“Wet processing” is the traditional washed process used in most coffee-producing countries. Wet hulling should not be confused with wet processing, as they are two very different methods. This method usually takes between two and three months to bring beans to a state where they are ready for roasting. Many of the signature flavours found in Sumatran coffee can be attributed to how the beans are processed.Ĭoffee producers in Indonesia traditionally use the “wet hulling” or “Giling Basah” processing method. It is commonly full-bodied, with little acidity and an earthy, herbaceous aroma. Generally, Sumatran coffee has distinct flavour profiles, depending on which part of the island the beans are grown.

While this coffee is lesser known than the Mandheling and Gayo varieties, its sweet flavour and low acidity makes it quite popular among specialty coffee drinkers. Lintong coffee is grown to the south-west of Lake Toba, and this area produces up to 18,000 tons of arabica a year. This is because the location of the soil, water content, and soil conditions in the Gayo highlands tend to vary. It is known as one of the best quality coffees from Indonesia, and has a variety of flavours. Gayoĭifferent from other types of coffee in Indonesia, Gayo coffee has a very distinctive taste and aroma, which makes it sought after by roasters and consumers alike.

It is often medium or dark roasted to bring out the beans’ unique characteristics. Mandheling coffee is typically known for its sweet chocolate and licorice tones, and earthy aroma. The name derives from the Mandailing people, who produce coffee in the Tapanuli region of the island. Mandheling is a trade name used for arabica coffee grown in northern Sumatra. The lake surrounds a super volcano, making the soil incredibly fertile and rich in nutrients.Īlmost all coffee grown in Indonesia now comes from smallholder estates, with three main coffee varieties coming from the island of Sumatra. It is split by the equator, providing an ideal tropical climate for coffee growing and production.ĭutch colonists first introduced coffee plants to the island in the mid-1870s and began growing near Lake Toba. Indonesia was one of the first places to cultivate coffee beans on a large scale outside of Ethiopia and Arabia.Īfter Borneo, Sumatra is the second-largest island in west Indonesia.

Sumatra coffee beans