Indonesia West Java Amanni Estate Single Origin Coffee Varieties, Brand Recommendations and Estate Introduction

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Indonesia West Java Aromanis Estate: Single Origin Coffee Varieties, Brand Recommendations, and Estate Introduction

SUMATRA

Sumatra Island has three main growing regions: Aceh in the north, the area slightly south of Lake Toba, and the recently emerged islands near Mangkuraja. It may also trace back to smaller areas in the following regions: Takengon, Bener Mariah in Aceh Province, Lintong, Sidikalang, Dolok Sanggul, and Seribu Dolok surrounding Lake Toba. Previously, coffee beans sold in this region were generally called "Sumatra Mandheling," but there is actually no place called Mandheling—the name comes from the tribal name of the local islanders. Mandheling typically has grade distinctions, divided into Grade 1 or Grade 2. The grading method undoubtedly uses cupping quality rather than the commonly assumed green beans themselves. I still have reservations about recommending Grade 1, however, as this grading seems to have become excessive. It is strange to divide different varieties into different batches, so most Sumatra coffee beans are mixed from unknown varieties. Sumatra coffee beans are exported through the port of Medan, but if they remain in the port too long before export, the humid and hot climate will adversely affect the quality of the beans.

Altitude: Aceh 1100-1300m, Lake Toba 1100-1600m, Mangkuraja 1100-1300m

Harvest: September - December

Varieties: Typica (including Bergandal, Sidikalang, Djember), Timtim, Ateng, Onan Gajang

JAVA

In Indonesia, this region inherits Dutch colonial and customary practices, and thus has more large coffee estates. The four main coffee fields, covering 4000 hectares, were previously government-owned estates. At the time, coffee beans from this region enjoyed a first-class reputation, although I believe that recently many blends have replaced "Mocha-Java" with other coffee beans. Java coffee beans remained high-priced for a long time but have seen significant price reductions in the 20th century. The growing areas cover the Ijen volcano area in eastern Java and the western region.

Altitude: 900-1800m

Harvest: September - September

Varieties: Typicas, Ateng, USDA

SULAWESI

Although seven major estates supply about 5% of Sulawesi Island's production, local production is still primarily dominated by small farmers. Most Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes around Tana Toraja, while Kalosi in the south has become a brand. There are also two lesser-known areas: Mamasa to the west and Gowa south of Kalosi. A few particularly interesting coffees processed by the washed method are thought-provoking and strongly recommended for trying when the opportunity arises. The semi-washed processing method is commonly used throughout Sulawesi Island, and the region also produces quite a lot of Robusta beans.

Altitude: Tana Toraja 1100-1800m, Mamasa 1300-1700m, Gowa average 850m

Harvest: May - November

Varieties: S795, Typicas, Ateng

FLORES

Flores is a small island about 320 kilometers (200 miles) east of Bali, one of the Indonesian archipelago islands. A relatively new entrant to the coffee industry, it has developed a good reputation for coffee cultivation. In the past, a large portion of Flores-produced coffee was consumed domestically or mixed with other coffees for export, and rarely sold directly under the name "Flores Coffee." The island has active and dormant volcanoes, and mixtures from Bajawa volcano have significant positive effects in the main growing areas. In terms of processing, the semi-washed process is the most common in the region, with some still using the fully washed method.

Altitude: Tana Toraja 1200-1800m, Mamasa 1300-1700m, Gowa average 850m

Harvest: May - September

Varieties: Typicas, Ateng, Robusta

BALI

Coffee came to Bali relatively late, initially growing on the Kintamani plateau. Coffee production was severely affected in 1963 when the Gunung Agung volcano erupted, causing over 20,000 deaths and widespread destruction in eastern Bali. By the late 1970s and early 1980s the government distributed Arabica seedlings to promote coffee production, but some believe this had limited effectiveness, as approximately 80% of the island's current production is Robusta beans. Although tourism provides the largest income, agriculture employs the most people on the island, with Japan being the largest buyer in the past.

Altitude: 1,250-1,700m

Harvest: May - October

Varieties: Typicas, Typica derivatives, Robusta

Java Coffee Characteristics

Java produces refined aromatic coffee with relatively low acidity, a delicate body and good balance. Java coffee's aroma and acidity surpass those of Sumatra and Sulawesi. Java's best plantations include Blawan, Jambit, Kayumas and Pankur. Java Mocha coffee is a blend of Java coffee and Yemen Mocha coffee.

