Indonesia, Southeast Asia
Indonesia is the fourth-largest producer of coffee in the world. Indonesia’s arabica coffee varieties have low acidity and full bodies, which make them ideal for blending with higher-acidity coffees from Central America and East Africa.
Aceh is well-known for producing some of the most remarkable Sumatran coffees available. Wet hulled “Giling Basah” is the traditional coffee processing method, unique to Sumatra.
Sumatra coffee parchments are hulled when they are still wet, resulting in the coffee being prone to bora bug insect bites. Once it’s collected in Aceh, the coffee is then transported to Medan, where the coffees are sorted with a colour sorter, gravity table and hand sorted before being bagged and ready to export.
Varietal: Caturra, Ateng, Typica, Longberry
Producer: Various Smallholders
Elevation: 1,400 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Wet Hulled (“Giling Basah’)
Region: Central Aceh
Cup Profile: full bodied, clean cup, chocolaty, low acidity, and sweet, juicy plum notes
The Jampit Estate is located in the eastern highlands of Java and is one of the six largest coffee farms owned by the Indonesian government. The coffee is a mixture of Java Typica and some Catimor derived cultivars. It is hand-picked by the local community.
The freshly picked cherry is washed and fermented in a spotlessly clean wet mill, before being sun-dried and stored for conditioning. After dry milling, the beans are hand-sorted to remove broken beans and defects. Such activity results in an incredibly consistent and reliable coffee with great characters.
Varietal: Typica, USDA
Producer: Government Estate
Elevation: 1,200 – 1,600 MASL
Processing: Fully Washed
Region: East Java
Cup Profile: almond, honey, peach, chocolate
Cherries are picked early morning then washed and pulped in the afternoon. The parchments are then soaked for about 48 hours before mucilage is washed. Next parchments are dried for approximately 10 days until they are ready for dry-hulling.
All parchments are hulled in the dry mills in Bandung region. The green beans are then dried to final ‘asalan’ (unsorted beans) which are then transported to Medan, Sumatra for sorting and bagging for export.
Varietal: Jember, S795, Sigararutang, Ateng
Producer: Various Smallholders
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,400 MASL
Processing: Fully Washed
Region: West Java
Cup Profile: nutty, malty, chocolate, bright, sweet
A majority of farmers only hold 1-2 ha of land that produce coffees, with most of the coffees processed in this region wet hulled, while a small amount is processed fully washed.
Most farmers have a traditional hand de-pulper to pulp cherries, which is then soaked in a bucket overnight with the mucilage on. Parchment is then washed the following morning with clean water. Parchment is dried until approximately 50% to be then sold on to collectors at local markets measured in tin by volume.
Varietal: Jember, S795, Typica
Producer: Various Smallholders
Elevation: 1,400 – 1,900 MASL
Processing: Fully Washed
Region: South Sulawesi
Cup Profile: full bodied, low acidity, hint of earthy, dark chocolate, clean aftertaste
Unlike other origins, Sumatra coffee parchments are hulled (removing skin) when they are still wet, resulting in the coffee being prone to bora bug insect bites. A well-known process, wet hulled, is very unique to this region.
Coffee cherries are washed to get what they call ‘Gabah’ (wet parchment) and exposed to the sun for drying (wet hulled parchment). It gives a unique blue-green colour to the beans. Although this process creates unique characteristics in Sumatra coffee, it is also the main reason why it’s hard to source great, clean Sumatra coffee.
Varietal: Jember, S795, Typica
Producer: Various Smallholders
Elevation: 1,400 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Wet Hulled (Giling Basah)
Region: Central Aceh
Cup Profile: medium acidity, strong body, cocoa, tobacco, earthy, sweet, smooth, and balanced
The origin name inspired ‘Keida’ interpreted as flow of water inspired by the flow of water uses to wash the cherries in the floating tank.
For honey process, a mix of S795 and Kartika varieties cherries passes through the floating tank, sorted, and cleaned. Only the reddest cherries are selected, pulped and transferred into a enclosed tank with addition of filtered gas that are pump into the tank at intervals under controlled humidity and temperature conditions. Fermentation process takes up to 72hrs in total. These coffees are also available in natural processed.
