$25.00
Process: Fermented, Black Honey
Caramel, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cacao Nibs
Perfect for your Vietnamese Iced Coffee or Espresso
Limited Time Offering -
At Greater Goods, we’re excited to introduce you to our latest find: the Robusta Black Honey from Vietnam. This coffee comes from a region with a rich history and a deep connection to its land. Vietnam’s coffee journey began with Arabica but truly found its footing with Robusta, which now dominates the country’s coffee production.
This Fine Grade Robusta coffee is distinguished by its unique flavor profile, crafted through a meticulous processing method that showcases the best of this variety. We’re thrilled to offer this exceptional coffee and let you experience its vibrant and distinctive flavors. Savor the taste of Vietnamese heritage in every cup!
Details
Profile: Dark
Producer: Various Smallholders
Region: Dak Doa District, Lam Dong Province
Process: Black Honey (9 days in-cherry fermentation, dried on raised bed)
Elevation: 800-850masl
Variety: TR4 & TR9
Source
In the modern era, Vietnam was first occupied by French troops during their attack on Danang in 1858. As was common in many colonized countries, coffee arrived in Vietnam on French missionary ships. Initially, the missionaries experimented with various regions before settling on the Central Highlands as the ideal place for coffee cultivation. Interestingly, the first coffee planted in Vietnam was Arabica, not the Robusta that dominates today.
Robusta only made its entrance into Vietnam nearly 30 years later, in 1908, when the French introduced it along with another variety, Excelsa, to the Central Highlands. Despite this, Vietnam did not immediately become the Robusta powerhouse we know now; coffee cultivation grew slowly over time. Today, Vietnam produces around 30 million bags of coffee annually, with Robusta making up about 95% of that total.
Story
The coffee farms in Vietnam are predominantly privately owned, with 95% of the coffee farms being privately run. Of the total coffee production area, approximately 85% is cultivated by smallholder households. Around 63% of these farms are operated by families managing less than one hectare. The remaining 5% are state-run, but this number is decreasing as land is increasingly distributed to small farmers.
Through this network of dedicated smallholders, Vietnam has become a major player in global coffee production. While it ranks 13th in Arabica production, Vietnam is second in the world for overall coffee volume, with only Brazil surpassing it.
Size
Grind
TasteMatch starting point · dark roast
French press
For this darker roast, French press is a starting point for a fuller-bodied cup. Use Hoffmann’s settling technique; adjust extraction to avoid bitterness.
Full-bodied and forgiving. Patience matters more than technique.
Recipe references: James Hoffmann, Barista Hustle
Sour or thin coffee usually means under-extraction, so grind finer or brew longer. Bitter or drying coffee usually means over-extraction, so grind coarser or brew shorter. Change one variable at a time. Research from UC Davis's Coffee Center and Jonathan Gagné's writing explains the physics behind these rules.
Professional tasters score coffee on fragrance and aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, uniformity and clean cup, following the SCA cupping protocol. You can borrow the same habit at home: smell the dry grounds, then the wet crust, then taste the coffee hot, warm and cool. Flavor opens up as the cup cools, so don't judge it in the first sip.
The SCA Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel, built on the World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon, works from the inside out. Start in the center with broad families — fruity, sweet, nutty/cocoa, floral, spicy, roasted — then move outward to specifics like berry, citrus, caramel or jasmine. If a coffee tastes "fruity," ask what kind of fruit. Naming flavors gets easier the more deliberately you compare cups side by side.
Acidity is brightness, not sourness: think citrus, apple or wine-like sparkle, and it's prized in high-grown coffees. Body is the weight on your tongue, from tea-like to syrupy. Sweetness signals ripe fruit and a clean roast. When a brew tastes flat or harsh, adjust the extraction first, then revisit what you taste.
V60, French press and AeroPress techniques
Pour-over and extraction science
French press and espresso
AeroPress recipes
Espresso, drip and cold brew standards; cupping protocol; Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel
Sensory Lexicon behind the flavor wheel
Coffee extraction research