PWN Gold Mandheling vs. Lin Dong Mandheling Coffee Beans: Pour-Over Flavor Profile Differences

Exploring the Unique Charm of Mandheling Coffee with FrontStreet Coffee

With the development of the third wave of specialty coffee, people's acceptance of coffee has grown. Like the FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Mandheling coffee beans, known for their herbal flavors and rich body, although initially quite controversial, FrontStreet Coffee has found that many people now enjoy them.

What defines specialty coffee? FrontStreet Coffee believes it should be evaluated from four dimensions: altitude, variety, processing method, and cupping score (above 80 points). In fact, Frontsteet's Mandheling doesn't reach 80 points in cupping. Some might argue based on this point that Frontsteet's Mandheling coffee is not specialty coffee, but FrontStreet Coffee believes that "specialty coffee" is merely a result that meets public evaluation standards.

For some coffees that highlight regional flavor characteristics, when their market acceptance is relatively high, whether they are classified as specialty coffee is no longer important. FrontStreet Coffee conducts meticulous cupping of coffees while continuously sourcing coffee beans from different regions, precisely to help everyone understand that coffee beans are constantly being discovered and changing. People's tastes also evolve continuously, so existing evaluation standards serve only as a foundation for understanding coffee. Beyond that, having one's own coffee worldview and understanding has always been the philosophy that FrontStreet Coffee aims to convey.

Now, let's explore Frontsteet's Mandheling coffee together with FrontStreet Coffee.

The Story of Mandheling Coffee Beans and the Development of Sumatran Coffee

Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia, with its coffee history dating back to 1696 when Dutch coffee plantation owners attempted to find broader coffee-growing areas. After extensive exploration, they finally settled on Java Island in Indonesia. After 30 years, Indonesia had established a sufficient foundation in the coffee market. However, today, Indonesia's coffee representative is Mandheling, which is actually not surprising, because most of the Java coffee originally exported to Europe came from the Sumatra region, and Mandheling originates from Sumatra. Therefore, Sumatra can be considered an important coffee-producing region in Indonesia.

The Origin of the Name Mandheling

Mandheling originally refers to an Indonesian tribal name. After Japanese soldiers returned from Indonesia's colonization, they couldn't forget the local delicious coffee. Through their trading connections, they asked locals to help transport high-quality coffee beans, including this Mandheling variety.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Mandheling's fame originated from Pawani Coffee Company (PWN), which successfully launched Mandheling in the Japanese market. This export trading company was founded by a Chinese family from Quanzhou, Fujian, located in Medan, an important port in Sumatra. Since 1957, it has been engaged in export business, dealing in products such as rubber, cassia seeds, cloves patchouli oil, and of course, exporting Sumatran coffee beans to Japan.

Unlike many local green coffee bean merchants in Indonesia, PWN Company is an exclusive supplier of high-grade Golden Mandheling coffee, contracting the best Mandheling coffee-producing regions in Indonesia. The Mandheling beans produced are all of superior quality. The Golden Mandheling coffee, which consistently occupies a prominent position on FrontStreet Coffee's menu, is produced by PWN Company. The Dongshankou store also displays the burlap sacks used for green bean packaging and certification certificates.

Frontsteet PWN Golden Mandheling Coffee

Frontsteet PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans come from Lake Tawa in Mount Gayo, northwestern Sumatra. Since discovering Mandheling, the Japanese have paid great attention to this coffee bean. During cooperation with local green bean merchants, they established strict screening standards. After processing, the green beans undergo density-based color sorting, followed by four rounds of manual bean selection, finally presenting Mandheling beans with uniform color and consistent bean shape. It is said that when processing green beans, Mandheling emits a golden luster under sunlight, hence the name "Golden Mandheling."

The specification of Frontsteet PWN Golden Mandheling is 18 screen or above, with fewer than 3 defective beans (in 300g green bean samples), belonging to the highest G1 grade, with a dark green color and a flat, neat shape. After strict screening, FrontStreet Coffee has found that Frontsteet PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans not only lack the typical earthy impurities of regular Mandheling but also taste cleaner and brighter, with more intense sweetness.