Varietal: Mix S795 and Kartika
Producer: Karana Specialty Coffee
Elevation: 1,250 – 1,400 MASL
Processing: ‘Semi’ Carbonic Maceration
Region: Northeast Bali
Cup Profile: floraly with hint of mandarin orange and clean aftertaste
The origin name inspired ‘Keida’ interpreted as flow of water inspired by the flow of water uses to wash the cherries in the floating tank.
For honey process, a mix of S795 and Kartika varieties cherries passes through the floating tank, sorted, and cleaned. Only the reddest cherries are selected, pulped and transferred into a enclosed tank with addition of filtered gas that are pump into the tank at intervals under controlled humidity and temperature conditions. Fermentation process takes up to 72hrs in total. These coffees are also available in natural processed.
Varietal: Mix S795 and Kartika
Producer: Karana Specialty Coffee
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: ‘Semi’ Carbonic Maceration
Region: Northeast Bali
Cup Profile: medium body with caramel sweetness and orange lingering aftertaste
This coffee is processed by Curators Coffee Company by only using the middle part of a pyramid drying process, which means the coffee cherries are dried in a triangular shape subjected to a strictly controlled environment. This method of drying increases the number of active microbes that will enhance the fruit qualities into the coffee seed.
Varietal: Kartika, Andongsari, Sigararutang
Producer: Bpk Raymond Ali of Curators Coffee
Elevation: 1,600 – 1,650 MASL
Processing: ‘Semi’ Carbonic Maceration
Region: South Sumatra
Cup Profile: intense and complex fruit layer with a sweet and lingering aftertaste
Felicia name is inspired by the word “happiness” describing our first visit to Aceh Takengon farm expedition and meeting with the farmer. Telege was the area of which Bpk Man and team found his beans varieties for processing these lot. After undergoing rinsing, the fermented fruits continue for secondary fermentation and drying in the green house. These double extended natural fermentation was inspired with no alcohols so that could be consume or sold in the land of Aceh.
Varietal: Lini S, Sigararutang
Producer: Bapak Zainal Man
Elevation: 1,600 – 1,650 MASL
Processing: Double Extended Natural – Fermentation Up to 20days Max
Region: Central Aceh
Cup Profile: ruby grapefruit acidity, ripe mangoes and pineapple, jackfruit sweetness and honey mouthfeel
The fruit of the robusta coffee plant turns deep red as it ripens, and takes around 6 to 8 months to do so. The fruit does not all ripen at the same time, much like blueberries – there can be ripe and unripe fruit on the same branch.
We are careful to say that Robusta is not a better or worse, but just different. There are many terribly processed Arabica coffees and many well-handled Robustas. Arabica does not mean good and Robusta does not mean bad.
Varietal: Robusta
Producer: Government Estate – PTPN
Elevation: 300 – 800 MASL
Processing: Washed
Region: East Java
Cup Profile: dark chocolate bitterness, molasses, earthy, strong body and harsher (intense, attractively bitter, and complex in its own right)
Since the ancient times, the road on Mount Gumitir has been the shortest connecting route between Jember Regency and Banyuwangi Regency. PTPN XII established the “Café & Rest Area Gumitir” which began operating on March 14, 2010 as a form of optimizing the BUMN’s plantation land, in addition to staying focused on the main commodity business namely coffee, rubber, cocoa, tea, and timber.
In 1998, part of the forest area of Mount Gumitir was cut down by irresponsible people and converted private land. This causes the destruction of forest areas and trees that are tens of years old or more as well as an increase in the average air temperature. Until now, the forest area is still used as community plantation land with lease rights to Perum Perhutani.
Varietal: Robusta
Producer: Government Estate – PTPN
Elevation: 300 – 800 MASL
Processing: Washed
Region: East Java
Cup Profile: flavour gains strength while losing acidity, flavours ranging from cedar to spices such as cinnamon or clove, and often develop a thick, almost syrupy body with harsh ending
In the 11th century, a magnificent kingdom called Lingge/Lingga was established by the Gayo people, now located in the Karo district west of Lake Toba, North Sumatra, the village of Desa Lingga is emblematic of the challenges of maintaining local culture and vernacular practices in a rapidly changing world.
