Why is it called Golden Mandheling? The Origin of the Name and Characteristics of Golden Mandheling Coffee Beans - Ateng Variety Flavor Description

Mandheling is not a region name, place name, port name, nor the name of a coffee variety. Its name actually originates from a mispronunciation of the Mandheling ethnic group in Indonesia. During World War II when Japan occupied Indonesia, a Japanese soldier drank an incredibly fragrant and mellow coffee at a café. When he asked the owner for the coffee's name, the owner misunderstood and thought he was asking where he was from, so he replied: "Mandheling." After the war, the Japanese soldier recalled the "Mandheling" he had drunk in Indonesia. He then commissioned an Indonesian coffee exporter to ship 15 tons to Japan, which surprisingly became extremely popular. The name Mandheling thus spread.

What is "Golden Mandheling"?

Often seen as "Golden Mandheling," what exactly is it?

The fame of Mandheling coffee originated from Pwani Coffee Company (PWN) successfully launching Mandheling sales in Japan. The owner of PWN company is the same café owner mentioned at the beginning of FrontStreet Coffee's introduction. Unlike many local green bean suppliers in Indonesia, PWN Company is the exclusive supplier of high-grade Golden Mandheling coffee, having contracted the best Mandheling coffee producing regions in Indonesia. The output Mandheling beans all belong to premium quality. The Golden Mandheling coffee that consistently occupies the top right corner of FrontStreet Coffee's bean list is produced by PWN Company, and the Dongshankou store also displays the burlap sacks used for green bean packaging and certification certificates.

The wet-hulling method saves much time and labor costs in green bean processing. However, the rapid process also brings a higher defect rate, so only through strict manual selection can defects that machines cannot screen out be eliminated. PWN Company subjects the purchased Mandheling green beans to one machine selection plus three manual selections, with quality far exceeding Indonesia's local highest G1 grade. To meet PWN Golden Mandheling production standards, the following requirements must be satisfied:

1. Green bean size: 18-19 screen or above after first manual selection
2. Fewer than 3 defective beans in 300g green bean sample
3. Green coffee bean grade: G1 grade
4. Color tends to dark green, uniform size, regular shape

FrontStreet Coffee's Cupping Evaluation

Before launching a coffee bean, FrontStreet Coffee always evaluates it through cupping. Cupping is an evaluation of coffee bean quality and flavor. Unified standards can more objectively identify the strengths and weaknesses of the flavors presented by the beans, as well as their characteristics. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that the Lindong Mandheling daily bean presents rich nutty notes, with a hint of melon aroma in the aftertaste. As the temperature drops, herbal plant flavors emerge, with a mellow mouthfeel and saturated aroma. PWN Golden Mandheling not only has aromas of dark chocolate, nuts, and caramel, but also herbal spice and pine flavors, with dark chocolate aftertaste, full lingering finish, high cleanliness, and light fruit acidity as the temperature drops.

What variety is Golden Mandheling?

Indonesia grows numerous varieties. Originally, the coffee varieties grown in Indonesia were the recognized excellent-flavored Typica, introduced by the Dutch in the late 17th century. In 1877, nearly all coffee trees in Indonesia were severely affected by leaf rust disease, with large areas of Typica trees withering. To solve this dilemma, the Indonesian government introduced more disease-resistant Robusta varieties from Africa and other places. Until now, Robusta remains Indonesia's main variety.

To increase coffee production, Indonesia continuously introduced various disease-resistant varieties from other countries. Among them, the Tim Tim, Bor Bor, and Catimor series Ateng - hybrids of Robusta and Arabica - due to their good disease resistance and adaptation to Sumatra's terroir, present a unique fir aroma. Currently, Ateng and Tim Tim account for 70% of Sumatra coffee. FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesia Lindong Mandheling daily bean is a mix of Tim Tim and Ateng, while Golden Mandheling is selected from Ateng, which is what we call Catimor.

Sumatran Semi-washed Method - Wet-Hulling Process

Indonesia's humidity ranges from 70% to 90% year-round. If using washed processing for coffee, the green beans would mold and deteriorate in the humid air before completely drying. Therefore, they developed a semi-washed method that greatly shortens processing time. The wet-hulling method first uses a hulling machine to remove the outer skin of coffee cherries, then directly pours them into a pool for brief fermentation of several hours. At this point, a small amount of mucilage still remains on the parchment, which is removed through brushing. Then the parchment beans are dried. When the green beans reach 30-40% moisture content in their first drying, coffee farmers sell the green beans to buyers. The buyers directly hull the purchased semi-dry parchment beans to accelerate drying, removing mucilage and parchment to obtain green beans.

Obviously, wet-hulling shortens the fermentation period of coffee beans, reducing acidity and increasing body, while increasing grassy and herbal flavors. The "naked beans" still absorb moisture from the humid air, forming Sumatra's characteristic earthy, herbal, and cedar "muted aroma." After roasting, it carries rich dark chocolate, caramel, and nutty roasted flavors. FrontStreet Coffee's baristas taste its aroma through pour-over brewing.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-over Recommendations

• Brewing water temperature: 87-88°C
• Coffee grounds: 15g
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
• Dripper: KONO dripper
• Grind size: Medium-coarse grind (70% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

The brewing method uses a three-stage pouring technique, which can better express the rich body and caramel sweetness of Golden Mandheling coffee.

First stage bloom: Pour 30ml of water to fully wet the coffee grounds for degassing, allowing for better extraction of flavor compounds in subsequent stages.

Second stage: Pour 100ml to bring out the golden foam of Mandheling and raise the coffee bed.

Final stage: Gently pour 95ml at the center to enhance the coffee's sweetness.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473