer cotton layer, a middle HDPE layer, and an inner GrainPro liner, ensuring maximum freshness and protection from environmental factors.

When we first cupped this coffee, the cherry notes were bold and punchy—a clear signature of the anaerobic process. By the time the shipment arrived, the profile had evolved beautifully. The cherry had mellowed into a delicate, refined fruitiness, while the spice and sweetness had intensified, creating a cup that is both balanced and complex. This coffee is a perfect example of how flavour can shift over time, and why we base our sourcing decisions on overall quality and potential, not just initial cupping notes. It is a coffee that rewards patience, curiosity, and craftsmanship. We’re proud to share it with you.

A super sweet coffee, all honeycomb and milk chocolate like a Crunchie bar. A tiny hint of cherry when it’s hot slips away as it cools and a delicate nutmeg arrives late on the aftertaste of this elegant cup.

• Country: Thailand
• Province: Chiang Rai
• Region: Hua Chang
• Tambon (Subdistrict): Mae Chedi
• Varietal: Chiang Mai
• Process: Anaerobic Red Honey
• Producers: Watchara Yawirach x Beanspire
• Cooperative size: 19 members
• Elevation: 1,250 m.a.s.l

Tasting notes: Honeycomb, milk chocolate, cherry, nutmeg.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean Cup: (1-8): 6.5
  
• Sweetness: (1-8): 7
  
• Acidity: (1-8): 6
  
• Mouthfeel: (1-8): 6
  
• Flavour: (1-8): 6.5
  
• Aftertaste: (1-8): 6.5
  
• Balance: (1-8): 6.5
  
• Overall: (1-8): 6
  
• Correction: (+36): +36
• Total (max 100): 87

Roasting Information
Medium-dark: a fairly quick roast, through first and looking for up to the first pops of second as you finish, no more - and don't slow this down too much or you risk over developing it.