Drink of the Week: Nguyen Coffee Supply Dark Roast

When Sahra Nguyen launched Nguyen Coffee Supply at the end of 2018, the concept was surprisingly novel. Despite the increasing popularity of Vietnamese cuisine and Vietnamese-style coffee drinks, actual coffee beans from Vietnam were not in the spotlight on cafe menus or market shelves. This despite the fact that Vietnam is one of the largest coffee-producing countries, second only to Brazil. The disconnect comes from the type of coffee being sold. While most beans marketed as specialty coffee are arabica, Vietnam grows primarily robusta, long used as commodity coffee.

Nguyen set out to not only prove how delicious robusta beans can be but to reclaim the reputation of Vietnamese coffee. Today, through direct-trade partnerships with family farms in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, Nguyen Coffee Supply sources both arabica and robusta beans, roasting them at a facility in Brooklyn. The company just released a trio of darkly roasted coffees: a 100-percent arabica (Dalat), a 100-percent robusta (Hanoi), or a blend of the two (Saigon).

Nguyen, who also serves as head roaster, experimented with 12 different roast profiles to dial in the ideal characteristics. The resulting dark-roast coffees emphasize deep, bold flavors of cacao, tobacco, and hazelnut, with highlights of jasmine and blackberry. The coffees translate deliciously through any brewing method (I made a pour-over in my Chemex). But Nguyen Coffee Supply also recommends trying the traditional, slow-brewing method of a phin filter. The new roasts are available as a trio. So go ahead and experiment for a taste of what Vietnamese coffee can really be. $48/trio or $16-18/per 12oz. bag, nguyencoffeesupply.com