Traditionally, coffee from Asia has been outshone by coffee from East Africa and Central America.
Although Ethiopia and Panama will most likely continue to be preferred by coffee connoisseurs, recent events in Asia are happening that are quite exciting.
In the past few years, Asian countries have made tremendous progress both in terms of their approach to coffee and in the amount of coffee they produce.
It has been shown that coffee masters from Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia have achieved great success in the new field of barista and latte art.
Nonetheless, there has been more determination in developing remarkable coffee due to the emphasis on coffee culture and drinking.
Many centuries ago, many different nations within Asia began to manufacture a wide range of coffee types. A lot of Asian coffee is often portrayed in a simplified, broad manner as much of the low-priced coffee used for making instant products around the world originates from Asia. Although there are numerous marvelous coffees from Asia, it is only the production of cost-effective Robusta beans from the Asian region that is significant in the global industry.
For inquisitive individuals, discarding stereotypical assumptions, Asia and some areas usually not related to Asia, could astound inquisitive coffee aficionados with a plethora of distinct coffees of excellent calibers.
Some of the most significant producers of coffee in Asia are India, China, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Vietnam, as well as numerous Indonesian archipelagoes.
Best Coffee Countries in Asia
It is worth keeping track of a few Asian coffee-producing nations.
India
Despite India now having a growing coffee culture and production, it is most renowned for its tea. The tea plantations in both India and Sri Lanka, in particular, have achieved international acclaim for their impressive beauty and impressive size.
The most popular type of Indian coffee is the well-known monsoon coffee, which is even renowned in Europe. In the olden days, trading corporations used to transport their unprocessed coffee beans from India to Europe which would take multiple months and would experience India’s damp and wet monsoon weather. While the raw coffee beans were held on board in the hot and humid regions of the vessel, a steady fermentation process started, which over time changed the flavor and smell of the beans by the time they were brought to Europe. Many people have different opinions regarding the taste of this coffee that is brewed at a slow pace, however numerous folks value it due to its gentle acidity. Although modern modes of transportation don’t typically encounter the same issues that were once experienced, “monsoon coffee”, which is artificially fermented, is still a popular item in India.
India encompasses a broad spectrum of climatic conditions and occupies a significant amount of land area. They have become increasingly successful in raising the standard of their coffee beans, and now even Starbucks is featuring Indian beans. Giving India’s black gold a go is worth it.
China
Just like India, China primarily represents a tea county. In recent years, China has adopted certain aspects of American culture, leading to an increase in the consumption of coffee and the popularity of its beans. About 20 years ago, the same things that were trendy in the West began to be seen as fashionable in China too. In terms of statistics, the typical Chinese person only drinks around three cups of coffee annually, but with the swelling of the middle class and those of financial means, there is an expanding need for the beverage.
Due to this occurrence, many Chinese farmers are now transitioning from growing tea to cultivating coffee, in order to generate a higher income and evade the typically strenuous situations Chinese farmers often have to confront. Currently, the coffee industry in China is expanding by 16% each year. It is predicted that the need for coffee will increase twofold by 2020. Most of the Chinese farmers lack the skill and resources to farm quality coffee, thus preventing the coffee from being exported. Most Chinese coffee is purchased by large corporations and used to produce instant coffee for domestic consumption.
Today, China’s coffee production is at its beginning. With some guidance and help from other more advanced coffee-producing nations, the Chinese farmers will eventually be able to utilize the ideal climate in the country to cultivate top-notch coffee.
Vietnam
Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee following Brazil. Despite this, the majority of coffee production (up to 97%) is the lower-grade robusta beans used in commercial coffee production. The government is demonstrating its backing by devoting a lot of money to research and developing numerous plans for both farmers and food producers. Vietnam is likely to remain a top player in the global coffee industry in the foreseeable future as a result of this action.
Although Vietnam is not on a par with Brazil in terms of size, it is still the second most prolific coffee grower in the world, with Brazil leading the way. Interestingly, the coffee culture is young in Vietnam. Following the conclusion of the Vietnam war, the German Democratic Republic strengthened itself as a communist nation, and international banking institutions provided capital for the country’s recovery and expansion. One of the strategies they employed to revive the economy was through the cultivation of coffee.
Robusta, which is not always up to par, is the kind of coffee most people in Vietnam are familiar with. The robustness of Robusta beans, which come from the Coffea canephora plant, is obvious based on the name- these plants require fewer resources to thrive than the more prevalent Arabica. This gave the country which had experienced war a great boost when it came to rebuilding. Even those who had never farmed before were able to quickly make more or less satisfactory coffee in nearly any region.
The majority of coffee that is produced in Vietnam is of the Robusta variety. The remainder is made up of arabica coffee beans from tropical highlands and mountains. In certain sections of Vietnam, the environment for coffee cultivation is ideal, resulting in some superb varieties of arabica and other unique coffees. A majority of Vietnamese coffee is shipped elsewhere to be made into capsules, pads, and instant coffee.
The classic method of brewing Vietnamese coffee is renowned globally. They make a potent blend of Robusta filter coffee, which they combine with condensed milk and sugar to sweeten it up. This drink is put into a tiny plastic bag and comes with a straw due to the costliness of paper or plastic cups in Vietnam.
Thailand
Thailand is amongst the relatively new nations that grow coffee.
