Roasting Guide: Mật Ong with Florian

Florian has been Head of Roastery at the Johann Jacobs Haus for a little over a year. In this role, he leads the development of new coffees—from selecting green lots to the final refinement in the roastery. With a sharp sense for quality, balance, and character, he translates the work of farmers into precise roast profiles, shaping the sensory identity of the coffees from Johann Jacobs Haus.

“Mật Ong is a special green coffee for us because it doesn’t just perform well in the cup — it also represents a new perspective on Canephora/Robusta in specialty coffee. Its name means “honey,” which points to the natural sweetness of this honey process in Đắk Lắk — a character we want to bring out intentionally in the roast profile. At the same time, this coffee stands for participatory relationships between farmers and the roastery and reflects values we share with Cumpa.”

“We don’t use Mật Ong as a single origin. Instead, we use it intentionally as part of a blend. Combined with a second coffee, it becomes an espresso blend where Mật Ong brings body, sweetness, and structure, while the other coffee adds freshness and aromatic tension. We roast it for espresso at a medium roast level. This degree of roast lets us clearly highlight Mật Ong’s honey-like sweetness as well as its chocolatey and spicy notes, while keeping enough balance for a harmonious overall profile in the blend — both as a straight espresso and in milk drinks.”