King of Indonesia | The Flavor Profile of Fully Washed "Kebangkitan" Variety from Sulawesi Island

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The King of Indonesia | Flavor Characteristics of the Fully Washed "Rebirth Kebangkitan" Variety from Sulawesi Island

Sulawesi Island (formerly known as Celebes/ˈsɛləbiz/) is a large island in eastern Indonesia. The main producing regions include: Mamasa, Tana Toraja, Gowa and Sinjal, and Enrekang, with Toraja being the most widely known. Coffee beans from the high-altitude Toraja region of Sulawesi Island, due to lower production than Sumatra and Java, and long-term acquisition by the Japanese, are less famous than other Indonesian beans. However, they possess a noble quality not found in other Indonesian producing regions, earning them the reputation as the aristocrat of Indonesian coffee. Coffee beans from the Toraja region have rich body, unique fruit aroma, and deep aftertaste, with more stability than typical Indonesian beans, even competing with the best Golden Mandheling from Sumatra.

Due to the fertile volcanic weakly acidic soil with high iron content, a unique "Toraja" coffee flavor is created. "Toraja" generally refers to high-quality Arabica coffee beans produced in central Sulawesi. "Toraja" is not a place name, city name, or variety name, but rather the tribal name of the people living in the central mountainous region of Sulawesi who are skilled in coffee cultivation. It is also synonymous with specialty coffee from the island. "Kalossi" is the small town of Kalossi in the central part of the island, serving as the centralized trading place for Toraja coffee beans. Due to limited quantity and excellent quality, with stable characteristics, it has been regarded as a specific region for producing high-quality coffee since the Dutch colonial era.

Sulawesi Island is the eleventh largest island in the world by area, with a total area of 174,600 square kilometers. Located in eastern Indonesia, south of the Philippines, it has a very distinctive shape, similar to a large letter K, with four peninsulas. The central part of the island is rugged mountainous terrain, so there is little communication between the four peninsulas, making sea routes more convenient than land routes. The administrative region of Sulawesi Island is divided into 6 provinces: West Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and Gorontalo. The largest city is Makassar in the southwest, and Manado in the north is also a relatively large city.

Compared to other Indonesian islands, 95% of coffee trees on Sulawesi Island are Arabica. Well-processed coffee presents grapefruit, berry, nut, and spice aromas. When tasted, it offers a fragrant and delicious flavor with low acidity and full body. Sulawesi coffee production accounts for about 2% of all Indonesian coffee, with varieties being old Typica, S795, and Jember related variants.

Wet-hulling is the traditional processing method, which causes the raw coffee beans to show the characteristic dark green color of traditional Indonesian beans. However, many producers have switched to the Central American washed method, which helps increase both yield and quality.

Coffee Details

Region: Toraja, Sulawesi Island

Altitude: 1500-1600M

Variety: Sumatra-Typica

Processing: Fully Washed

Flavor: Features bright black berries, ripe fruit, and palm sugar sweetness. With blackberry and raspberry-like acidity, the body is thick and full. The constantly changing mid-to-late flavor profile is truly delightful! The large bean size, with each full bean exceeding 19 mesh, is precious. Most importantly, it completely lacks the traditional Indonesian bean's earthy and mushroom-like aromas. The robust and calm mouthfeel, with blackberry and raspberry-like acidity, pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of traditionally handmade palm sugar.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour to 120g, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Total extraction time around 2:00 minutes.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back flavor profiles of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and faster drainage, stopping the pour during the process can extend the extraction time

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