Sumatra Island, the second largest island of the Indonesian archipelago, is Indonesia's petroleum industry center, and the island's rubber and timber are also famous exports. Sumatra's coffee is even more remarkable, similar to Java coffee but with a slightly heavier body. Mandheling and Ankola coffee beans are also highly valued, the former even being praised as the world's fullest-bodied coffee.

West Java Province is a first-level administrative division of Indonesia, located in the western section of Java Island, bordering the Java Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, including offshore islands, covering an area of 46,300 square kilometers. Java's climate is a tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid year-round. The plain areas along the northern coast have the highest temperatures, while mountainous areas are much cooler. High humidity often creates debilitating 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 maximum temperature is 30°C (86°F), minimum 23°C (74°F). In the inland highlands of Tosari (elevation 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 - A Special Indonesian Coffee

Aromanis is a traditional Indonesian sweet pastry snack made from the basic ingredients of flour and sugar. Here, Aromanis is used to name this coffee, indicating that these coffee beans have a cotton-candy-like texture. The coffee beans come from Ciwidey Garut in West Java. In fact, no special coffee seeds are used, but coffee processed by the natural method can present such distinctive flavors. Of course, this flavor is not widely recognized in West Java.

Region: Mount Tikukur, Indonesia

Altitude: 1400-1600 meters

Roast Level: Light

Processing Method: Honey Processing

Taste Description: Intense fruit aroma, with plum and jackfruit flavors, clean and sweet aftertaste.

Flavor: Complex floral notes on entry, tropical fruit flavors like mango and jackfruit in taste, smooth and thick body, long-lasting aftertaste.

West Java Honey Processing

Indonesia West Java Aromanis honey processing achieves cupping scores as high as 92 points. The English name of this bean is Aromanis, which means "sweet mango" in Indonesian.

At the estate, we personally tasted distinctly different Indonesian coffee. Farmers used the simplest hot water immersion method to brew us the coffee they grow. Careful cultivation and processing have allowed the coffee's flavor to break away from the established stereotypes of Indonesian coffee. Fruit sweetness, lemon aroma and even floral notes are all prominently presented in different varieties, truly subverting our perception of bitter, rich flavors.

Hand-pour West Java: 15g coffee, medium grind (Fujiyama ghost teeth grinder #4), V60 dripper, 88-89°C water temperature. First pour 30g water, bloom for 27 seconds, pour to 105g then pause, wait until the water level drops to half before continuing to pour, slowly pouring until reaching 225g, discarding the tail. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

West Java Honey Processing Aromanis

Country: Indonesia

Estate: Aromanis

Region: Mount Tikukur

Roast Level: Light Roast

Processing Method: Honey Processing

Honey Processing

Honey processing, called Honey Process or Miel Process, produces Honey Coffee. Coffee plantations in Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala all use this processing method. So-called honey processing refers to the production of green beans dried in the sun with mucilage. After removing the outer pulp of the coffee beans, a layer of viscous gelatinous substance remains. Traditional washed processing would use clean water to wash it away, but because of water resource limitations in some high-altitude areas, this direct drying method was born.

Honey processing is a relatively complex, time-consuming and difficult processing method. The first step is to select high-quality fruits, then remove the pulp leaving the parchment, which is the core of honey processing. The parchment contains rich sugars and acids, which slowly penetrate into the coffee beans during drying. The second step is drying, also the most important condition for producing high-quality green beans.

Honey processing lets coffee retain the cleanliness of washed processing. Although the brightness of the coffee decreases, it increases sweetness and caramel texture. According to the different degrees of honey processing, honey-processed coffee is divided into yellow honey, red honey and black honey. The benefit of honey processing is that it best preserves the original sweet flavor of ripe coffee fruit, making the coffee present elegant brown sugar flavors and nutty sweetness, while berry flavors support a red-wine-based aroma, considered very elegant products.

Varieties: Jember, S-795

Altitude: 1400-1600 meters

Flavor: Fruit aroma, plum, jackfruit flavors, clean and sweet aftertaste

Indonesia West Java

Coffee beans are picked from the branches and separated from the fruit, then washed and immediately dried. The beans are "diserok" (turned) every hour to ensure even drying, including at midnight. "This is very important at night because of high humidity," said Aliyev from Transform Coffee (August 5, 2014)—translated from the Indonesian original text.

The coffee processing takes 25-26 days! It is not surprising that Aromanis coffee beans are slightly more expensive than ordinary coffee beans. The coffee farmer cooperative sells raw Aromanis coffee beans at 130,000-150,000 rupiah per kilogram, while Transform Coffee offers them at a retail price of 80,000 rupiah per 200g package.