However, it was not a Japanese company that registered Golden Mandheling as a trademark, but rather the local Indonesian company PWN (Pawani Coffee Company) that previously cooperated with Japanese companies to export Mandheling coffee beans. The Japanese company registered "Gold Top Mandheling," which is another premium golden Mandheling variety. FrontStreet Coffee believes that in terms of flavor performance, there is actually little difference between the two, but due to different brands and marketing strategies, it's possible that public opinion has shifted. Therefore, which of the two Golden Mandheling coffees is superior remains a matter of personal preference.

Types of Sumatran Mandheling Coffee Beans

The commonly available and widely accepted Mandheling varieties on the market today are Lintong Mandheling and Golden Mandheling. After discussing Golden Mandheling, let's introduce Frontsteet's Lintong Mandheling.

Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling

Lintong Mandheling is produced in the Lintong mountainous area of north-central Sumatra, near Lake Toba. Lintong Mandheling is the standard version of Mandheling. Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling also uses the conventional wet-hulling method, which creates its characteristic low acidity and high body. However, a consequence of using the wet-hulling method is that when the semi-hard, semi-soft moist green beans are hulled to remove the mucilage and parchment, they are easily crushed. The damaged beans split open like goat hooves, commonly known as "goat hoof beans." FrontStreet Coffee considers this a very distinctive characteristic of Mandheling, not classified as defective beans.

Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling does not focus on intensive screening, but this does not diminish people's appreciation for its rich flavor.

In addition, FrontStreet Coffee offers three other Mandheling varieties: Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling, Frontsteet Aged Mandheling, and Frontsteet Sumatra Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling. Here, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce them one by one.

Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling

The Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling selected by FrontStreet Coffee comes from the Tiger Estate in Sumatra, Indonesia, hence also known as "Mandheling Tiger" or "Sumatra Tiger Mandheling." The northern part of Sumatra Island has relatively high altitudes, with Aceh Province where Lake Tawa is located and North Sumatra where Lake Toba is situated being the main Arabica coffee-producing regions. The requirement for Frontsteet's Tiger Mandheling is that it must have Chinese herbal medicine aroma and must be 17 screen or above with a defect rate below 4% to be called Tiger Mandheling.

Frontsteet Aged Mandheling

Aged coffee beans do not simply mean leaving green coffee beans to sit for a long time - this is not acceptable, because green coffee beans will deteriorate over time, changing from fresh green to white, then to yellow, becoming tasteless, and even growing insects. Like aged wines, green beans must undergo proper processing and long-term storage before they can be called true "Aged Coffee."

Frontsteet Sumatra Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling

The processing method for these Frontsteet Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling beans is not the wet-hulling method unique to Indonesian coffee (which will be introduced later), but rather the more challenging natural processing method. Natural processing first requires manual selection of defective coffee beans, as well as immature or overripe coffee cherries. Afterward, the coffee cherries are evenly spread on drying patios and need to be turned several times daily. The drying process usually takes about 2-3 weeks, depending on local climate, and Indonesia's rainy weather may extend this time. When the moisture content inside the coffee beans drops to 11-13%, the natural drying step is complete. After drying, the coffee cherry husks have become dry and hard, and only need to be removed with a hulling machine.

Special Processing Method: Wet-Hulling

As mentioned earlier, most Mandheling coffee uses the wet-hulling method unique to Sumatra. This is due to the local weather, which is predominantly rainy with constant typhoons, making it impossible to achieve the good weather required for natural drying. Moreover, the local economy is not prosperous, making it equally impossible to use the more expensive washed processing method. This led to the development of the highly localized wet-hulling method. Although Indonesia's coffee industry has developed beyond its previous poverty, and there are now many estates and companies with conditions to use the washed processing method, why hasn't wet-hulling been abandoned? FrontStreet Coffee believes that wet-hulling is a factor that helped Mandheling coffee gain global recognition - when mentioning Mandheling coffee, people immediately think of wet-hulling. They have developed a complementary relationship.

The specific steps of wet-hulling can be divided into the following two stages:

First stage: Using a wooden peeler to remove the skin and pulp, followed by 3 hours of fermentation, then drying to reduce moisture content to semi-dry, semi-wet state of 30-50%.

Second stage: Removing the mucilage and parchment layer, continuing with the final drying process, which takes 2-4 days, reducing moisture content to 12-13%.

