Meet Dang: Breaking Boundaries in Vietnam's Speciality Coffee Scene
We had the pleasure to formally meet Dang in January 2020 (as shown in Signs). However, I am sure we met or at least bumped into each other on a previous visit to the farm as he seemed very familiar - either a previous visit or a previous life.
A Familiar Face
Nguyen Dang is a real character with so much passion and love to share.
Dang was at the Robusta farm where he roasted samples of coffee for us which he presented himself with Trung Duc, the farmer of Uplands Roast’s Horizon coffee. I knew Dang had trained with Son Nguyen Van - farmer of Uplands Roast’s Pioneer coffee - though I hadn’t realised that this was for 6 months alongside other smaller visits working alongside one another. His passion and drive was immediately noticeable as was the way in which he operated basic equipment with immense precision.
It is impressive when someone can produce great results with great equipment - though when someone can use basic and simple equipment to achieve the same - it is extraordinary. It’s like watching a DJ play on a homemade sound system and setup, producing results which would make any main stage headliner stop and listen. Very admirable.
Forging a New Future
Dang’s vision is to look at the future of high quality arabica in Vietnam at the same time as revisiting the classic Robusta bean in order to bring out the true potential of his country’s main crop.
Robusta has for a long time been seen as an inferior bean. Dang is dedicated to showcasing what it has to offer. See our blog on Vietnamese Iced Coffee for more on Robusta. By using a honey process - or pulped natural process - on the beans, Dang introduces some more sweetness and complexity to the flavour. As Robusta is naturally powerful and caffeine rich this process adds some pleasant subtleties while still strongly promoting its core flavour.
He is a real character with so much passion and love to share. I went to find another one of his posts and found a recent one sharing some of his recent thoughts, a snapshot into his character.
“One year I have been eating and lying on this land, eating from sunny season to rainy season, from quiet season to stormy season, from house to house. So many emotions.”
“If Da Lat is the place where I have the first steps to understand coffee, Bao Loc is the investor of new opportunities & people. But above all the past days, the most obvious thing when walking on this coffee journey is the laughter, the eyes are waiting for the future projects that promise to connect. This should be a sustainable coffee community. I recognize that coffee connects us regardless of profession, gender, beauty, marriage status, or happy feelings. Because no matter what we are entitled to, a freedom to drink coffee is something that no one can stop!
The coffee community now and in my vision for the future is always diverse with personality and people, in the same way that a cup of coffee might combine sour and bitter flavors, unique & shining. As distinct drips of coffee, I enjoy when each person remains true to their personality. Separate or special, positive or negative, these are just name-calling ways. But the difference by which we or everything in creation is identified; this is an asset in each person. Thanks to it, we can bring value to the community.
I realize that success does not only stop at the ability to create a lot of material wealth or a great name. Transmitting good values also helps other individuals see the meaning and value of yourself. So whether you like to grow coffee, roast it or just drink coffee, remember you always have freedom to choose. And we are always connected. See you soon at Da Lat front!”
Nguyen Dang
A Lynchpin in Vietnam’s Emerging Speciality Coffee Community
We very much look forward to seeing Dang again to work and learn together in the future.
