Single Origin / East Timor – Lacau Farmers Community

The Lacau farming community was established in 2004 and 23 farmers contribute to this lot. They work as a team to pick, collect, and process their cherries. The word ‘Lacau’ is composed of two words of the Mambai language, La – meaning ‘goes’, and Cau – meaning ‘pulling’.

East Timor is recognised more for the varietal ‘hybrid de timor’ than the coffee it has been producing now for 200 years since introduction in 1817 by the Portuguese. The Hybrid De Timor variety is a natural hybrid between the typica & robusta spotted first in 1927. In the cup they demonstrate a sweetness, delicacy and florals associated with the typica variety (known as Arabi locally) which are then complimented by the spicy pepper, tamarind and full-bodied characteristics that you would be more familiar with from the Hybrid De Timor varietal. The region that is leading the way in specialty production is the Letefoho area of the country situated in the mountainous northwest. This harvest was from five different producer groups/villages spread across 6 lots where the number of farmers in each group ranges from 11 to 23 smallholder farmers. Each village still works in what is a very primitive manner often using wooden pulping machines and basic drying beds and sometimes tarpaulins on the ground to dry the coffees. Even with such basic infrastructure the quality of coffee produced in the cup defies what we would expect from such basic methods. The Café Brisa Serena Group have worked hard with the farmer groups to focus on quality parameters such as picking, separation and even drying to help elevate the quality of the coffees.

The 2021 harvest was a success following the disruption caused by the pandemic in 2020. Farmers are being very proactive with the pre and post-harvest maintenance of their trees, ensuring they are well pruned and healthy for future growth.