How to Brew Sumatran Coffee Beans for the Best Taste? What Are the Recommended Sumatran Coffee Beans?

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Introduction to Mandheling Coffee

Mandheling is a type of coffee produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia, and can also be called "Sumatran coffee."

Mandheling is produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia, also known as "Sumatran coffee." The main producing areas include Java Island, Sulawesi Island, and Sumatra Island. Among these, the "Mandheling" produced in Sumatra Island is the most famous. The finest traditional Arabica coffee produced in northern Sumatra is marketed under the names Lintong and Mandheling.

Specifically, Lintong refers to coffee grown in a small area located in the southwestern part of Lake Toba in the Lintong administrative region. The coffee growing areas are scattered across a high, rolling clay plateau covered with ferns. Lintong coffee is non-shade grown, uses no chemicals, and is almost entirely owned by small private farmers.

It has a rich and solid taste with a pleasant acidity. The aroma is mellow, with moderate acidity, abundant sweetness, and intriguing complexity, suitable for dark roasting that releases a rich fragrance. Mandheling is close to life, bitter yet sweet. Only by appreciating its bitterness can one enjoy its unique sweetness.

Our Roasting Philosophy

Based on our roaster's understanding of coffee beans and catering to most people's tastes, we maximize the expression of Mandheling's flavors. Specialty coffee has its own characteristics and certainly won't taste the same as other producers. We have our unique understanding of coffee, expressing Mandheling's characteristic smoothness.

Testing Different Roast Levels

We tested Mandheling at light roast, medium-dark roast, and dark roast levels. The testing method was typically pour-over extraction, single serving, with grind size and water temperature slightly adjusted according to different roast levels.

Test Parameters:

1. Light roast: Fuji "ghost tooth" grinder at 3.5, water temperature 90°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15

2. Medium-dark roast: Fuji "ghost tooth" grinder at 4, water temperature 88°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15

3. Dark roast: Fuji "ghost tooth" grinder at 4.5, water temperature 86°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15

Test Results:

1. Light roast: Mandheling at this roast level has heavier fruit acidity, slightly bitter, with obvious fruit acidity that's comfortable in the mouth, creating a salivating sensation on both sides of the mouth. Smoothness is average.

2. Medium-dark roast: Excellent balance, rich and mellow, more obvious bitterness, with more prominent chocolate notes and subtle sweetness, obvious licorice aroma, weaker fruit acidity, better smoothness than light roast, strong aroma, with noticeably enhanced fruit acidity.

3. Dark roast: Almost no acidity, very heavy bitterness. If direct-fire roasting is slightly improper, it can also produce burnt flavors.

Understanding Coffee Extraction

In a sense, whether making espresso or pour-over coffee, it's water passing through coffee grounds, carrying soluble substances from the coffee into the cup.

What we call brewing techniques are not for adjusting flavors, because flavors are determined by the coffee bean's origin, processing method, and roasting method. Techniques are for adjusting the speed and proportion of water passing through coffee grounds, thereby regulating how much flavor is released. The quality of flavor necessarily depends on the following factors:

1. The speed of water passing through coffee grounds (choice of equipment)

2. Water temperature

3. Grind size and condition of the grounds

4. Roast level depth

5. Bloom time duration

Where do over-extraction and under-extraction problems mainly occur?

Over-extraction phenomenon: Coffee becomes overly bitter and astringent, caused by water soaking coffee grounds for too long.

Under-extraction phenomenon: The taste is relatively thin, feeling like water and coffee are separate.

Different Brewing Methods for Sumatra Coffee Beans

Pour-over Method

Flavor: Multi-layered, clean, balanced, with persistent caramel sweetness in the finish.

Parameters:

1. Equipment choice: Hario V60

2. Water temperature: 88°C

3. Grind size: Fuji grinder setting 4

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Bloom time: 25 seconds

Specific technique: Three-stage pour-over for Mandheling, using 15g of coffee, Fuji "ghost tooth" grinder at setting 4, V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for 25s bloom, pour to 104g then pause, wait until the water level drops to half before pouring again, slowly pour until reaching 220g, discard the last 5g. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time around 2:00.

Mandheling can also be extracted using volcano pour, flannel, or Kono methods.

Specific technique: High-temperature extraction, water temperature 90-92°C, small water flow in the initial stage, pouring in a coin-sized area, pause, bloom, pause, bloom, keeping the grounds continuously in a blooming state, bloom time 1:30, finally large water flow for quick extraction, total extraction time 2:30.

AeroPress Method

Flavor: Rich, complex, prominent spice notes, fresh forest aroma.

Parameters:

1. Equipment choice: AeroPress

2. Water temperature: 85°C

3. Grind size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Bloom time: 2 times, first 20 seconds, second 50 seconds

Specific technique: AeroPress standard preparation, recommend adding 20g of coffee grounds, water-to-coffee ratio 1:17. First pour 100g of 83°C hot water, stir 3-5 times to fully wet the coffee grounds, let sit for 20s, add remaining hot water to reach 240g, let sit for 40s, stir for 5s, when it reaches 1:50, insert plunger and press down. Total time 2:05.

Siphon Method

Flavor: Round, rich, prominent herbal and bitter notes, with prominent caramel sweetness.

Parameters:

1. Equipment choice: Hario siphon pot

2. Water temperature: 90°C

3. Grind size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Bloom time: 30 seconds

Specific technique: Side-burn extraction, recommend 20g of coffee for 2 servings, water-to-coffee ratio 1:12, water level mark 2, using post-addition method (add grounds after water boils). Add grounds when bubbles appear, stir 4-5 times, extract for about 30 seconds then turn off heat. Finally, stir twice and let the coffee liquid fall naturally.

French Press Method

Flavor: Balanced, rich, good texture and oils, with slight sweetness.

Parameters:

1. Equipment choice: French press

2. Water temperature: 92°C

3. Grind size: Fuji grinder setting 4.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Bloom time: 2 minutes 30 seconds

Specific technique: 20g coffee beans, pour hot water (about 92-93°C) into French press to the 300ml mark, start timing. Put the lid on the French press with filter stopped at the highest position, wait for 2.5 minutes. Press the filter to the bottom.

Conclusion

We recommend the pour-over and AeroPress methods to showcase Mandheling's rich and mellow flavors. Siphon and French press methods more easily cause over-extraction. Once over-extracted, you can only taste sour and bitter flavors.

Sumatra Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Sumatra Mandheling coffee beans have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value - a 227g package costs only 89 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to cafés selling coffee for dozens of yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473