Introducing: Law Wu Washed Anaerobic — A New Expression of Thai Specialty Coffee
Each year we look forward to one coffee more than any other — the harvest from the small mountain village of Law Wu in northern Thailand.
This year’s release, the Law Wu Washed Anaerobic, is especially meaningful to us. Last summer, we had the opportunity to travel to Law Wu, meet the farmers face-to-face, and watch the processing unfold in real time. Standing on the drying patios and walking the shaded hillsides where these cherries were grown gave us a deeper appreciation for just how much care goes into every cup.
While we’ve offered several coffees from Law Wu over the years, this lot shows a particularly refined and clean expression of their evolving processing techniques.
A Village Built Around Coffee
Law Wu is a remote Lahu hill-tribe village nestled high in the mountains of Chiang Mai province at roughly 1,700 meters above sea level. Fewer than 30 families live there, and coffee has become one of the most important economic opportunities for the community.
Coffee trees grow under natural forest shade alongside banana and macadamia trees. The cooler temperatures at elevation slow the ripening of the cherries, allowing sugars to develop gradually — a major reason coffees from this region tend to have clarity, sweetness, and structure.
One of the things that stood out most during our visit was the precision of harvest. Cherries are selectively picked at peak ripeness and sorted multiple times before processing. This level of attention is not easy in a remote mountain environment, but it makes a dramatic difference in the final cup.
The People Behind the Harvest
During our visit, we had the chance to sit down with two of the community leaders, Teerapap and Liki. Hearing their stories changed how we think about every bag of coffee we roast.
Each family in Law Wu farms a small plot of land — often steep mountainsides that must be harvested entirely by hand. During the rainy season, moving coffee down the mountain can require carrying heavy bags on foot when roads become impassable. The work is slow and physically demanding, but it allows families to remain together in the village and invest in their children’s education.
One thing they shared stayed with us: knowing people across the world enjoy their coffee gives them pride in their work. What feels like an everyday cup to us represents months of careful labor and coordination for them.
If you'd like to read their full story and see photos from the visit, we shared a detailed account here:
Read: Meet the People Behind Our Coffee → Law Wu Village
What “Washed Anaerobic” Actually Means
This coffee uses a processing method that combines modern fermentation techniques with a traditional washed profile.
- Step 1 – Anaerobic Fermentation: Freshly picked cherries are sealed inside oxygen-free tanks for approximately 72 hours. Without oxygen, naturally occurring yeasts slowly break down sugars in a controlled way, building aromatic complexity without creating heavy or “fermented” flavors.
- Step 2 – Washing & Drying: After fermentation, the fruit pulp is removed and the beans are thoroughly washed before drying on raised beds under the sun. This washing stage is what keeps the cup clean, structured, and tea-like.
The goal of this method isn’t to make the coffee taste wild — it’s to enhance sweetness and aroma while preserving clarity. The result is an anaerobic coffee that feels bright and expressive but still very approachable.
Tasting Notes
This year’s lot is one of the cleanest anaerobic coffees we’ve tasted from the region. The cup opens with a brown sugar and vanilla-like aroma and moves into a delicate but lively profile:
- 🍍 Pineapple brightness
- 🍵 Black tea structure
- 🍯 Turbinado sugar sweetness
- 🌼 Light, elegant body
- ✨ Clean finish with lingering sweetness
The acidity is bright but gentle — more refreshing than sharp — and the sweetness carries through the finish. It’s the kind of coffee that works beautifully as a pour-over but is also approachable for everyday brewing.
Why This Coffee Matters
Thailand is still a young origin in specialty coffee compared to places like Ethiopia or Colombia. What makes Law Wu exciting is how quickly quality is improving as farmers experiment with new processing methods and receive direct feedback from roasters.
By purchasing this coffee, you’re not just trying a unique flavor profile — you’re supporting a small farming community that is actively building a sustainable alternative to traditional crops. Direct trade relationships allow the farmers to receive significantly higher returns while giving us the ability to return, collaborate, and invest in future harvests.
Every year we visit, the processing becomes more consistent, the picking more selective, and the coffee more expressive. This release is a snapshot of that progress.
A Seasonal Single-Lot Release
This coffee comes from a single harvest and will only be available while this lot lasts. Once it’s gone, we won’t see it again until the next harvest cycle.
We’re honored to share it with you and excited for you to taste what the farmers of Law Wu have accomplished this year.
We hope you enjoy every cup.