Are Mandheling Coffee Beans and Maba Coffee the Same? What Are the Characteristics of Maba Blended Coffee?

The Unique Character of Mandheling Coffee

Mandheling coffee beans grow in Indonesia's rich mineral soil, possessing a distinctive aroma. The coffee beans are short, oval-shaped particles, typically dark green in color, with a thick and obvious white membrane along the center line. When lightly roasted, the acidity becomes pronounced and strong, but the flavor lacks depth; however, with deep roasting, the bitterness becomes relatively heavier, yet the spice, pine, and caramel aromas become evident, with a rich body and abundant aftertaste. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee believes it's suitable for various brewing methods.

Typically, Mandheling beans serve as one of the foundation beans in blends, influencing the quality and mouthfeel of espresso coffee, even directly determining the texture and richness of the final product. As a high-quality representative of Mandheling, FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling Coffee is renowned in coffee circles. The coffee beans are relatively longer in appearance, but during the dehydration and color change process in roasting, the particles appear full, firm, and prominent, showcasing lines of strength and beauty. After medium-dark roasting, the unique dark chocolate aroma becomes unforgettable.

The Evolution of Coffee Blends

Generally, most coffee enthusiasts have only heard of Mengba coffee, but are unaware of the formula and origin of "Mengba." In fact, Mengba is a blend combining Indonesian Mandheling beans with Brazilian coffee beans, creating a complementary and harmonious balance of flavors. Taiwan's coffee shops were very popular with Mengba blends in earlier years. The refreshing and approachable Mengba items, along with the high ordering rate of premium seating at that time, became a memorable drink for many people's youth. Although it may no longer be popular today, some still miss this traditional coffee flavor. Currently, more popular coffee items use dairy products to enrich coffee flavors, such as caramel macchiatos, which are combinations of latte and caramel, rather than the previous approach of balancing flavors using the coffee beans' own aroma and texture.

Brazil's coffee production ranks first in the world, with vast territory and significant quality variations. Due to considerations of harvesting season and costs, machine harvesting is predominantly used, resulting in secondary quality and inconsistent ripeness. However, low-cost beans are highly sought after in the market for their relatively smooth taste. Coffee merchants use these beans as base beans for strong blends to balance the palate and taste buds. These various factors make Brazilian beans the optimal choice for roasters creating formula blends.

Perfect Beans for Latte Art

Many beginners new to espresso coffee often ask FrontStreet Coffee for recommendations on coffee beans suitable for latte art. For this, we prioritize recommending FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Espresso Blend, specifically customized for espresso machines. It uses two types of beans: Indonesian wet-hulled Mandheling and Brazilian natural process Cerrado, both medium-dark roasted—exactly the "Mengba" formula mentioned at the beginning. Furthermore, to ensure espresso has a denser crema, FrontStreet Coffee also adds a small amount of washed Robusta to reduce extraction difficulty while enhancing the fullness of caramel aroma.

Many coffee enthusiasts unknowingly accumulate various coffee equipment at home, with those fond of espresso even stocking up on espresso machines to prepare their own extractions. FrontStreet Coffee uses store-produced espresso as a reference to briefly explain how to make an Espresso. FrontStreet Coffee's store machine is a commercial single-group "Lelit Bianca," which can adjust extraction by changing pressure, with a maximum pressure of 11 bar. Home coffee machines only need to reach 9 bar pressure to satisfy both extraction and milk frothing functions, paired with an espresso grinder.

The Art of Espresso Extraction

FrontStreet Coffee uses a double basket capacity, with approximately 18-20 grams of coffee powder, and uses 20 grams when preparing drinks. Typically, the ratio of coffee powder to espresso liquid ranges from 1:1.5 to 1:2.5. FrontStreet Coffee's extraction ratio is 1:2, meaning 20 grams of coffee powder extracts 40 grams of espresso liquid. Time relates to the flow rate of coffee powder, with single extraction times generally controlled between 20-35 seconds, because coffee extracted within 20 seconds usually tastes thin, while exceeding 35 seconds easily leads to over-extraction and bitter flavors. FrontStreet Coffee's espresso mostly falls within the 28-30 second range.

FrontStreet Coffee first wipes the portafilter dry, turns on the grinder, grinds a double portion of coffee powder, places it on an electronic scale for adjustment to reach 20 grams. Then, using a tool, evenly distributes the coffee grounds and firmly tamps the coffee puck to ensure more stable extraction. Next, turn on the extraction switch to run water, moistening the group head while washing away any stuck coffee residue, gently lock the portafilter onto the group head, and begin the extraction. When the electronic scale shows 40 grams of espresso extracted, in about 30 seconds, pull down the extraction switch. Pour the espresso into an espresso cup to enjoy.

The Perfect Latte Experience

Espresso made with FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Espresso Blend has a beautiful golden crema, visibly gradient from dark to light. Before drinking, you can smell a strong caramel aroma. For the intense aroma of such dark-roasted coffee, FrontStreet Coffee typically enjoys it in latte form, allowing appreciation of beautiful latte art patterns while experiencing the richness and smoothness of milk coffee—truly achieving two goals at once.

First, find a coffee cup of about 30ml capacity, pour in 40ml of double espresso, then froth 240ml of fresh milk to a warm and pleasant temperature. Note that it's best to control the foam thickness at 0.5cm for easier latte art. Finally, evenly combine both and create a beautiful pattern to complete the drink.

Hot latte made with FrontStreet Coffee's Mengba blend has rich butter and caramel aromas upon entry, accompanied by the sweetness of chocolate milk and the creaminess brought by milk foam, creating a rich and complex mouthfeel.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473