Cultivation History of Java Coffee Beans? What Coffee Stories? How to Brew Java Coffee Beans

Java Coffee: A Journey Through History and Flavor

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What is the cultivation history of Java variety coffee beans? What coffee stories exist? How should one brew Java coffee beans?

Java coffee was brought to Indonesia by the Dutch around 1696, and it has a cultivation history of over 300 years to this day. West Java Province is a first-level administrative region in Indonesia, located in the western part of Java Island, bordering the Java Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, including nearby islands, covering an area of 46,300 square kilometers. Java's climate type is tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid throughout the year. The plain areas along the northern coast have the highest temperatures, while the mountainous areas are much cooler. High humidity often creates debilitating climate conditions.

From November to March of the following year is the northwest monsoon period, with more rain and clouds; from April to October is the southeast monsoon period, with more sunny days and less rainfall. Jakarta's average annual rainfall is about 1,760 millimeters (69 inches). Jakarta's average daily maximum temperature is 30°C (86°F), and the minimum is 23°C (74°F). In the inland highlands of Tosari (elevation 1,735 meters [5,692 feet]), the average temperature ranges from 22-8°C (72-47°F). Because volcanic ash periodically fertilizes the land,

85% of Java coffee is produced near the complex volcanic terrain around Ijen in eastern Java. The altitude range suitable for coffee production is 3,000 to 6,000 feet, while Java Arabica coffee is concentrated on the Ijen Plateau, cultivated at altitudes exceeding 1,400 meters at the eastern end of Java.

A rust disease epidemic in the late 1880s spread like plague through the Sukabumi region, destroying most of the coffee plantations. At that time, the Dutch replaced Arabica with Liberica (a tough but not very tasty coffee), then switched to Robusta, which has high yield, can be cultivated at medium to low altitudes, and has strong disease resistance. It wasn't until Java authorities successfully reintroduced Arabica tree varieties that the focus of Java coffee gradually shifted from eastern Java to the current central region. Compared to the total quantity of Robusta, Java's Arabica is only a small amount. The five major producing areas are Blawan (also spelled Belawan or Blauan), Jampit (or Djampit), Pancoer (or Pancur), Kayumas, and Tugosari, covering a cultivation area of over 4,000 square kilometers.

Java coffee enjoyed widespread renown in its early years - this refers to the Arabica coffee produced on Java Island in the past. It had a rich aroma, low acidity, and smooth mouthfeel. When blended with Mocha coffee, the resulting "Java Mocha Blend" once became immensely popular, becoming synonymous with premium coffee and gaining widespread fame.

At that time, Java coffee sold to Europe was a very special type of coffee. Because it was transported to European and American countries via sailing ships, the long journey combined with slow sailing speeds meant that significant time was spent in transit. Under these conditions, the coffee seemed to undergo a special fermentation process, resulting in a very unique flavor.

Later, when steamships replaced sailing ships, due to shortened transport times, people were able to drink fresher coffee beans. However, those accustomed to aged beans were not used to this fresh taste, so they desperately pursued aged Java coffee, to the extent that the Indonesian government and some merchants deliberately stored fresh beans in warehouses for one to two years before selling them to consumers. In fact, compared to fresh beans, aged Java beans have reduced acidity to near zero, while their aroma becomes more intense. Due to longer storage times, costs increase considerably and quantities are limited, so aged Java has always been a sought-after commodity in the coffee market. In the 1880s, unscrupulous merchants deliberately tampered with some fresh Guatemala or Venezuela beans to imitate aged Java and sell them at high prices. Intolerably, these merchants used dyeing methods to make coffee beans look more like aged Java, but undoubtedly, the dyeing chemicals were toxic.

Java only produces small amounts of Arabica beans, while most are Robusta beans introduced from Africa after the rust disease disaster. This coffee has strong bitterness after roasting but extremely light aroma. Although it has lower acidity and relatively delicate texture, it is rarely used for direct consumption and is often used for blending comprehensive coffee or for making instant coffee.

Pests and diseases are truly formidable - they caused massive reductions in Brazil's coffee production, repeatedly influencing the international coffee market; they caused Sri Lanka, once covered in coffee trees, to cut down coffee trees and switch entirely to tea cultivation; they caused Java, once famous for high-quality Arabica coffee, to switch to Robusta coffee due to fear of pest and disease infestations. The precious Arabica Java coffee thus disappeared from people's view, and people's once boundless favor and pursuit of Java coffee was completely lost.

All Java coffee is processed using the wet method. Java coffee is a special coffee that possesses the full-bodied and concentrated characteristics of Asian coffees, without the common earthy smell and musty dampness found in Sumatran, Sulawesi, or Bali coffees. Its acidity is delicate, accompanied by natural herbal and spice aromas, with a hint of sorghum fragrance, grain-like and syrupy sweetness, and a faint tobacco aroma. Sometimes, subtle herbal notes emerge in the aftertaste.

Drinking Java coffee best captures the artistic conception of "sweetness after bitterness." All coffee only tastes bitter in the first few sips; once the mouth adapts to that slight bitterness, it no longer feels bitter. Java coffee, however, uses bitterness to enhance sweetness - each sip's bitterness is distinct, and the resulting sweet aftertaste is deeper and more powerful than any other coffee. However, Java coffee's flavor instability is also caused by issues during the drying process in green bean handling and storage conditions, so not all Java coffee beans can exhibit the flavor characteristics described above.

The world's only universally recognized perfect blending component consists of Java coffee blended with the finest Yemen Mocha coffee. Early Java beans, before being infected by that rust disease, were praised as the most complete and best-matched perfect combination when blended with Yemen Mocha coffee due to their unique flavor. With red wine-like aroma, brew-like richness, delicate fruit acidity, fructose-like fruit fragrance, and pure thick throat-coating sensation, it created an unforgettable memory for all who drank it. Although experiencing a devastating disaster, the taste of Mocha Java is no longer as unforgettable as before, but whenever blending coffee is mentioned, people worldwide still recommend the Mocha Java combination, sufficient proof of how cherished they are!

Java also produces small amounts of aged coffee beans. First, the green beans are exposed to warm, humid air during the rainy season, then the green beans are stored for 2-3 years to age them. The color of the green beans changes from green to light brown, and their flavor gains intensity and viscosity while losing acidity. These aged coffees are called Old Government, Old Brown, or Old Java.

Flavor Profile

Java coffee's aroma is rich and full-bodied, with bright quality acidity, high balance, and sometimes nutty flavors, leaving an endless aftertaste. Whether in appearance or quality, Java Special Grade coffee is quite excellent, like a woman's subtle charm - captivating and perfectly appropriate, leaving one nostalgic.

Character and Personality

Each coffee variety has its own strong personality due to different origins and varieties. For example, the masculine and intense Mandheling has a personality similar to that of a man of steel; the mellow and fragrant Blue Mountain coffee is like a gentle woman whose thoughts are addictive. Meanwhile, Java Special Grade coffee, with its consistently light and fragrant character, is suitable for those who prefer light flavors. Such people don't want to treat drinking coffee as a formal occasion to ponder profound life philosophies from acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and astringency; they simply want to drink a delicious cup of coffee simply. A cup of steaming hot Java coffee allows them to experience that "the realm of life is rich in tranquility. Tranquility comes from being free from the temptations of external fame and fortune; richness comes from possessing the treasures of the inner spiritual world." Life's happiness lies in harvesting such an insightful interpretation of realms.

Brewing Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 88°C

Grind Size: Fuji grind setting 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water, bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g water, then stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g water total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the water flow can extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

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