Introduction to Thai Local Coffee Bean Varieties_Quality and Pricing of Thai Coffee Beans

Introducing Thai Coffee

I want to introduce this Thai coffee bean to coffee lovers at home in the hope that the industry will shift its attention and see that many emerging coffee-producing regions in Asia are turning out green beans with genuinely distinctive character. The green beans from northern Thailand's mountains, along with the central Myanmar beans I have come across personally, have shown remarkably high quality. That is why I predict Asia is very likely to become a world center of coffee production.

More and more countries are joining the ranks of producers: Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, East Timor, Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Even we want to join the coffee-production team.

Look carefully and you will notice that this region covers areas capable of producing extremely high-quality coffee. Only time will tell how many top-tier coffees will emerge.

Thailand's Coffee Regions

Thai coffee actually divides into Robusta grown in the south and Arabica grown in the northern mountains — the areas around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Northern Thai Arabica is best known for Royal Doi Dung coffee. Their coffee factory is excellent and they classify beans using Kona grading standards. Although I know several of the Royal managers quite well and often receive their beautiful free samples, I have never actually bought this particular bean.

I always order from Mike, a Baptist — not out of any Christian bias, but because of the quality differences that show up in the processing. This particular bean is more charming and more thoughtfully handled than the Royal's.

Community Coffee Production

The Thai coffee I am sharing today comes from the Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai mountains, produced by a coffee cooperative formed by the Thai Christian Baptist Church to help mountain villagers. Besides helping villages set up simple water facilities, the group also helps them manage agricultural production. Coffee is one of their important projects and has become their most successful product. Most of their output is exported.

Thanks to excellent polishing and grading equipment, the Royal's beans have a very consistent and bright appearance. The church bean carries more silver skin on the outside, but its internal quality is very solid.

The Royal's hulling and polishing machine is the same brand I imported; it can process 2,000 kilograms per hour. The Baptist cooperative's hulling machine is a Thai brand, simpler in design, which makes the silver skin harder to remove. For more than 10 years I have bought 100-300 kilograms of green beans from them almost every year, always thinking of doing my small part to help.

Quality Assessment

Today I received 2 kilograms of green beans delivered by FedEx — a sample I requested from them a few days ago (so fast!). These are the freshest green beans of the 08/09 season, appearing almost at the same time as Yunnan coffee. The aroma is very similar to ordinary coffee green beans, but more intense, with a lasting sweetness.

The general impression is that American beans have distinct aromas but slightly less concentration, while Asian beans have rich, thick flavors but lack aroma. This northern Thai bean and the Myanmar bean, however, combine the traditional flavor and aroma of both regions in a single bean. You could say there is no longer any need to make Manhado blends or create Barima combinations.

Note: Burmese beans are easy to find on the market, but their quality does not match the caliber I am describing. Some people may have tried northern Thai beans without finding them as good as I say. This is precisely why we must select coffee estates strictly — the problem lies in post-processing attitudes.

Years ago someone suggested importing this unprocessed green bean and selling it as other coffee, but I could not bring myself to do it. Last year I imported 100 kilograms of Grade A beans, but their manager ignored my warning and that batch contained nearly 30% small beans. This time I specifically emphasized that I wanted Grade A, #15 and above. The two kilograms I received are indeed much larger and more uniform.

Compared with other coffees, this bean's green color has a blue tint though it leans green; this Thai green bean is clearly more blue-toned with lighter green undertones. Judging by the tone and the post-processing, this bean's processing skill is already very stable and profound.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Northern Thai Arabica is a reminder of how much variety Asia now offers. If you enjoy that balance of flavor and aroma, FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gotiti is a clean washed Ethiopian counterpart worth comparing: elegant white florals, citrus and orange, and a green tea finish, at the highest G1 grade.

For those drawn to a fuller, fruit-forward cup, FrontStreet Huakui is a natural-process Ethiopian single origin with prominent tropical fruit aromas — cream strawberry, mango, jackfruit, citrus, and blueberry — and a sweetness that makes it easy to enjoy.

And if it is a soft, balanced profile you are after, FrontStreet Brazil Queen's Estate offers cream, peanut, toasted bread, and sugarcane notes from the rare Yellow Bourbon variety, mellow and gently sweet in the cup.