Coffee Man Story | fight with coffee farmers all over Taiwan

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If you want to do a foot show for Taiwan coffee, Dong Dinghe, the person in charge of Sengao Sand Coffee, should be the best host. When many cafes are deterred by the high price of Taiwanese coffee, "it's not Taiwanese coffee, it doesn't come into my bar." Brother Dong said arrogantly.

"basically, Taiwan is south of Hou Longxi in Miaoli. No matter on the east or west bank, as long as it is backed by the mountain, there is coffee. In the past, during the Japanese occupation, various varieties of beans were brought in. At that time, there were four major coffee producing areas, Mizuho, Guanshan, Gukeng and Sandimen. " Dong Dinghe said. Then the Kuomintang came and found that there was no domestic market, so it began to abandon the coffee industry.

On the contrary, the opportunity to restart the coffee industry was after the September 21 earthquake. "Farmers discovered primitive wild species left over from the Japanese occupation era. After being released for six or 70 years, they have been domesticated by the land. The growing period is completely in line with the characteristics of Taiwan's Meiyu, Xiatai, and Qiutai. Not even irrigation." At present, Sengao sand covers 12 major townships in Taiwan, and the number of cooperative farmers is as high as 121, accounting for as much as 40% of Taiwan's coffee supply.

The Sengao Shadong store, which only opened in March this year, has a long cooking bar as soon as it enters the door.

Zhong Zhangtou, Yunjia Gaoping, Hualien Taitung and other places in Taiwan have coffee beans and high sand. (700yuan-1300 yuan / 227g)

The individual coffee in the shop must be cold and hot to make you taste better. (Alishan Sun-cured Coffee in Chiayi County, 320 yuan per serving)

When the iced coffee in the shop is dripping, it begins to shake the ice cubes of the next cup to make the flavor even. (washed iced coffee in Taimali, Taitung County, 200 yuan per serving)

The stable supply is the result of his six-year visit to the producing area to fight with farmers, not so much opening a coffee shop as doing a census of coffee farmers. Dong Dinghe, who was originally chairman of the electronics industry, has been an amateur coffee player since the age of 17. He first came into contact with Taiwanese coffee when he rebuilt the tribe during the August 8 storm in Pingtung. "the local coffee farmer asked me to tell the truth. I said, you might as well burn down the coffee garden first thing in the morning and don't plant it."

In addition to the lack of expertise in one-stop operation, the harvest cost is 30 times higher than that of African countries, and it is also uncompetitive. "since there is no cost savings, we can only improve the quality." Unable to resist the farmer's simple and eager eyes, he bit his teeth, sold the house to create a brand, and moved cash up the mountain to discuss cooperation with small farmers. "the advantage of selling Taiwanese coffee is that you can directly control the raw bean merchants. I don't agree to do it, nor do I bargain, but if your quality is not up to standard, we will review and adjust it together. The focus is on progress. "

Taiwan coffee with Sengao sand is presented by hand. Brother Dong believes that the less interference and the simpler the tools, the more you can force out the strength of coffee. It must be hot and cold when serving, so that the guests can compare the flavor at different temperatures. Every year, he inspects Taiwan's producing area at least six or seven times by car to monitor the quality and to pay attention to the condition of farmland. "for example, when grapefruit was chemically ripened last year, the nearby coffee fields were also affected. When I saw it, I told them that I didn't want the first five rows of beans."

Young tea farmers in Hualien Ruisui have a lot of ideas and use tea withering technology to treat coffee honey. (courtesy of Dong Dinghe)

The beautiful coffee cherries in Nantou Guomixiang are changing color. (courtesy of Dong Dinghe)

The mushroom farmers of the Taichung News Agency use a temperature-controlled and accurate mushroom baking machine, which can make sun-dried beans without the sun. (courtesy of Dong Dinghe)

Growing coffee under the betel nut tree is the planting method that Dong Dinghe strives to promote. (courtesy of Dong Dinghe)

In the process of tutoring, he also saw the boundless creativity of Taiwan's coffee farmers. "Taiwanese farmers are used to planting sweet fruits, and even coffee has a strong sense of sugar, resulting in the characteristics of Huigan." However, there is still a unique style of coffee in various places, such as Alishan and Mizuho have the most perfect sour taste; Taichung News Agency has less sunshine, but it uses a mushroom roaster to make amazing sun-dried beans; Taitung Tai Ma Li is not high above sea level, but the temperature difference between day and night is still large. Brown sugar and brown sugar are beautiful. The coffee fields of farmers in Gukeng show the fineness and uniformity of the Hakkas, with strong aromas of sesame and nuts, while the Ami people in Guanshan are as wild as wild, and even ferment with the koji of millet wine. "but the taste spectrum changes a lot. Every time I get it, it's for a while." Brother Dong said with a smile.

Dong Dinghe, a former boss of the electronics industry, plunged into the coffee world for the sake of coffee farmers.

Sengao sand has earbags and small canned gift boxes for coffee from all over Taiwan.

"salted egg yolk nut ice cream", with milk ice cream as the bottom, with rustle sponge salted egg yolk. (150 yuan per copy)

"Yujing mango dry pound cake" after baking, cream aroma overflowing, eat wet dried fruit. (140 yuan per copy)

Next, he will devote himself to promoting betel nut farmers to grow coffee under the forest to make the coffee roots grasp the soil and water. "if it is planted under the betel nut tree, I am willing to make a contract." At present, 17 or 8 betel nut farmers have cooperated with him. Drinking coffee in Sengao Sand is like a trip to Taiwan, bringing the local flavor of all parts of Taiwan into your mouth.

Sengao sand coffee (Dongmen shop)

Address: No. 2, 223 Jinhua Street, Daan District, Taipei

Tel: 02-2351-9323

Business hours: 1315: 00 / 22: 00, opening time: 12:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

Pay by card: yes. There is a 10% service charge.