Differences, Distinctions, and Awards of Panama Hartmann Estate Single-Origin Coffee Beans

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The Unique Charm of Mandheling Coffee

Mandheling coffee possesses a captivating charm. Unlike Ethiopian coffees with their fruity sweetness or Gesha varieties with floral and fruity aromas, its distinctive flavor has captured the hearts of many coffee enthusiasts. Mandheling coffee is exceptionally mellow and was once considered the world's most full-bodied coffee, with rich, intense flavors and a slight syrupy taste, featuring low acidity. The main export markets for this coffee are Germany and Japan, which indirectly reflects the excellent quality and superior flavor profile of Mandheling coffee.

Wet-Hulled Processing Method

Wet-hulling is a rapid method for processing coffee beans that involves removing the fruit skin and pulp, brief fermentation, drying, followed by removal of the mucilage and parchment layer, then continuing with the final drying stage until the moisture content reaches 12%. Mandheling coffee beans processed using the wet-hulled method clearly show varying degrees of compression cracks, with the beans appearing in a darker greenish color.

Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings

FrontStreet Coffee's bean menu features two Mandheling varieties, which happen to come from Sumatra's two most renowned coffee-producing regions: one is the "Golden Mandheling" from the northern Aceh region near Lake Tawar, and the other is the "Lintong Mandheling" cultivated and harvested around Lake Toba in the southern region. Locals refer to these as "Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings." Due to many small-scale producers using their unique semi-washed processing method and iron-deficient soil, coffee beans from this region exhibit a distinctive bluish color in their fresh green bean state.

Lintong Mandheling: The Classic Choice

Lintong Mandheling refers to Arabica coffee from the mountainous areas around Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province. This lake is located north of Medan, the capital of Sumatra Island, and is a high-altitude freshwater lake with an average elevation of approximately 900 meters above sea level. Lintong Mandheling represents traditional Mandheling coffee and belongs to the regular Mandheling coffee category. Processed using the wet-hulled method, it presents the unique stuffy herbal aroma characteristic of Mandheling. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee has included Lintong Mandheling in its daily bean selection series, allowing curious coffee lovers to experience the distinctive aroma of Indonesian coffee.

Golden Mandheling: Premium Quality

Golden Mandheling coffee is the exclusive signature product of PWN company. Since PWN registered the "Golden Mandheling" trademark early on, only Mandheling produced by PWN company can be called "Golden Mandheling." The characteristic of Golden Mandheling coffee lies in the multiple screening of its green beans, resulting in exceptionally high overall quality. PWN purchases Mandheling green beans of 18 screen size and above, with G1 grade where less than 3 defective beans are found in a 300g sample - the highest grade for Indonesian green beans. Subsequently, they strictly follow standards with 1 machine selection plus 3 manual defect bean selections, ensuring uniform color, shape, and size of Mandheling coffee beans. Therefore, PWN Golden Mandheling offers a cleaner and brighter taste, with more pronounced body and sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee has tested countless Mandheling varieties, including PWN Golden Mandheling, Lintong Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, Aged Mandheling, and even Natural Process Mandheling. Among all these Mandheling coffees, FrontStreet Coffee pays the most attention to PWN Golden Mandheling.

FrontStreet Coffee: Indonesian PWN Golden Mandheling Coffee Beans

Origin: Indonesia, Sumatra
Grade: G1, Triple Hand-Sorted
Altitude: 1100m-1600m
Variety: Ateng
Processing Method: Wet-Hulled

It's important to note that "Golden Mandheling" has long been registered as a trademark by Indonesia's PWN company. In other words, only Golden Mandheling coffee beans produced by PWN company are truly Golden Mandheling in the authentic sense. FrontStreet Coffee has noticed many Golden Mandheling coffee beans sold on the market. Some merchants, in order to sell coffee beans at higher prices, select green beans of 18 screen size and above from G1 grade Mandheling coffee beans and apply three manual hand selections to make their appearance closely resemble PWN Golden Mandheling.

FrontStreet Coffee has also acquired several "Golden Mandheling" varieties and conducted cupping sessions. FrontStreet Coffee's baristas were able to clearly distinguish the authentic PWN Golden Mandheling. This is because beyond the expected herbal notes and nutty characteristics of Mandheling, the genuine PWN Golden Mandheling offers a clean taste with more pronounced caramel sweetness that cannot be compared to other "Golden Mandheling" varieties.

The PWN Golden Mandheling acquired by FrontStreet Coffee is harvested exclusively through fully manual single-cherry picking of fully ripe fruits, ensuring initial bean selection quality. The coffee cherries are processed using the SEMI-WASHED method, naturally sun-dried, and after hulling, undergo another drying refinement process, two green bean cleaning operations, and three manual selection processes. First meeting G1 grade standards, then 18 screen size and above, and finally three manual hand selections ensure removal of all defective beans, guaranteeing a clean taste. Therefore, it can be said to be a strictly selected top-tier Golden Mandheling coffee bean.

When FrontStreet Coffee's baristas conducted cupping evaluations of PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans, they tasted its excellent herbal notes, caramel aftertaste, and mellow, rich chocolate flavors. It can be said to be the undeniable choice for coffee connoisseurs.

As shown in the image above, the "PWN" marking on Golden Mandheling is the abbreviation of Indonesia's Pawani company. All PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans produced by their company are registered in Indonesia. Some coffee enthusiasts worry that the Golden Mandheling they carefully selected isn't the specific variety they want. Actually, you can verify with the seller by requesting to see the PWN Golden Mandheling green bean burlap bags and related certificates for verification. The walls of FrontStreet Coffee's stores display PWN Golden Mandheling green bean burlap bags along with related certificates.

Brewing the Perfect Golden Mandheling

Many people associate Mandheling with "bitterness," so they often ask FrontStreet Coffee's baristas how to brew Golden Mandheling to make it taste better. In reality, bitterness can be categorized as good or bad. Good bitterness dissipates shortly after entry, leaving behind a long-lasting aroma. Additionally, Mandheling coffee is synonymous with full body, so it's typically roasted to a darker degree.

To highlight the high body characteristics of Golden Mandheling, FrontStreet Coffee uses a Kono dripper for brewing. The reason for choosing Kono is its unique conical design ensures even water distribution and stable dripping speed throughout the filter. The grooves on the lower part of the cone fit tightly against the filter, thereby reducing sediment and improving airflow, ultimately resulting in a cup of coffee with concentrated flavors and greater body.

Regarding water temperature, FrontStreet Coffee chooses to use 88°C hot water for brewing Mandheling coffee. If you brew coffee at home, you've likely noticed that under the same conditions, higher water temperature results in a more bitter coffee taste. Water temperature is crucial for coffee extraction because it affects the extraction speed. "Extraction" refers to the process of flavor compounds from coffee beans being dissolved into your cup. Higher water temperatures accelerate the extraction of oils, acids, and caffeine from the coffee. This may lead to over-extraction, making the coffee bitter. Through FrontStreet Coffee's testing, 88°C water temperature produces the best results when brewing Golden Mandheling.

Medium-dark roasted coffee is not suitable for large water-to-coffee ratios, as it will make the overall taste thinner. FrontStreet Coffee suggests starting with a 1:15 ratio, then adjusting according to your personal taste preferences.

Brewing Parameters

Dripper: KONO Dripper
Water Temperature: 88°C
Coffee Dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: 70% pass-through rate through China standard #20 sieve

Brewing Technique

Segmented extraction: Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds. When pouring to 125g with small circular水流, perform segmentation. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop pouring. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of bloom) V60 dripper extraction time is 2'00", while Kono dripper extraction time is slightly longer at 2'10".

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473