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

Sulawesi Island, located between Borneo and New Guinea, is sometimes also called Celebes. Coffee produced on this island has full-bodied beans and rich aroma. The best beans come from Kalossi and Rantepao in the southern part of the island. Among many brands, you might try Celebes Kalossi coffee.

Overall, Indonesian coffee has a very strong taste and a mellow flavor, slightly syrupy, with excellent acidity. Its two main export markets are Germany and Japan, which indirectly reflects the excellent quality of this coffee. What attracts consumers is its superior quality as Arabica coffee. You can add milk or cream to high-quality Indonesian coffee without worrying about affecting its taste. Indonesian coffee is divided into six grades, with AP being the best, but no one is certain what these two capital letters actually represent.

When steamships replaced sailing ships, coffee from these islands faced the same problem as coffee from Mysore, India—consumers had become accustomed to coffee affected by long journeys, so they were unwilling to accept the taste of this "fresh" coffee. To solve the problem, the Indonesian government tried to imitate coffee affected by long journeys, "storing" coffee beans for up to a year. Unfortunately, the taste of this wet-processed coffee was not widely accepted, affecting its good reputation.

Indonesia's "aged" coffee or "journey" coffee is still produced today, however. Its sales brands are generally "Old Government," "Old Brown" and "Old Java."

Despite Indonesia producing so many commendable coffees, it is puzzling that local residents prefer to drink Turkish-style coffee rather than its long-renowned European-style coffee.

Origin Details

Origin: West Java, Mont Tikukur, Mount Tikukur?

Altitude: 1400-1600m?

Varieties: Arabica species?

Producer: Aromanis?

Flowering Period: March-May, September-November?

Processing Method: Honey Process Natural Honey Processing?

Cupping Score: 92 points?

Flavor: Mango, red wine, peach juice, intense fruit aroma, with plum and jackfruit flavors, clean and sweet aftertaste?

Indonesia's Aromanis Estate natural processed beans have flavors unlike any Indonesian coffee. The bean has its own unique intense fruit aroma—mango, red wine, peach juice, plus plum and jackfruit flavors, with a clean and sweet aftertaste. Cupping scores reach as high as 92 points, making it hard to believe this is a coffee bean from Indonesia. The English name of this bean is Aromanis, which means "sweet mango" in Indonesian.

Indonesia

Population: 237,424,000

In Indonesia, coffee slowly developed from Java Island to neighboring islands, first reaching Sulawesi Island in 1750, at which time it had not yet extended to North Indonesia. It was not until 1888, when cultivation began around Lake Toba, that it finally spread to the Lake Tawar area in the Gayo region in 1924.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The Aromanis above shows just how diverse Indonesian coffee can be, breaking the stereotype of a single heavy, earthy profile. If you want to explore the country's best-known style, FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling is the classic. It comes from Sumatra and uses the local wet-hulled method, in which the parchment is stripped while the beans are still half dry, leaving the raw beans fully exposed to the air—which is where Mandheling gets its signature herbal and spice notes. FrontStreet's Mandheling is sourced from the Toba Lake area of the Lindong region and medium-dark roasted for the classic profile: low acidity yet full-bodied, with rich caramel, dark chocolate and toasted-bread aromas and a long, sweet finish. It suits anyone who likes a strong cup.

For the finest expression of the style, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling is the top choice. The PWN company buys only premium Mandheling raw beans and sells nothing below specialty grade, and Golden Mandheling is its signature product. FrontStreet's lot is screened by density, size, shape and color, then passes one machine sorting and hand sorting to remove defects, so the beans stay whole, even and large while the muddy and grassy notes of ordinary Mandheling are reduced—which is how it earned the name "Golden." Freshly roasted, it shows sandalwood, herbal, spice, roasted hazelnut, caramel and dark chocolate notes, with a clean, sweet, full body and a rich, layered aroma, suited to daily drinking and to gifting. FrontStreet's Lindong Mandheling, meanwhile, is a lower-priced everyday cup from the Toba Lake area; medium-dark roasted, it is low-acid and full-bodied with caramel, black chocolate and toasted aromas and a long, lingering sweetness.

Indonesian coffee also translates beautifully to espresso. FrontStreet's Classic Blend follows the traditional Mamba recipe, mixing Mandheling with Brazilian coffee: Mandheling brings its wild, robust character while Brazil adds smoothness, and the sweet nutty note tempers Mandheling's stronger bitterness and herbal edge. A little Robusta is added and the blend is deeply roasted so the dark chocolate, nut and caramel aromas reach their peak, producing abundant golden crema that makes a latte or Dirty for beginners easy to pull.