Introduction to Sumatra Mandheling Coffee Brewing Flavor and Taste - Characteristics of Indonesian Premium Mandheling Coffee Beans

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The Essence of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee is widely recognized as the most fragrant and full-bodied coffee. When your tongue touches Mandheling, a smooth, moist sensation follows, accompanied by a slightly acidic taste, like musical notes dancing on your tongue, as the rich aroma immediately fills your entire mouth. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Mandheling coffee is affectionately known as the gentleman of coffees.

Additionally, FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee contains subtle earthy notes that can be described as herbal fragrance. FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee has a rich, mellow flavor that is sweet with a hint of bitterness—a kind of unadorned intensity. This unique taste is inextricably linked to its variety, altitude, and processing method.

Origin and Characteristics

Mandheling coffee refers to Arabica coffee beans grown on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, thus also called Sumatra coffee, primarily cultivated in areas at altitudes of 750-1500 meters. Compared to many other coffee-growing regions, Sumatra's cultivation can be considered low-altitude. Combined with the local hot and humid weather that cannot create large temperature differences between day and night, coffee cherries here mature quickly without enough time to develop more acidity, resulting in relatively simple yet full-bodied flavors.

The varieties of FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Mandheling coffee beans are typically Timtim and Ateng, both carrying Robusta genes. In fact, Timtim is actually Timor—a variety with Robusta heritage—while Ateng is Catimor, a hybrid of Caturra and Catimor. Due to the Robusta genes in both varieties and the low cultivation altitude without significant temperature differentials to allow coffee beans to develop more refined flavors, both TimTim and Ateng naturally possess unique herbal, woody, and spicy notes.

Unique Processing Method

Beyond cultivation and variety, due to Sumatra's year-round high temperature and humidity, it's very difficult to extract and dry coffee beans through traditional methods to achieve a storable moisture content. This led to the development of the locally distinctive Wet Hulling method. It is precisely this accidental coffee bean processing method that created Mandheling's unique flavor.

The Wet Hulling process is characterized by first using a wooden peeler to remove the skin and pulp after coffee cherry harvest, followed by 3 hours of fermentation and drying to reduce moisture content to 30-50% (semi-dry, semi-wet). Then, the mucilage and parchment layer are removed, and the final drying phase continues for 2-4 days until moisture content reaches 12-13%.

Since each step is completed in a 70-90% humidity environment, and the parchment layer is already removed before the final drying step, the "exposed" green beans easily absorb moisture from the air, resulting in FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee having additional woody and herbal notes.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling Selection

Through cupping comparisons by FrontStreet Coffee, all Mandheling coffee beans from the Sumatra region possess herbal spice flavors with low acidity and deep body. Therefore, both types of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee beans available are roasted to medium-dark levels, enhancing the coffee's full-bodied texture through extended heating time.

Among the two types of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee beans sold, one is FrontStreet Coffee's Lindong Mandheling coffee beans from the Lindong region of Sumatra, also a member of "FrontStreet Coffee's Selected Regional Daily Beans," featuring the unique regional characteristics of Indonesia's Sumatra island while offering excellent value.

The other is FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Gold Mandheling coffee beans from the Aceh region of Sumatra by PWN Company. This variety first screens beans above size 18 through machines, followed by multiple manual selections to remove uneven defective beans. The significantly reduced defect rate results in a FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee bean with excellent cleanliness and more pronounced sweetness.

Brewing Recommendations

To brew delicious FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee, the most important factor is choosing freshly roasted coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee hopes every customer can enjoy the full, rich aroma in their coffee, so only ships coffee beans roasted within 5 days, ensuring everyone receives them during the complete flavor window.

To highlight the high body of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee while preserving more herbal and spice notes, FrontStreet Coffee's roasters use medium-dark roasting. Consequently, FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee beans have lower density, easily absorbing more water after grinding and accelerating the release of various compounds. To avoid over-extraction, FrontStreet Coffee uses medium grind size and slightly lower water temperature, reducing the extraction of bitter macromolecules from the coffee.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using the Kono filter cup with steeping effects, with 15g of medium-coarse ground coffee (70% pass-through rate on Chinese standard #20 sieve), brewed at a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio using 87-88°C water temperature.

Three-stage pouring technique: First pour 30g of water for 30s bloom; second stage, pour in small circles until reaching 125g, wait until the water level drops to half before continuing; third stage, continue pouring in small circles until reaching 225g. Total extraction time should be around 2 minutes and 10 seconds after complete dripping.

Tasting Notes

FrontStreet Coffee's Lindong region Mandheling coffee brewing flavor: Rich herbal aroma on entry, with notes of dark chocolate and caramel, and a sweet aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Gold Mandheling coffee brewing flavor: The coffee overall has varied layers, being full-bodied and clean. Rich nut and caramel aromas with chocolate notes, persistent finish, and high balance.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473