Product · Espresso
ESPRESSO Blend — wholesale
A blend built at a deliberate ratio for cafés that want international-standard espresso without losing Vietnamese character: thick crema, dark chocolate body, and enough structure to hold up in a milk drink.
Composition
The ratio and the reasoning behind it
This blend started from a specific brief given to us by cafés in Khe Sanh and Dong Ha: one coffee that stands up in Vietnamese iced black coffee but is still refined enough for a cappuccino served to visitors. After twenty-three ratio trials we settled on 70% Fine Robusta and 30% Catimor Arabica.
The screen 18 Fine Robusta provides the body. Its higher lipid and protein content gives a crema that is thick, lasts past three minutes and does not vanish under condensed milk. It also carries the dark chocolate and malt that linger after the swallow.
The Khe Sanh Catimor Arabica is roasted separately at a lighter level and post-blended, so two beans of different density are never forced through the same curve. It contributes bright malic acidity and a floral top note, pulling the blend out of the flat bitterness that pure-Robusta blends often fall into.
All green coffee comes from households within 15 km of Khe Sanh town, stored at 10.5–11.5% moisture and rested a minimum of 60 days after processing before it goes near the roaster.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Varieties | Selected Robusta (70%) · Catimor (30%) |
| Origin | Huong Hoa – Khe Sanh, Quang Tri, 620–750 m |
| Processing | Natural, raised bed, 14–18 days |
| Roast level | Medium · Agtron Gourmet 48–52 |
| Development time ratio | 19–21% |
| Post-roast moisture | 2.2–2.8% |
| Bulk density | 655–680 g/L |
| Caffeine (dry basis) | 2.1% |
| Packing | 250 g · 500 g · 1 kg · 5 kg valve bag |
Cup profile
Tasting notes on the SCA form
Average score 83.25 across the three most recent retained samples, cupped by a three-person internal panel on the standard SCA protocol.
Fragrance & aroma
Flavour & acidity
Body & aftertaste
For café owners
Extraction parameter table
Verified starting points on E61 and saturated-group machines. Re-dial each morning against your actual ambient humidity.
| Drink | Dose in | Yield out | Time | Group temp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ristretto | 18.0 g | 27 g | 25–27 s | 93.5 °C | Concentrated, for iced black |
| Standard espresso | 18.0 g | 36 g | 26–29 s | 93.0 °C | 1:2 ratio, base recipe |
| Lungo | 18.0 g | 54 g | 32–35 s | 92.0 °C | Drop temp to avoid roast bitterness |
| Double for cappuccino | 19.5 g | 38 g | 27–30 s | 94.0 °C | Higher dose to carry 150 ml milk |
| Moka pot, 6 cup | 22 g | 120 g | 4–5 min | Low flame | One step coarser than espresso |
| Method | Dial reference | Particle size |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1.8 – 2.4 | 200–300 micron |
| Moka pot | 3.5 – 4.2 | 350–450 micron |
| Batch brew | 5.0 – 5.8 | 600–800 micron |
| Cold brew | 8.5 – 9.5 | 1000–1200 micron |
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 s, sour | Grind too coarse or uneven tamp | One step finer, level 15 kg tamp |
| Over 35 s, burnt | Grind too fine or dose too high | One step coarser, drop 0.5 g |
| Thin, collapsing crema | Beans too fresh or past 35 days | Check roast date, use day 7–35 |
| Sided or spritzy flow | Uneven puck distribution | Use WDT and level before tamping |
Water matters more than most bars assume: target 75–125 ppm total dissolved solids and 40–70 ppm carbonate hardness. Water that is too soft makes acidity spiky; water that is too hard flattens the cup and scales the group faster.
Pricing
Tiered wholesale pricing
| Monthly volume | Price / kg | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Retail 250 g – 1 kg | $9.20 | Valve bag, printed roast date |
| 5 – 19 kg | $8.10 | Weekly delivery, online dialling-in |
| 20 – 49 kg | $7.40 | On-site dial-in session, free samples |
| 50 kg and above | $6.80 | Private-label bag printing |
| Green coffee, FOB Da Nang | On request | From 300 kg, GrainPro-lined bags |
FAQ
Common questions about the blend
›Which machines is this blend designed for?
Any commercial machine holding a stable 92–94 °C group temperature at 9 bar. It is forgiving on heat-exchanger machines because the Robusta component tolerates a wider temperature window than a washed Arabica would. On a 15 bar home machine, use a non-pressurised basket and drop the dose to 16 g.
›Will 70% Robusta taste harsh?
Not from this lot. The Robusta component is screen 18 Fine Robusta, selectively picked ripe and raised-bed dried — not commodity grade. The bitterness reads as round and cocoa-like rather than astringent, and the high Robusta share is exactly what keeps crema thick and stops the coffee disappearing under condensed milk.
›How long should the coffee rest before service?
Seven to ten days from the roast date printed on the bag. During the first five days, residual CO2 causes channelling and sharp acidity. Crema begins to thin after day 21; we recommend using each bag within 35 days of roast.
›What are the export terms?
Air cargo for roasted coffee from 20 kg, typically 4–6 days door to door in Southeast Asia and 7–10 days to Europe and North America. Green coffee ships FOB Da Nang from 300 kg. Certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate and lot analysis are issued with every shipment.
›Can you roast to our own profile?
Yes, from 50 kg per month. Send your target Agtron, development time ratio and cupping notes; we match the curve on our 15 kg drum and send a retained sample from each production batch for your approval.
Compare with the other two lines
Fine Robusta is built for the traditional phin; Specialty Arabica is our washed microlot for filter and single-origin espresso.