Indonesian Mandheling Coffee Bean Flavor Profile Characteristics and Taste Introduction: Is Hand-drafted Premium Golden Mandheling Coffee Delicious?

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The Story of Mandheling Coffee

Under the popular acclaim, Mandheling coffee has seemingly become synonymous with Indonesian premium coffee. Unlike other coffee beans we're familiar with, Mandheling is not the name of an Indonesian coffee-producing region, nor is it the name of an ethnic group, but rather the name of an indigenous ethnic group on the island of Sumatra - Mandheling.

The reason for "unconventionally" using an ethnic group's name to name regional coffee beans is that the unique mellow tone of Indonesian Mandheling coffee was first appreciated by the Japanese, who then introduced it to their country. If directly using Indonesian Sumatra coffee, the translation into Japanese would be very long and awkward.

To help Japanese consumers better remember the name of this coffee bean and to ensure that people think of Indonesia's Sumatra Island when they see the coffee beans, the pronunciation of the local indigenous ethnic group's name was used. As a result, Mandheling coffee beans became the preferred coffee flavor among Japanese consumers. With growing fame, Mandheling coffee beans also became one of the well-known coffee beans in the Asian region.

What Exactly is Mandheling Coffee?

So, if Mandheling is not the name of a coffee bean variety, what kind of bean is Mandheling? According to officially recognized statements, Mandheling coffee specifically refers to Arabica coffee beans grown on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Currently, the Arabica varieties grown on Sumatra Island include Ateng and Timtim.

The distinctive woody, spicy, herbal, and deep mellow aromas of FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling coffee beans are inseparable from Indonesia's terroir, climate, and altitude, as well as from the Robusta genes inherent in the varieties themselves, which create a richer and fuller flavor profile.

Tim Tim variety coffee beans, also known as Timor. Timor is a natural hybrid of Arabica Typica and Robusta from Timor Island, actually Timor. It inherits Robusta's high yield and disease resistance, and began to be widely cultivated in the 1950s. After being introduced to Indonesia, it was called Timor Timur, also known as Tim Tim.

The Ateng variety, also known as Catimor. Ateng is a hybrid descendant of Catukai (a Bourbon variety) and Timor, with several sub-types, carrying 1/4 Robusta bloodline. It possesses extremely high disease resistance and is widely cultivated in Sumatra and other Indonesian islands.

Premium Mandheling Growing Regions

Currently, premium Mandheling coffee beans are grown in the Lindong growing region of Sumatra Island and the Gayo Mountain region of Aceh. Among these, the best premium Mandheling coffee beans recognized by the industry come from PWN Pwani Coffee Company's Frontsteet Gold Mandheling Coffee Beans, which is also the holder of the "Gold Mandheling" trademark.

FrontStreet Coffee's currently sold Frontsteet Gold Mandheling coffee beans all come from PWN Company. At physical stores, you can see certification certificates issued by PWN and raw bean sacks printed with the company's name.

Quality Control of Frontsteet PWN Gold Mandheling

The reason why Frontsteet PWN Gold Mandheling coffee stands out among Mandheling coffees is that PWN Company selects Mandheling coffee beans acquired from the Gayo Mountain region of Sumatra Aceh, using 1 machine selection + 3 manual hand selections to ensure that each batch reaches Indonesia's highest G1 grade.

The purpose of machine selection is to first screen out beans with specifications above 18 mesh. The subsequent multiple manual selections are to remove uneven defective beans. The reduction in defect rate greatly improves Mandheling coffee quality. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee noticed during the roasting process that Frontsteet Gold Mandheling coffee raw beans heat more evenly than ordinary Mandheling coffee beans during roasting, and the final coffee flavor will be cleaner, with more obvious aftertaste.

Brewing Recommendations

To highlight Mandheling coffee's deep mellow aroma and solid full-bodied feeling, FrontStreet Coffee roasts Frontsteet Gold Mandheling coffee beans to a medium-dark roast level. The coffee beans' texture will be relatively loose, and the dissolution rate of substances will also be higher. Therefore, Frontsteet recommends everyone to use medium-coarse grind and slightly lower temperature hot water when brewing Frontsteet Gold Mandheling coffee.

Frontsteet Gold Mandheling Brewing Parameters:

• Freshly roasted coffee beans
• Water temperature: 88°C
• Dose: 15 grams
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
• Grind size: Medium-coarse (70% pass-through rate on #20 sieve)

Use segmented extraction, blooming with 2 times the coffee powder amount of water, that is, bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds. The reason for needing the blooming process is to allow the coffee powder to release internal carbon dioxide gas, thereby making the subsequent extraction more stable. Use small water stream in circular motion to inject water to 125 grams, then continue pouring water to 225 grams and stop. After the water in the filter cup drips completely, remove the filter cup. Start timing from the beginning of pouring water, extraction time is 2'10". Next, take the entire cup of coffee and shake it evenly, then pour it into cups for tasting.

Frontsteet PWN Gold Mandheling Coffee Bean Flavor Profile:

The coffee has an overall multi-layered complexity, full-bodied and clean, with rich nut and caramel aromas, chocolate notes, a persistent finish, and high balance.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473