During the Dutch occupation of the Lingge/Lingga region from 1904-1942, they introduced modern agricultural techniques and infrastructure, which greatly improved the productivity and efficiency of farming in the region. One of the key changes was the introduction of cash crops such as coffee, rubber, and tobacco. These crops became major exports for the Lingge/Lingga region, bringing in substantial revenue and boosting the local until today.
Varietal: Ateng, Caturra, Typical, Rasuna, Bourbon, Longberry
Producer: Smallholders
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Wet hulled ‘Giling Basah’
Region: North Sumatra
Cup Profile: FLAVOURS OF DARK CHOCOLATE AND TOBACCO WITH A MILD ACIDITY. HINTS OF EARTHINESS WITH A MEDIUM SILKY BODY AND LONG AFTERTASTE
Mount Welirang is an active volcano with an altitude of 3,156 meters above sea level in East Java, Indonesia. “Welirang” or Walirang (its ancient name) in Javanese means sulphur. Mount Welirang has areas of Hill Dipterocarp forest, Upper Dipterocarp forest, Montane forest, and Ericaceous Forest or mountain forest.
Welirang complex itself is located on two older volcanoes, Mount Ringgit in the east and Mount Lincing in the south. Fumarole areas with sulphur reserves and old coffee trees are found in a number of these mountainous locations.
Mount Welirang is under the management of the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park-Government Estate.
Varietal: Andongsari, S795
Producer: Smallholder Farmers
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Fully Washed
Region: East Java
Cup Profile: clean, medium acidity, medium body, nut citrus olive sweetened
The varietal Kartika stands for Kopi Arabika Tipe Katai (which translates as Catuai arabica coffee). A localised version of the Catuai variety.
Kartika was first grown in Indonesia in of a mass variety test conducted by the Portuguese Centro de Investigacao das Ferrugens do Cafeirro in 1987. It was initially very popular because of its high-quality flavour profile.
Varietal: Kartika II
Producer: Andre Hamboer
Elevation: 1,400 MASL
Processing: Anaerobic Red Honey
Region: Flores, Manggarai
Cup Profile: sense of floral and nectarine with honey sweetness and lemon tea like
Andre Hamboer’s team keeps on exploring the coffee journey, process of changing the paradigm and judgement in the field of coffee. They are partnering with local farmers in Manggarai Region, Flores Island, Indonesia and providing them the processing infrastructure for the farmers to reduce cost.
They also want to change the perspective of farmers that coffee is a complex product and does not taste bitter at all because it’s a fruit.
Varietal: Kartika II
Producer: Andre Hamboer
Elevation: 1,300 MASL
Processing: Anaerobic Natural
Region: Flores, Manggarai
Cup Profile: sweet refreshing rose tea, layered with passionfruit and green apple notes, and cherry blossom aroma
Flores Island is 360 miles long and is located 200 miles to the east of Bali. The terrain of Flores is rugged with numerous active and inactive volcanoes. Ashes from these volcanoes have created especially fertile andosols, ideal for organic coffee production. Arabica coffee is grown at 1,200 to 1,800 meters on hillsides and plateaus.
Most of the production is grown under shade trees and wet processed at farm level. Coffee from Flores is known for sweet chocolate, floral and woody flavor.
Varietal: Kartika II
Producer: Smallholder Farmers
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Anaerobic Washed
Region: Flores, Manggarai
Cup Profile: sweet refreshing rose tea, layered with passionfruit and green apple notes, and cherry blossom aroma
Flores Island is 360 miles long and is located 200 miles to the east of Bali. The terrain of Flores is rugged with numerous active and inactive volcanoes. Ashes from these volcanoes have created especially fertile andosols, ideal for organic coffee production. Arabica coffee is grown at 1,200 to 1,800 meters on hillsides and plateaus.
Most of the production is grown under shade trees and wet processed at farm level. Coffee from Flores is known for sweet chocolate, floral and woody flavor.
