The Enigma of Java Coffee Varieties_How Good is Indonesian Java Coffee_Brand Recommendations for Java Coffee Beans

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Style (WeChat public account cafe_style)

Introduction to Java Coffee

Java coffee is sometimes called Old Java. After the Old Government era, Java coffee has been aged for at least ten years in tropical regions, becoming a household name. Old Java coffee had a good reputation before 1915, as the coffee beans naturally released moisture during the long journey to New York, resulting in better evaluation upon arrival. Java coffee beans have a special musty smell and rare light brown color.

Currently, the best Java coffee is produced in the Preanger, Cheribon, Buitenzorg, and Batava regions. Java coffee has a mature, delicate, and gentle taste, with an almost imperceptible spicy aroma, both rich and mellow. After aging, it becomes even more aromatic, though aged Java is rare.

Java is the region outside the native habitat of coffee trees that has cultivated coffee for the longest time. Coffee trees were introduced to Java in 1699 under the encouragement of the mayor of Amsterdam, imported from Malabar.

Coffee produced in the Indonesian archipelago regions of Celebes, Lombok, Flores, and Timor is also sold as Java coffee. These coffee beans are as good as Java beans, but fresh beans are small in size and not easily available.

In areas below 3,500 feet in altitude, Arabica coffee has actually disappeared due to leaf diseases. Currently, the robust Robusta, Liberica, and hybrid varieties of these two coffee trees are planted instead, with very good results.

Characteristics of Java Coffee

Java coffee once had an excellent tradition, but today's Java mostly grows Robusta varieties to combat pests and diseases. Only a few state-owned estates still maintain excellent Arabica—Java coffee beans. The aroma of Java coffee has the consistent rich thickness of Indonesian beans, with bright acidity and less impurity and earthy flavors. You can also taste the unique fruit fragrance of Asian beans, with a rich and perfect taste.

The aroma of Java coffee is rich and thick. With medium-dark roasting, the bitterness is obvious with less acidity, making it a favorite among many coffee connoisseurs. Many people equate Java volcanic coffee with high quality and good taste. The aroma that lingers in the mouth is endless, making it a fine coffee. It has bright, high-quality chocolate flavors and nutty tastes.

Asia's most famous coffee beans come from Indonesia, mainly from the three small islands of Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. Java Island mainly produces Arabica original coffee. After roasting, it has extremely strong bitterness and very light fragrance, with no acidity.

The bitterness and mellowness of Java coffee, combined with the sweet richness of chocolate syrup, make Java coffee more mellow and smooth, very popular among women.

Regional Coffee Varieties

Sumatra Island has very few Arabica coffee beans, which are quite large in size and rich and mellow. Mandheling is a major coffee-producing region in Indonesia. The coffee beans are relatively large, very hard in texture, with a mellow taste that is neither astringent nor acidic. The richness and bitterness can be fully expressed; medium roasting will retain a moderate acidity, creating a unique flavor; if roasted too lightly, there will be powdery and astringent tastes.

Besides Indonesia, Yemen Mocha coffee is also one of the world's oldest coffees. The beans are small, with high acidity, rich fruit fragrance, and obvious wine, spicy, and nutty flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Indonesian West Java Coffee Brewing Method

Pour-over Reference

Use a cake-cup filter, 15 grams of coffee powder with 32 grams of water for a 30-second bloom. Extract with water temperature of 89-90°C at a 1:14 ratio, using Fuji 4 medium-fine grind. For the second pour, add water to 140ml and stop, wait for the water level to drop before slowly adding more water. Keep the speed even and water level not too high. Add water again to 220ml and stop. Extraction time: 2 minutes 15 seconds.

During brewing, it quickly brings out the attractive aroma of preserved fruits. After tasting, you'll experience complex floral notes with a quick and strong aftertaste. The flavor profile leans toward mango and jackfruit, with obvious fructose sweetness. This is probably why this bean is named Aromanis.

Java Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Indonesian honey-processed West Java coffee beans have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high. One package is 100 grams, priced at around 250. Calculating at 15 grams per cup of single-origin coffee, one package can make 6 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 40-50 yuan. Compared to coffee shops that often charge over 100 yuan per cup, this offers excellent value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. Online shop services are also available. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473