About Vietnamese’s Arabica Coffee

About Arabica Coffee Vietnam

Surprised by Vietnam’s rise in the world coffee market. Overcoming many famous countries such as Colombia and Indonesia. to become the second-largest coffee exporting country in the world.

Many prestigious newspapers have reported on Vietnam as a surprise factor. Because thirty years ago, we were just a rookie, both in terms of output and quality. After thirty years, the outcome has changed the most, but the quality is still guaranteed.

Vietnam mainly exports the Robusta line in raw form, a lower-value coffee than the Arabica line.

It is the primary producer of Robusta coffee. But Vietnam is also home to some of the best Arabica coffees globally. They are grown in the provinces: Lam Dong, Quang Tri, Dien Bien, Son La.

Why Is Arabica Preferred Over Robusta?

This depends on individual taste. Arabica is considered to have a better taste, less acrid, but more bitter than Robusta. Many people like to drink Robusta instant coffee. But when switching to drinking Arabica, most of them don’t want to use Robusta anymore.

Robusta can be considered a lower-quality coffee. However, it has the advantage that it is very weatherable and less susceptible to pests and diseases. Commonly, this type of coffee will be harvested after 2-3 years, while Arabica coffee needs 4-5 years.

Arabica coffee is also a fastidious plant and is quite sensitive to climate. Requires average annual temperature and rainfall to meet new standards for high harvest. Meanwhile, Robusta coffee can adapt to many different environmental conditions.

Types Of Arabica Coffee Beans In Vietnam

Compared with other coffee varieties, although Arabica is highly appreciated for its taste and economic value, it is a complex plant to cultivate, has poor tolerance, requires many techniques, and is a cold-loving plant. Grows well at a temperature of about 18-24°C, an altitude of about 1000-1500m above sea level).

Vietnam is not an ideal soil for this coffee variety, but there are still four famous Arabica coffees grown in Vietnam, including Bourbon, Typica, Mocha, and Catimor.

Typical

Typical is the standard for every measure of coffee quality for coffee connoisseurs and is more enjoyable. People often argue about the sound – bad of coffee based on the taste of Typica.

Due to genetics, Typica coffee beans contain a lot of malic acid for an apple-like sour taste, plus a sweet and mildly bitter taste – all creating a harmonious whole with an ecstatic and seductive aroma.

Catimor

It is known that Catimor is a coffee variety that is bred from two types of Caturra and Timor (Timor is a cross between robusta and arabica lines), originating from Portugal.

So Catimor is often grown more commonly than Bourbon and Typica strains. Currently, Catimor is mainly distributed in major coffee material areas across the country, such as Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Quang Tri, Nghe An, and Son La.

However, besides the above advantages, this coffee variety is evaluated by some experts as the low quality of drinking water, tiny seeds, and gourds when roasted by some experts. Therefore, it is impossible to satisfy the export market or customers with high requirements for “appearance.”

Bourbon

Arabica Bourbon is one of the first coffee varieties introduced to Vietnam by the French colonialists in 1975. This coffee was only served to the aristocracy and upper class because of its noble taste. Elegant and savory that it brings.

This is a premium coffee line rated as having the same quality as “specialty coffee” in the world. This Arabica Bourbon variety is grown and developed in Xuan Tho and Xuan Truong communes of the Cau Dat area, Da Lat.

Arabica Bourbon coffee beans have long conquered “coffee followers” thanks to their seductive aroma and lingering sweetness. When roasted at a moderate temperature, coffee will produce a mildly sour, wine-flavored drink. That’s why they are called the “Queen of Coffees.”

Catuai

Many people find it very interesting to see with their own eyes the ripe coffee varieties with nursery seeds grown in the coffee material areas in Vietnam. Yellow color is also the unmistakable characteristic of Catuai coffee.

Catuai is bred from many different coffee varieties introduced in Cuba in the 1980s. They have a round coffee bean, similar to Catimor coffee beans. The Catuai variety was bred from Caturra coffee beans (named after a town in Brazil) – a variant of Bourbon (pure Arabica) with the Mundo Novo coffee line (a cross between two pure Arabica lines, Bourbon and Arabica Typical).