In addition to conventional wet-hulling, there is also aged wet-hulling. Coffee beans are first processed using ordinary wet-hulling, then sealed in warehouses for 2-3 years. The warehouse environment must be cool and ventilated, with regular turning of the beans to prevent mold and spoilage. During this period, the acidity of the coffee beans gradually diminishes and converts to sugars, and the color becomes deeper, mostly yellowish-brown or dark brown. The Mandheling coffee beans on FrontStreet Coffee's menu that use this processing method are called Frontsteet Aged Mandheling coffee beans.

Wet-hulling has created the distinctive flavor of Mandheling coffee. One could say that Mandheling and wet-hulling have a bound relationship, but today's coffee market is no longer satisfied with unchanging traditions. Even though wet-hulling is a characteristic of Mandheling, attempts with other processing methods are still being made. As mentioned earlier, FrontStreet Coffee's Wahana Estate Mandheling coffee beans use the natural processing method.

Characteristics of Five Mandheling Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee offers five distinct Mandheling varieties, each with unique characteristics:

• Frontsteet Golden Mandheling: From Aceh, Mount Gayo; Altitude: 1100-1600m; Varieties: Ateng, Typica, Caturra; Processing: Wet-hulling
• Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling: From Sumatra Lintong region; Altitude: 1100-1600m; Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Sidikalong; Processing: Wet-hulling
• Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling: From Aceh, Sumatra near Lake Toba; Altitude: 1500m; Varieties: Typica, Caturra; Processing: Wet-hulling
• Frontsteet Aged Mandheling: Altitude: 1500m; Varieties: Typica, Caturra; Processing: Wet-hulling
• Frontsteet Sumatra Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling: Altitude: 1000-1700m; Varieties: Bourbon, Typica; Processing: Natural processing

Roasting Recommendations for Five Frontsteet Mandheling Coffee Beans

When roasting these five Frontsteet Mandheling coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee uses a medium to dark roast level, aiming to eliminate excessive acidity while enhancing body and balance. Based on the characteristics of each Frontsteet Mandheling, Frontsteet has designed five roasting profiles as follows:

Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green bean input

Frontsteet Golden Mandheling roasting record

Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling roasting record

Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling roasting curve

Frontsteet Aged Mandheling roasting curve

Frontsteet Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling roasting curve

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using the following brewing parameters: Kono dripper, 88°C water temperature, 15g coffee dose, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, grind size: 70-75% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve.

Regular readers of FrontStreet Coffee articles should know that light-roasted coffee beans and dark-roasted coffee beans require different water temperatures and drippers. Lower water temperature is used to avoid extracting excessive undesirable flavors. When FrontStreet Coffee chooses dark roasts, many aromatic compounds have already been released. If extraction continues with the water temperature used for light roasts, over-extraction will occur. FrontStreet Coffee chooses the Kono dripper because V60 drippers have too fast a flow rate, which can lead to under-extraction at low water temperatures. The Kono dripper has fewer ribs located at the bottom, allowing the filter paper to fit closely against the dripper, restricting airflow and increasing contact time between water and coffee grounds. This ensures full extraction and enhances body, making it suitable for brewing medium-dark roasted coffee beans such as Frontsteet Golden Mandheling and Frontsteet Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

Frontsteet recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing to maximize the rich flavors of the coffee. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are roasted within 5 days, because Frontsteet understands well that freshness has a significant impact on flavor. Frontsteet's roasting philosophy is "Freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer receives the freshest coffee when their order arrives. The coffee degassing period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at its peak flavor.

Brewing Technique

FrontStreet Coffee uses a staged extraction method: Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small circular motion to 125g for the first stage. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Wait until the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, then remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the bloom) Total extraction time is 2'00".

Flavor Descriptions

Frontsteet Lintong Mandheling: Herbal, chocolate, caramel, overall well-balanced

Frontsteet Golden Mandheling: Nuts, spices, herbal plants, licorice, chocolate, caramel, clean and smooth flavor

Frontsteet Tiger Mandheling: Nuts, cream, dark chocolate, caramel, Chinese herbal medicine, noticeable sweetness, relatively clean and clear flavor

Frontsteet Aged Mandheling: Ripe pu-erh tea, caramel, herbal, chocolate, lower acidity

Frontsteet Wahana Estate Natural Mandheling: Tropical fruits, fermentation notes, moderate acidity, smooth texture, noticeable sweetness

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

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473