Introduction to West Java Honey Process Aromanis Estate Specialty Coffee: Varieties, Cultivation, and Market Prices

Aromanis is a traditional Indonesian confection made from flour and sugar, and the word itself means "sweet mango." The coffee borrows the name to evoke the confection's cotton-like texture. The beans come from Ciwidey, in Garut, West Java.

No special cultivar is required to reach this flavor. Beans dried in the sun can develop the same distinctive profile, although such flavors are not widely accepted in West Java.

Coffee cherries are harvested from the branch and separated from the fruit, then rinsed and dried. The beans are turned every hour to ensure even drying, including at midnight. "Nighttime drying is extremely important because of the high humidity," explains processor Arief (August 5, 2014).

Processing takes 25-26 days in total, which is why Aromanis beans cost slightly more than ordinary ones. The Coffee Farmer Cooperative sells Aromanis green beans at 130,000-150,000 rupiah per kilogram, while FrontStreet Coffee retails them at 80,000 rupiah for a 200-gram pack.

West Java Honey Processing

This honey-processed Aromanis from West Java earns a cupping score of 92 points. "Aromanis" comes from Indonesian and means "sweet mango."

Coffee Details

Origin: Mount Tangkuban Perahu, Indonesia
Altitude: 1,400-1,600 meters
Roast Level: Light
Processing Method: Honey Process
Flavor Description: Intense fruit aromas with plum and jackfruit notes, clean and sweet aftertaste.

Tasting Notes: A complex floral fragrance on entry, with tropical fruit flavors reminiscent of mango and jackfruit, a rich and smooth mouthfeel, and a long sweet aftertaste.

West Java Honey Processing Aromanis

Country: Indonesia
Estate: Aromanis
Region: Mount Tangkuban Perahu
Roast Level: Light Roast
Processing Method: Honey Process
Varieties: Jember, S-795
Altitude: 1,400-1,600 meters
Flavor: Fruity, plum, jackfruit notes with sweet aftertaste

West Java, Indonesia

West Java is a first-level administrative province of Indonesia, occupying the western part of Java. It borders the Java Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, and it includes the offshore islands nearby. The province covers 46,300 square kilometers. Java has a tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid all year. The northern coastal plain is the warmest part of the island; the mountains are considerably cooler. The persistent high humidity can be enervating.

From November to March the northwest monsoon brings rain and cloud; from April to October the southeast monsoon delivers more sunshine and less rainfall. Jakarta averages about 1,760 millimeters (69 inches) of rain a year. Its average daily high is 30°C (86°F), with an average low of 23°C (74°F). In the Tosari highlands at 1,735 meters (5,692 feet), temperatures average between 22°C and 8°C (72°F and 47°F). Java's soil is exceptionally fertile thanks to periodic enrichment from volcanic ash.

Honey Processing

Honey processing, also called the Honey Process or Miel Process, produces what is known as honey coffee. Plantations in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and elsewhere use it. In honey processing, the beans are dried with their mucilage still attached. Once the outer pulp is removed, a sticky, gelatinous layer remains. Traditional washed processing would rinse that layer away with water, but in high-altitude areas where water is scarce, growers developed this direct-drying alternative.

Honey processing is a relatively complex, time-consuming, and demanding method. The first step is selecting high-quality fruit, then removing the pulp while keeping the parchment, which is the heart of the process. The parchment is rich in sugars and acids that migrate slowly into the bean as it dries. The second step, drying, is the single most important condition for producing high-quality beans.

Honey processing lets coffee keep much of the cleanliness of the washed method. Brightness drops somewhat, but sweetness and caramel notes rise. Depending on how much mucilage is left on the bean, honey coffees are classified as yellow, red, or black honey. The strength of the method is that it protects the natural sweetness of ripe fruit, giving the cup delicate brown-sugar and nutty sweetness while berry notes support a wine-toned aroma. It is considered a very elegant style of coffee.

Product Information

Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Package: Bulk Coffee Beans
State: Roasted Coffee Beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Indonesia
Roast Degree: Light Roast

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

What gives West Java honey-processed coffee its character is the same combination that shapes Indonesian coffee everywhere: equatorial heat, heavy humidity, and volcanic soil. Fruit ripens slowly on the tree, sugars concentrate on the drying bed, and the cup comes out sweet, fruity, and low in sharp acidity.

If that style appeals to you, the deepest expression of Indonesian terroir in the FrontStreet Coffee range is Mandheling from Sumatra. The wet-hulled process leaves the beans exposed to the humid air while they are still half-dry, which is where the classic cedar and spice character comes from. FrontStreet's Mandheling is grown in the Lintong area around Lake Toba; roasted medium-dark to preserve the classic profile, it drinks low in acidity and full in body, with caramel, dark chocolate, and toasted bread aromas and a long sweet finish. Above it sits the PWN Golden Mandheling, a strictly sorted specialty-grade lot with sandalwood, herbal, spice, roasted hazelnut, caramel, and dark chocolate in the cup, clean in the finish and rich in aroma. For espresso and moka pot duty, the FrontStreet Classic Blend layers Mandheling over Brazilian coffee and adds a small amount of Robusta with a deep roast, so black chocolate, nut, and caramel notes come through milk without losing their grip.

These coffees are roasted on the darker side, so brew them with a gentle hand. Keep the water a little cooler than you would use for a light-roasted Ethiopian lot, pour slowly, and let the bed settle rather than stirring it, so the cup opens on caramel sweetness instead of scorched bitterness. Drunk black, the Mandhelings show their herbal, cedar depth; pulled through the Classic Blend, they build a latte or a layered Dirty with plenty of body.