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From Sumatra

Sumatra is a part of Indonesia. It’s the 6th largest island in the world and home to more than 50 million people. Along with Borneo and Java, it is one of the three main islands comprising the country.

Coffee production on the island of Sumatra is thought to have begun around 1884, near Lake Toba, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. coffeechronicler.com Sumatra is the western-most island of Indonesia, and is known for producing uniquely flavored coffee, as well as most of Indonesia’s coffee as a whole. The island accounts for around 50% of Indonesia’s national coffee production and around 75% of Robusta production.

As you might know, Indonesia and coffee have a long history. Initially, coffee grew wild in Ethiopia, but via Yemen, the Dutch colonialists brought the plant to Indonesia in 1699. coffeechronicler.com Sumatra Mandheling coffee although relatively rare is grown on the lofty volcanic slopes of Mount Leuser near the port of Padang in the Batak region of West Central Sumatra, at altitudes of 2,500 to 5,000 feet.

Sumatra Mandheling coffee is named after the north Sumatran Mandailing people and is considered one of the world’s top specialty coffees. It grows at elevations up to 5,000 feet and as low as 2,500 feet above sea level near Padang in West Central Indonesia.

Specialty coffee in Sumatra are typically grown in small-holder farms in North Sumatra by Toba Batak people. These farms are usually small areas of land with a handful of trees farmed by families who can own as little as 100 coffee trees to a few acres of land. Coffee farms in North Sumatra and surrounding regions typically work together in structured cooperative partnerships, which allows them to sell their products together and split the profits evenly between them.

Giling Basah, is a unique method used to process Sumatran coffee beans. Due to this method, the beans develop a very full concentrated flavor, complete with a light sprinkle of herbs and spices. This process also hulls the parchment off the beans at a large 50% moisture content, vastly higher than the typical 11-15% seen in other regions. Because of this unique and uncommon practice, it gives Sumatran beans their trademark flavor profile and the green beans their signature color.

While these coffee beans are somewhat costly, they are medium-roasted consistently and carry Mandheling’s earthly and distinctive herbal taste. They are certified as Rainforest Alliance, shade-grown, and Fair Trade. Best of all, these coffee beans are volcanic soil-grown at an elevated level of 300 feet. The organization promises coffee lovers a compact inventory, and as such, you know that beans will be delivered fresh.

Coffees from any region in Sumatra are best when grown at high elevations - above 1,350 meters above sea level is ideal. This slows the growing process, allowing the plant more time to deliver nutrients and minerals to the coffee beans so that they have more fuel to develop a fuller, robust flavor.

In the past, Sumatra coffees have not been sold by region, because presumably, the regional differences are not that distinct. Rather, the quality of the picking, preparation. Preparation refers to the dry-milling steps of preparing coffee for export: hulling, grading, classifying, sorting.: Preparation refers to the dry-milling steps of preparing coffee for export: hulling, grading, classifying, sorting. Sorting means using density sorters More and processing of the coffee determines much of the cup character in this coffee.

In fact, Sumatras are sold as MandhelingA trade name used for wet-hulled Sumatra coffees. It is an area and a culture group as well (spelled Mandailing often) but there is not as much coffee production in this area anymore, south of More (Mandailing) which is simply the Indonesian ethnic group that was once involved in coffee production. The coffee is scored by defects in the cup, not physical defects of the green coffee.

Sumatran coffee from Indonesia has one of the most distinctive origins of all coffees. Beginning in the 18th Century, when the popularity of Sumatran coffee raised significantly, the unique shape and hue of these beans helped European merchants recognize authentic Sumatran coffee. While most coffee is named after the growing region or the country, Mandheling coffee is named after the Mandheling people that traditionally farmed and processed the coffee beans.

During World War II, a Japanese military man stationed in Sumatra asked a local Sumatran where his coffee originated. The Sumatran man mistakenly thought he was being asked about his ethnicity and replied, "Mandheling”. Later, word spread to Japan of this sensational coffee, and the name stuck as merchants began inquiring about the purchase of Mandheling coffee from Sumatra. Mandheling is now produced in Pandang, a small island part of Indonesia, close to the Sumatra coffee district, where 65% of the coffee is grown. Coffee trees were bought to this island in the early 19th century in an attempt to break the near-monopoly on coffee beans held by other parts of the world.

Sumatran Coffee is known for its smooth chocolate flavor with earthy undertones. Among the world's finest coffees displaying rich flavor, extraordinary full body and distinctively vibrant, low-key acidity. Naturally low acid coffee. Medium roasted ground coffee allowing the true flavor characteristic to come through for a remarkable taste.

Three main types of Sumatra coffee are from Mandheling, Ankola and Lintong which are regions of Indonesia. Typically Sumatra coffee is grown in small-holder farms, ranging from 2-3 acres or roughly 100 coffee trees per plantation.

Today, Sumatran coffee farmers typically harvest and depulp their coffee cherries by hand. After they complete these initial steps, they allow their coffee to dry very briefly at the farm before offering their beans for purchase. Producers sell wet-hull processed beans to buyers in a moist state (anywhere from 30-50% moisture) with their mucilage still attached. Then, coffee buyers remove the mucilage before drying the beans. This process results in beans with an extremely unique flavor profile. We can’t wait for you to try them!

Coffee enthusiasts love to talk about Sumatra’s unique production methods: a process called wet-hulling, which produces a distinctively earthy flavor profile. Prior to the 1970s, coffee farmers in Sumatra produced the more common washed and natural process coffees. However, Japanese interest in Sumatran coffees encouraged coffee producers in the region to switch to the wet-hulled process. The wet-hulled process also helps to speed up the drying process and protects the crops from damage by the wet weather patterns in the region.

Sources - coffeechronicler.com, coffeeb.net, weaverscoffee.com, www.sagebrushcoffee.com, jayarrcoffee.com, www.homegrounds.co, driftaway.coffee, www.roastycoffee.com