Varietal: Robusta
Producer: Smallholder Farmers
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Anaerobic Natural
Region: Flores, Manggarai
Cup Profile: FULL BODY, LOW ACIDITY
FLAVORS OF DARK CHOCOLATE, ANISE AND TOBACCO
Bumi means ‘earth’ in Indonesian. It is our take on a classic Indonesian profile. The coffees under Bumi taste profile have the same chocolatey, nice brown spices and sweetness that people like about Indonesian coffee but elevated with extra vibrancy and clean taste.
Varietal: Kartika
Producer: Karana Global
Elevation: 1,400 – 1,500 MASL
Processing: Fully Washed
Region: Kintamani, Bali
Cup Profile: taste of coconut sugar and sugar plum with aroma of red tea
Most of the coffee gardens are located at the foot of Kerinci Volcano and bordering the Kerinci Seblat National Park. Kerinci Seblat National Park stretches to the four provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra.
The park consists of the Bukit Barisan mountains that has the highest plateau in the Sumatra region. This national park also consists of hot springs, rivers, caves, waterfalls and the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia. This national park also has a variety of flora and fauna.
Varietal: S796, Andongsari, Typica
Producer: Karana Global
Elevation: 1,300 – 1,800 MASL
Processing: Anaerobic
Region: Jambi, Kerinci
Cup Profile: taste of coconut sugar and sugar plum with aroma of red tea
Most of the coffee gardens are located at the foot of Kerinci Volcano and bordering the Kerinci Seblat National Park.
Kerinci Seblat National Park stretches to the four provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra.
The park consists of the Bukit Barisan mountains that has the highest plateau in the Sumatra region. This national park also consists of hot springs, rivers, caves, waterfalls and the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia. This national park also has a variety of flora and fauna.
Varietal: Ateng Super, Catura, Typica
Producer: Smallholder Farmers
Elevation: 1,400 – 1,600 MASL
Region: Pegasing, Takengon, Central Aceh
The first proper harvest of this region came in 2019 where it was introduced to the coffee professionals in Indonesia and lauded for its floral notes in its coffee. Encouraged by the interest in this region, Raymond Ali then sought out new ways to enhance the enzymatic and floral notes of this terroir.
The Supernatural Lot is a particularly special lot that emphasizes on a clean enzymatic front with high quality aromatics, an intense and complex fruit flavour and a clean finish. This process increases the complexity and depth of the fruit qualities in the coffee seed.
Varietal: Kartika, Andongsari, Sigararutang
Producer: Bpk Raymond Ali of Curators Coffee Company
Elevation: 1,600 – 1,650 MASL
Processing: ‘Supernatural’ – Natural
Region: Semendo, Kabupaten Muara Enim
Cup Profile: intense and complex fruit layer with a sweet and clean finish
One of the four major estates in East Java near the Ijen volcanic area, the renowned Panoer Estate produces this remarkable coffee.
Established in 1894, this farm boasts a legendary history of constantly producing outstanding Indonesian coffee. Right now, 1,104 hectares make up their area. The current size is 1,104 hectares. This coffee undergoes a meticulous hand-picking process and is carefully washed before being placed on sun drying racks.
Varietal: Typical
Producer: Government Estate
Elevation: 700 – 1,650 MASL
Processing: Washed
Region: East Java
Cup Profile: HINT OF SWEETNESS OF CHOCOLATE, PLEASANT ACIDITY, A TOUCH OF TROPICAL FRUIT AND JASMINE HONEYSUCKLE AROMA IN THE FINISHING
Coffee has a rich history in Java, dating back to the early 1700s when Yemeni coffee seedlings were introduced to Indonesia through trade with India. Java’s coffee production and trade were greatly influenced by the Dutch East India Company, which played a significant role in establishing Java as a prominent coffee -growing region outside of Ethiopia and Arabia.
Grown in the Mount Malabar area, KOPI GUNUNG MALABAR produces Java Preanger coffee, renowned for its unique taste and exceptional quality among Indonesia’s finest coffee beans.
Varietal: Catimor, Typica
Producer: Poktan Rahayu Tani
Elevation: 1,800 MASL
Processing: Natural
Region: Foot of Mount Malabar, West Java
Cup Profile: SMOOTH, SWEET, FLORAL, TROPICAL, FRUITY AND NOTES OF GRAPE. REFRESHING, CRISP ACIDITY, AND JUICY BODY