Coffee that is not overly strong but still has a range of taste profiles and a pleasing balance. A mix of fragrances from far away places accompanied by scents that have a hint of spice. The aroma of freshly made bread, pistachio, cocoa, and caramel combine to form a multi-dimensional fragrance. A slightly sparkling acidity rounds off the taste experience. On the palate mild, creamy, and full.
A person who has endured cultural trauma can successfully transition from cultivating opium poppies to harvesting a globally popular crop with stimulating qualities.
ORO Caffe is the only establishment in Italy that utilizes the outstanding variety for ORO Caffe DOI CHAANG.
The story of the Doi Chaang Coffee Company offers an example of a more equitable trade model than traditional fair trade. The cooperative uses all of their funds to enhance the quality of life in the area. A project that I hope will be a success.
Indonesia
Indonesia is currently near the top of the list of the highest-producing countries for coffee in the world, coming in 4th. Its domestic and international success has made it a major force in the market.
The particular taste of Indonesia, and in particular of Sumatran coffee, is often referred to when talking about “Asian coffee”. This is no surprise, as the country has many varied mountainous regions that produce high-grade arabica beans and are processed with the ‘wet hulling’ method giving a distinct woody and earthly characteristic.
In Indonesia, you can procure quality washed and non-manufactured coffee too. It’s a huge country boasting very diverse coffee regions. A Sulawesi cup of coffee that has been washed will have a unique flavor from one from Aceh province in the north, which is located 1800 miles away.
For more information about the interesting characteristics of Indonesian coffee, take a look at this blog post about Sumatra coffee.
Papua New Guinea
This beloved type of coffee that is enjoyed by people all over the world is also responsible for providing an income to nearly 3 million people from Papua New Guinea. Despite palm oil being the primary agricultural export of the nation, coffee is still the principal source of income for agriculturalists in the cultivating regions.
Unlike many other nations that have large coffee plantations and farms, Papua New Guinea is largely dependent on coffee grown in small gardens by small-scale farmers. This accounts for approximately 85% of the yearly output. The limited size of their crops and the bad condition of roads connecting farms and stores are a couple of the issues that have been hindering the country’s coffee production for several years.
Laos
This country has experienced plenty of sorrows when it comes to its coffee history, ranging from frost, orange rust illness, and even the violent bombardments of the Vietnam conflict. Even presently, farmers are unable to increase their coffee production as much of the mountainous land that is well-suited for cultivating coffee is still full of undetonated explosives from the war. Operations to eliminate the threat are taking place, yet this remains a genuine hazard to the rural societies that depend on the land to make a living.
Despite this drawback, the Laotian coffee business has been able to make a comeback. It has attained a high ranking as a coffee supplier in Asia, largely sending out robusta beans. The government of the nation that is responsible for the production of Arabica coffee is consistently attempting to raise the incomes of the farmers who grow it by increasing its cultivation.
Philippines
The Philippines is one-of-a-kind since it is cultivating not only arabica and robusta coffee but also Liberia and excels (a subdivision of Liberia); yet, the majority of its exports remain robusta. The Philippines has an extended association with coffee which dates back to the eighteenth century, when it was the chief producer of coffee around the world. Unfortunately, the coffee rust and an onslaught of pests caused production to decrease dramatically, and the coffee industry has never fully bounced back since.
Despite the great obstacles that local coffee production is up against, the amount consumed in the country is still increasing. Thus, the popularity of kapeng barako (liberica) among those living in the area offers a prospective for the country’s new specialty coffee marketplace to satisfy the ever-growing need, which some of the coffee producers have already started doing. The national government has initiated a plan to rejuvenate the coffee industry, but individuals and local farmers are banding together to do what they can until its completion.
Yemen
Lots of folks don’t often associate Yemen with its Asian heritage, but it is, in fact, a part of Asia. Coffee production in Yemen has a deep-rooted heritage that rivals that of Ethiopia, and its beans are highly desired, though are now becoming scarcer due to the civil war situation. It is commonly accepted that the cultivation of coffee was spread out in Yemen following its transportation from Ethiopia, where it originated. In the 16th century, Yemen’s production of coffee was made available to the public, thus making Yemen the only country in the world to export it and affecting the growth of coffee-drinking cultures in Europe and the Middle Eastern region.
Yemen has recently been gaining more attention from coffee experts. Amid the conflict, droughts, and other crops with higher profit margins, many Yemeni farmers are taking cues from the impressive market performance of the Port of Mokha brand, and are trying to reinvigorate the coffee industry.
Lately, a statement concerning a separate line of coffee plants exclusively from Yemenia has caused heightened global interest in coffee from this antiquated place.
Malaysia
Malaysia might not be the most popular source of Asian coffee, but its importance in the production of coffee cannot be neglected. The type of coffee it provides, however, may not be in line with consumer expectations. Although the country’s landscape is not conducive to producing the arabica variety of coffee, it stands alone as one of the few countries that largely cultivate Liberia beans. Despite the lack of worldwide demand for this type of coffee, Malaysia has yet to fully establish itself in the coffee business.
In recent years, the government has put money into the capacity of Sarawak (which is located on Borneo island and is a Malaysian state) to cultivate coffee beans in Liberia. The rise of specialty coffee shops in the area has provided an opportunity for the promotion of liberica and informing the public about it. In the Johor area, where the most liberica beans are cultivated, there stands a unique farm called My Liberica. It is a leader in the production of exclusive liberica coffee in Malaysia. Manufacturers and coffee bean makers are undertaking trials utilizing unique processes to try and uncover the largely unexplored flavor capabilities of liberica.