Coffee, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia

Coffee has been drank in the Philippines since the mid-1700s, when it was brought over by Spain from north and central Africa. Coffee appears to have originated as a species in the Ethiopia area where it was consumed as medicine and part of a holy ritual. Sufi Muslims in the southern parts of Arabia seem to be the first to turn coffee into a drink, consuming it in monasteries. From the 1400s onward, coffee became part of the larger spice trade.

In the past hundred years or so, a coffee culture somewhat unique to Southeast Asia has grown out of the violence of colonialism: coffee was brought to the region as a cash crop, grown on large plantations tended by forced labor and the enslavement of Asia’s native populations.The most famous coffee producers in the region are Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, which all continued the colonial practice of farming cash crops. Arabica has grown in popularity in Vietnam and the Philippines over time, but the species is still a major point of divergence. Arabica is by far the most popular coffee in Western and Middle Eastern culture, but Robusta became particularly popular and primary in Southeast Asia because of its hardiness against natural forces. It has a distinctly different flavor profile as well. Whereas Arabica is known for its sour, fruity, and nutty notes, Robusta is more bitter, woody, and earthy. In Vietnamese strains in particular, there tends to be a distinct chocolate-y flavor that is enhanced by the traditional serving method in the country—adding a tablespoon or so of condensed milk and ice.

The Philippines is also famous for its Liberica species, known locally as “kapeng barako.” The species also originated in Africa, but became most famous in the Philippines because it became a naturalized species.

Cavite and Batangas are particularly well-known for their barako production. Not coincidentally, these two provinces are also the focal point of the Philippines’ growing café culture. There are many wonderful and independently owned cafés found in these two provinces, particularly in Silang, Tagaytay, Taal, and the southern parts of Cavite and Batangas. This culture has yet to spread seriously to Manila, northern Luzon, or the Visayan region, but I believe that as Filipinos come to appreciate their own native coffee over foreign imports or instant coffee, the culture will expand.

Indonesia, in addition to its regular massive production of Robusta beans, also produces for the local market the ethically controversial kopi luwak, which is produced in smaller quantities in the Philippines. Also known as kapeng musang, this coffee is produced from the digested beans excreted by the Asian palm civet.

Of particular note in Philippine coffee culture is the Spanish latte. Many probably think that this is indeed a Spanish drink, as one finds that it does not really exist outside the Philippines. I have never found this drink outside the country, except in one café in Vancouver, Canada, which happened to be an Asian-themed café. This leads me to believe that it is actually a native creation given reference to a former colonial master’s influence, since the latte itself as a drink has origins in Spanish, French, and Italian culture.

The most developed café culture in the region is, of course, in Vietnam, one of the largest coffee producers in the world. There are countless locally owned cafés all over this country serving the best known drinks, ca phe sua da (iced condensed milk coffee) and ca phe trung (egg [foam] coffee). The Robusta beans grown in Da Lat in particular are well-known for their high quality and deliciously nutty and chocolate-y flavors. If Filipinos would like to try this coffee without going to Vietnam, the iconic and most famous brand of coffee in Vietnam now has several branches in Luzon and is known as Highlands Coffee.

In the Philippines, the café culture is centered around going out with friends and having a fun time. The culture in Vietnam is about slowing down, sitting outside in the shade, and letting the ice melt slowly into your coffee while observing your neighborhood. In a rapidly developing country like Vietnam, it seems there is a strong desire to carry over the more slow-paced past into the future.

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Sterling V. Herrera Shaw received his master’s degree in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he specialized in sociocultural and development studies.