Product · Specialty Arabica
Specialty ARABICA Khe Sanh coffee beans
Arabica is more than a species here — it is what nature, careful handwork and a restrained roast produce together. Every cup carries a complete slice of the Khe Sanh plateau: jasmine on the nose, balanced citrus on the palate, cane sugar in the finish.
Characteristics
Khe Sanh Catimor: jasmine, citrus and a cane-sugar finish
The first thing you meet when the bag opens is jasmine — light, dry, closer to actual coffee blossom than to any added aroma. It comes from the linalool and geraniol group, which survives only when the roast stops before the caramelisation phase takes hold.
On the palate the citrus acidity sits at about 7.5/10 on the SCA form: bright enough to give the cup life, but never as pointed as a lightly roasted East African. It is mostly green-apple malic acid with orange-peel citric on top, a direct result of the 9–12 °C diurnal swing extending ripening at Khe Sanh.
The sweet finish runs 60–90 seconds with cane sugar and a trace of pressed sugarcane. That is the signature of fruit picked at proper ripeness and dried slowly on raised beds — neither of which can be recovered later through roast technique.
Lots are kept separate by farm and harvest day. The lot code, grower name and picking date are printed on the reverse of every bag, so a café that sells through a lot can reorder the same coffee rather than receiving a generic “Arabica” that tastes different each month.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Variety | Catimor (Arabica) |
| Origin | Huong Phung – Khe Sanh, Quang Tri |
| Altitude | 660 – 750 m |
| Processing | Washed, 18-hour fermentation |
| Drying | Raised beds, 12–15 days |
| Moisture | 10.5 – 11.0% |
| SCA cupping score | 84.25 / 100 |
| Roast level | Light-medium · Agtron 62–66 |
| Packing | 250 g · 500 g (no 5 kg bags) |
Roast profiles
Two curves: V60 filter and single-origin espresso
One green lot, two separate roast curves. We do not ship a single compromise profile and leave the café to work around it.
| Profile | Agtron | Charge temp | First crack | Total | DTR | Intended for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light-medium (filter) | 64–66 | 182 °C | 09:10 | 11:05 | 16–17% | V60, Chemex, Kalita, cold drip |
| Medium (omni / espresso) | 58–62 | 188 °C | 09:40 | 12:00 | 19–20% | Single-origin espresso, Aeropress |
Why split the profiles?
Resting time
Realistic shelf life
Brewing guide
Detailed extraction parameters
Starting recipes per device. Target 1.32–1.42% TDS and 20–22% extraction yield measured on a refractometer.
| Stage | Water | Clock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloom | 45 g | 0:00 – 0:45 | Spiral from centre, one gentle stir |
| Pour 2 | +75 g (120 g) | 0:45 – 1:15 | Slow, keep the bed level |
| Pour 3 | +70 g (190 g) | 1:15 – 1:45 | Even concentric circles |
| Pour 4 | +60 g (250 g) | 1:45 – 2:10 | Decisive, light swirl at the end |
| Drawdown | — | 2:10 – 2:45 | A flat bed is the sign to look for |
| Device | Ratio | Grind | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-origin espresso | 18 g → 40 g | 200–260 micron | 92.5 °C | 28–32 s |
| Chemex 6 cup | 42 g / 700 ml | 800–900 micron | 94 °C | 4:30 – 5:00 |
| Kalita Wave 185 | 20 g / 320 ml | 650–750 micron | 93 °C | 3:00 – 3:30 |
| Aeropress, standard | 15 g / 220 ml | 600 micron | 85 °C | 1:30 + 30 s press |
| French press | 30 g / 500 ml | 1000 micron | 94 °C | 4:00 steep |
| Cold drip | 60 g / 600 ml | 750 micron | Iced water | 3 hours |
| What you taste | Cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp, thin, sour | Under-extracted, below 18% | Grind finer, raise temp 1–2 °C |
| Dry, astringent finish | Over-extracted, above 23% | Grind coarser, shorten pours |
| Watery, weak | Brew ratio too wide | Move from 1:17 to 1:15 |
| Florals missing | Water too hot or beans too old | Drop to 92 °C, check roast date |
Pricing
Specialty Arabica price list
| Format | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 250 g whole bean | $3.40 | Lot code and grower name printed |
| 500 g whole bean | $6.40 | 5% saving against two 250 g bags |
| 1 kg (pre-order) | $12.60 | Split into four 250 g bags to protect aroma |
| Sampler 3 × 100 g | $4.30 | Three different microlots for cupping |
| Wholesale from 10 kg / month | $10.40 / kg | Lot reserved under seasonal contract |
FAQ
Common questions about the Arabica
›Is Catimor really Arabica?
Yes. Catimor is a cross between Caturra (Arabica) and the Timor Hybrid, classified as Arabica. It earned a poor reputation where yield was prioritised over quality, but grown above 600 m, selectively picked and carefully processed, Khe Sanh Catimor cups at 84+ with clear floral and citrus character.
›Why a light-medium roast rather than darker?
The goal is to keep the malic acidity and the volatile floral compounds. Taking the roast 90 seconds or more past first crack destroys them and replaces the cup with burnt caramel — a flavour you can get from Robusta at half the price.
›Does it work in a phin?
It works, but it is not the best use of the coffee. The phin holds water against the bed at high temperature for several minutes, which exposes the sharper edge of a lightly roasted Arabica. If you do brew it that way, grind one step coarser and drop the water to 88–90 °C.
›What does microlot mean here?
A lot kept separate by single farm, single harvest day and single drying batch, never blended with other lots. Every Arabica bag prints the lot code, grower name and harvest date on the reverse so you can reorder exactly the same coffee.
›How many lots are available per year?
The Khe Sanh harvest runs October to January and yields nine to twelve separated microlots per season. Specialty Arabica is under 15% of our total green volume, so individual lots often sell out within six weeks.
Complete the bar
Arabica for filter, Espresso Blend for the main bar, Fine Robusta for the traditional phin — three lines, one Khe Sanh origin.