West Java Honey Process Aromanis Estate Specialty Coffee Beans: Flavor Characteristics, Origin, and Brewing Parameters

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West Java Honey Processing

The honey-processed Aromanis from West Java, Indonesia, scores an impressive 92 points in cupping. The English name "Aromanis" comes from Indonesian, meaning "sweet mango."

At the estate, we personally experienced completely different Indonesian coffee. Farmers used the simplest hot water infusion method to brew coffee they grew for us. Meticulous cultivation and processing allowed the coffee's flavor to break free from the established Indonesian coffee framework.

Fruity sweetness, lemon fragrance, and even floral notes—all strongly presented in different varieties—truly subverted our perception of rich, bitter intensity.

Hand-poured West Java: 15g coffee grounds, medium grind (small Fuji ghost tooth blade setting 4), V60 dripper, 88-89°C water temperature. First pour 30g water for 27-second bloom, pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

West Java Honey Processing Aromanis

Country: Indonesia
Estate: Aromanis
Region: Mount Tangkuban Perahu
Roast Level: Light Roast
Processing Method: Honey Process

Honey Processing

Honey processing, called Honey Process or Miel Process, produces what's known as Honey Coffee. Coffee estates in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and other regions have adopted this processing method. The so-called honey processing refers to the production process of drying raw beans with their mucilage intact. After removing the outer pulp from coffee beans, a layer of viscous gelatinous substance remains. Traditional washed processing uses clean water to wash it away, but due to water resource limitations in some high-altitude growing areas, this direct drying method was developed.

Honey processing is a relatively complex, time-consuming, and difficult processing method. The first step is selecting high-quality fruits, then removing the pulp while leaving the endocarp—this endocarp is the core of honey processing. The endocarp contains rich sugars and acids, which slowly permeate into the coffee beans during the drying process. The second step is drying, which is also the most important condition for producing high-quality coffee beans.

Honey processing allows coffee to retain the cleanliness of washed processing. Although the coffee's brightness decreases somewhat, it increases sweetness and caramel mouthfeel. According to different honey processing degrees, honey-processed coffee is divided into yellow honey, red honey, and black honey processing. The advantage of honey processing is its ability to best preserve the original sweet flavor of ripe coffee fruits, presenting coffee with elegant brown sugar flavors and nut fruit sweetness, while berry flavors support a red wine-toned aroma, considered very elegant products.

Varieties: Jember, S-795
Altitude: 1400-1600 meters
Flavor: Fruity, plum, jackfruit flavors, clean sweet aftertaste

West Java, Indonesia

West Java Province is a first-level administrative region in Indonesia, located in the western section of Java Island. It borders the Java Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, including offshore islands. With an area of 46,300 square kilometers, Java has a tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid year-round. The plains along the northern coast have the highest temperatures, while mountainous areas are much cooler. High humidity often creates debilitating climate conditions.

From November to March of the following year is the northwest monsoon period, with more rain and clouds; from April to October is the southeast monsoon period, with more sunny days and less rainfall. Jakarta's average annual rainfall is about 1,760 millimeters (69 inches). Jakarta's average daily high temperature is 30°C (86°F), with a low of 23°C (74°F). In the inland highlands of Tosari (altitude 1,735 meters [5,692 feet]), the average temperature is 22-8°C (72-47°F). Java's soil is very fertile because volcanic ash periodically fertilizes the land.

Aromanis is a unique traditional Indonesian sweet snack made from basic ingredients of flour and sugar. Naming this coffee Aromanis indicates that these coffee beans have a marshmallow-like texture. However, the coffee beans come from Ciwidey Garut in West Java. In reality, no special coffee seeds are used, but coffee processed through the natural method can present such distinctive flavors. Of course, this flavor is not widely recognized in West Java, Indonesia.

Coffee beans are picked from branches and separated from fruit, then rinsed and immediately dried. The coffee beans are "diserok" every hour to ensure even drying, including at midnight. "It's precisely at night that this is very important because of the high humidity," said Arief from Transformasi Coffee (August 5, 2014)—original Indonesian text machine-translated.

The coffee processing takes 25-26 days! It's not surprising that Aromanis coffee beans are slightly more expensive than regular coffee beans. The coffee farmers' cooperative sells Aromanis raw coffee beans for 130,000-150,000 rupiah per kilogram, while Transformasi Coffee offers them at a retail price of 80,000 rupiah per 200-gram pack.

Coffee Details

Region: Mount Tangkuban Perahu, Indonesia
Altitude: 1400-1600 meters
Roast Level: Light
Processing Method: Honey Process
Taste Description: Strong fruit aroma with plum and jackfruit flavors, clean and sweet aftertaste.

Flavor: Complex floral notes upon entry, taste buds experience tropical fruit flavors reminiscent of mango and jackfruit, with a smooth, rich mouthfeel and long-lasting aftertaste.

Manufacturer: Cafe Style
Address: FrontStreet Coffee, Bao'an Qianjie, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Coffee Bean State: Roasted coffee beans
Contains Sugar: Sugar-free
Origin: Indonesia
Roast Level: Light roast

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473