Indonesian Coffee Mandheling Classification_Which Brand of Indonesian Mandheling Coffee is Best_Indonesian Coffee Bean Prices

Introduction to Indonesian Coffee

When discussing Indonesian coffee, we must begin with Mandheling from Sumatra Island.

The Origin of Mandheling Coffee

Mandheling coffee is the most representative coffee bean variety from Indonesia. Anyone who enjoys coffee knows about Mandheling. In fact, Mandheling is an ethnic group living in the highlands of northern Sumatra Island. The origin of the Mandheling coffee name is related to Japan's invasion history. During Japan's occupation of Indonesia in World War II, a Japanese soldier drank exceptionally fragrant coffee at a café and asked the owner for the coffee's name. The owner misunderstood and thought he was being asked about his ethnicity, so he replied: "Mandheling." After the war, the soldier returned to Japan and recalled the "Mandheling" he drank in Indonesia. He then arranged to import 15 tons from Indonesia, which proved extremely popular. The name Mandheling has been passed down ever since.

Mandheling Growing Regions

The main producing areas of Mandheling are located on Sumatra Island.

High-quality Mandheling is concentrated in the highland areas around Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province, as well as in the Gayo Highlands near Lake Tawar in Aceh Province.

Frequently mentioned coffee producing region names include Lintongnihuta and Sidikalang in the Lake Toba area, Doloksanggul, and Takengon in the Gayo region.

Medan, the capital of North Sumatra Province, is the main distribution center for coffee on Sumatra Island. Another distribution center is the southeastern port city of Bandar Lampung on Sumatra Island.

Traveling to the Lake Toba producing region, although the distance is only about 200 kilometers, the journey takes 5-6 hours by car from Medan due to the lack of highways. Sidikalang, Doloksanggul, and Lintong are all in nearby areas. To reach the Gayo producing region in Aceh Province, it's over 300 kilometers from the provincial capital Banda Aceh, requiring 6-7 hours by car; from Medan, it's over 400 kilometers, requiring more than 10 hours by car.

Mandheling Classification

Mandheling coffee is considered one of the richest and most aromatic coffees in the world.

When tasting Mandheling, you can feel a distinct smoothness on your tongue. It also has lower acidity, but this acidity is still clearly perceptible. The bright micro-acidity blends with the most intense aromas, creating a long-lasting sweet aftertaste that allows you to easily experience the lively factors within the gentle richness. Additionally, Mandheling coffee has a subtle earthy aroma that some describe as herbal plant fragrance.

Sumatra is the main producing region for Indonesian specialty coffee, with a complex coffee system that can be briefly summarized into four types:

Mandheling

Refers to semi-dry or natural processed beans from the Lintong mountain area at 900-1200 meters altitude around Lake Toba in central-northern Sumatra.

Golden Mandheling

Undergoes four rounds of manual screening, making it superior to regular Mandheling with larger bean size.

Tawar Lake Coffee

Refers to washed, semi-washed,or natural processed beans (less common) from the Gayo mountain area at 800-1600 meters altitude near Tawar Lake in the Aceh region at the northern tip of Sumatra. This area benefits from semi-washed processing techniques taught by the famous Costa Rican La Minita estate, and well-known Dutch coffee groups mainly produce Gayo mountain washed beans here.

Aged Mandheling

Aged beans are generally stored under excellent conditions in their origin countries, placed in temperature-controlled warehouses to preserve the best qualities of coffee after harvesting. To ensure quality, farm owners must regularly turn the burlap sacks to allow each green bean to have uniform contact with air and moisture. Additionally, regardless of storage conditions, true aged beans must remain covered by parchment. If the parchment is removed at this stage, the green beans would be prone to deterioration due to lack of protection, especially in the Sumatra region where humid air and abundant sunlight can easily cause bean spoilage. Generally, aged Mandheling processing time varies from 3-5 years. After aging treatment, the coffee beans have reduced acidity, increased body, and a fuller overall texture, completely different from the fresh, lively, and bright taste of new-season green beans.

Summary

Mandheling coffee has a rich and solid flavor with pleasant acidity.

The aroma is fragrant, with moderate acidity and rich sweetness that is intriguing.

Suitable for dark roasting, emitting a rich fragrance.

Indonesian Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Indonesian coffee beans - [West Java Honey Process Coffee] offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227g) bag costs only about 118 yuan. Calculated at 15 grams per cup, one bag can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 7 yuan. This is a conscientious recommendation compared to café prices that often run dozens of yuan per cup.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, offering both famous and lesser-known beans, as well as online store services. 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