I remember posting something about Vietnamese coffee some time ago. They have really good beans that have a very earthy flavor and the way they make it is really thick and sweet. If you like rich and sweet coffee, then the way the Vietnamese make it will make you happy.
This weekend, though, a tropical storm which is developing west of the Philippines is posing a serious threat to the coffee crop in Vietnam. The two countries are very near each other and it is not a strange thing for tropical storms to traverse a path from one country to the next. Though the people are used to such natural occurrences, the potential implications of a typhoon at this point are disastrous. This is because the coffee harvest is currently ongoing as we speak.
If the typhoon hits the central part of Vietnam, which is actually the coffee belt of the country, then the coffee crop will be in danger. For one, strong rain will definitely tamper with the harvest activities. Another big problem would be the inability of the farmers to sun dry the coffee beans during stormy weather. With the absence of the sun, they would have to use commercial dryers, which do not result in as excellent quality beans as natural sun drying does.
This might not seem a big deal to some people, especially those who are far from the area but if you drink Vietnamese coffee on a regular basis, you just might be experiencing a shortage in supply pretty soon if the weather does not cooperate.
Originally posted on November 8, 2008 @ 10:15 am