ROADS LESS TRAVELLED - LANGBIANG - Sa Ly

Filter Roast

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A BIT ABOUT THIS COFFEE

Sa Ly (19)  is our newest partner from Langbiang Mountain. Surrounded by coffee while growing up, Sa Ly recently moved into specialty production as a way to build a future for herself and provide an income for her family. She has been learning under the guidance of our long-time partners Pat and Tam & processing expert Mr. Kiyotaka Yamaoka  (Kiyo). 

Last year we sponsored a new drying facility so that Sa Ly could begin processing Microlots. This is the first year we get to showcase her coffee, and it's a super pleasant well-executed honey-process coffee.

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WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

This coffee can be enjoyed daily. It’s clean and sweet with a nice round cup profile and a pleasant balance of flavours. Mellow notes of caramel, apple & honey are met with a pleasant hint of macadamia and tea-like tannin.

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HOW TO BREW

We love it as: Pour Over and filter methods (Black).

Also good as: Plunger, Aeropress, or Batch Brew (61g/Litre). Enjoy!

V60 brew guide:

Dose: 20g

Yield: 300g

Time: 2:40 mins 

Aeropress brew guide:

Dose: 12g

Yield: 200g

Time: 2:10 mins 

Batch: 61g/L

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THE STORY

Sa Ly was born as the eldest daughter into a coffee-farming family in a K’ho village beneath the slopes of Langbiang Mountain. From a young age, she watched coffee farmers working hard, particularly her uncle Pat, who ventured into specialty coffee production. Coffee is a way of life for many K’ho people who call Langbiang home.

Studious and a fast learner, she has recently been spending time with Mr Kiyo and Mr Pat during harvest, learning how to get the best from their local Catimor Arabica variety. Kiyo provided Sa Ly with guidance during the processing of this lot, and we were delighted with the result.

Last year, we assisted by sponsoring a new drying area for Sa Ly to continue producing specialty microlot coffees for domestic sale in Vietnam and abroad. Coffee farming is by no means easy; it involves a great deal of hard work with often little reward. But here in Langbiang, the seeds of change have been planted, and Sa Ly is part of the new generation making coffee a viable business to support her family and community.

Sa Ly processed this coffee meticulously. Red cherries were harvested, floated to remove defects, and colour-sorted for peak ripeness. The cherries were then cleaned in spring water and pulped, leaving a thin layer of fruit mucilage on the parchment. The ‘honey’ covered parchment was evenly dried in thin layers in the new shade house. This processing method focuses on perfecting the fundamentals, resulting in a cup profile that clearly and cleanly reflects the natural flavour of the Catimor from Langbiang and the local terroir.

The last harvest season was particularly dry, which favoured the production of Naturals and Honeys and aided the drying process.