We are very glad to announce the new and first specialty coffee arrival from China: our MENG MENG!
Our laboratory of coffee experts, Caffèlab, is always looking for new specialty coffee lots for you. This time (and for us, the first) we arrived in one of the countries that is usually best known for the production of tea: China.
In fact, China is not one of the best known countries for coffee cultivation, but currently in strong growth and, as we have been able to see with this micro-lot, also qualitatively up-to-pace with the high-level productions of other more “famous” countries , such as Ethiopia and Colombia.
COFFEE PRODUCTION IN CHINA
The coffee plant made its first appearance in China in the late 1800s through French missionaries who first brought it there. However, the commercial production began in the late 1980s. The production areas of this huge country are those closest to the Tropic of Cancer: Yunnan, the province of Fujian and the island of Hainan (find out more about Chinese coffee, in the article by ilcaffeespressoitaliano.com).
Our China MENG MENG comes in fact, from the southern part of the Yunnan province, on the border with Vietnam and Laos. This is the main coffee region in China with around 95% of the cultivation of the whole country.
CHINA MENG MENG
The so called MENG MENG (by its farmers) has become one of the favorite coffees of our specialty line, Caffèlab. Both for its very unique taste that it receives thanks to a double fermentation, and for the sustainability project from which it comes from and supports. The China MENG MENG gives us an blows an Asian wind on us that reminds us of green tea and oriental spices.
The Ou Yang plantation, which covers an area of 78 hectares, is named after its owner. Driven by a great passion for specialty coffees and for the communities of people involved in the coffee processing, Mr Ou aims to produce high quality beans that, thanks to the highest price on the market, can help local communities to get out of the range of poverty.
This coffee grows at 1350 – 1400 meters above sea level and has a cup score of 85 points awarded by the Specialty Coffee Association and follows very particular processing techniques after the harvest.
DOUBLE FERMENTED COFFEE BEANS
Mr Ou has in fact successfully developed new coffee processing techniques, experimenting with alternative methods of fermentation and drying. The drupes of this batch, entirely hand-picked, are placed in hermetic containers for fermentation for 2/3 days, during which the mucilage separates more quickly from the grains.
The coffee cherries are then dried in the sun on raised beds until they reach 40% humidity. At this point they are placed in airtight containers, for a second fermentation of 4/5 days. When finished, the coffee is spread once on raised beds for another 28 days of drying. This technique, called “double fermentation” requires very careful monitoring given the high risk of excessive fermentation and the mold that can be created on the coffee cherries.
Visit the Ou Yan coffee website for more information about this very interesting sustainability project!
TASTE
The taste of this coffee is truly unique! We detected aromas of tropical fruits (mango, pineapple) and sweet and delicate yellow fruit, with an aftertaste that reminds us of green tea. Try our latest arrival of the Caffèlab line now.
Click here to buy it directly from home or contact us for wholesale inquiries!