Lintong Mandheling, Gold Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, and Aged Mandheling Coffee Beans: Characteristics and Stories

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Mandheling coffee beans are one of Indonesia's most representative coffee varieties. FrontStreet Coffee's staple bean series includes a Lintong Mandheling coffee bean, loved by many coffee enthusiasts who enjoy rich flavors for its mellow body and herbal aroma. Many friends unfamiliar with FrontStreet Coffee might have some misunderstandings about our staple bean series, wondering if they're called "staple beans" or sometimes priced as low as 9.9 during promotions because of poor quality? FrontStreet Coffee's staple beans are the "showcase representatives" of regional coffee beans, offering higher recognition of basic regional flavors while also being high-quality, cost-effective coffee beans.

When FrontStreet Coffee selects a "staple bean" for our collection, we carefully choose beans that best represent the local original flavors from major producing regions. We package them in 100g tasting sizes to introduce them to everyone. The significance of FrontStreet Coffee's staple beans lies in allowing people to recognize the basic flavors of major producing regions at low prices, such as the lemon acidity of Yirgacheffe, the herbal notes of Mandheling, the nutty chocolate flavors of Brazil and Colombia, and so on.

Many beginners in coffee feel lost when choosing coffee beans, unsure what flavors suit them, and worried about making bad purchases. FrontStreet Coffee believes this is when choosing "staple beans" is most appropriate. Starting with the most classic flavors from major producing regions allows you to explore without spending too much money on experimentation - achieving two goals at once.

Sumatran Coffee Beans

Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia, has a coffee history dating back to 1696 when Dutch coffee plantation owners sought to find broader coffee cultivation areas. After extensive exploration, they finally settled on Java Island in Indonesia. Within 30 years, Indonesia had established a sufficient foundation in the coffee market.

However, today's representative of Indonesian coffee is Mandheling from Sumatra, which is actually not surprising. Most of the Java coffee originally exported to Europe came from the Sumatra region, and Mandheling originates from Sumatra. Therefore, Sumatra can be considered an important coffee production area in Indonesia.

Mandheling Coffee Story

Mandheling originally referred to an Indonesian tribal name. Its accidental transformation into a coffee bean name has quite a story behind it. When Japanese soldiers returned to Japan after colonizing Indonesia, they couldn't forget the delicious local coffee. Through trade connections, they asked locals to help collect high-quality coffee beans, including this Mandheling variety. The Japanese loved this coffee bean so much that they asked for its name. Since the commercial source couldn't be disclosed, the locals casually said "Mandheling," and thus Mandheling accidentally became the name of this coffee bean.

The locals mentioned earlier are actually the owner of the Indonesian PWN company (Pwani Coffee Company) that will be discussed below.

Sumatran Coffee Bean's Unique Processing Method - Wet Hulling

Most Mandheling coffee beans use Sumatra's unique coffee bean processing method - wet hulling. Due to the local weather being predominantly rainy with constant typhoons, it's impossible to achieve the good weather required for sun-drying. Additionally, the local economy isn't strong enough to support the more expensive washed processing method. This led to the development of the highly localized wet hulling method.

In the first stage, wooden hulling machines remove the fruit skin and pulp. After 3 hours of fermentation, the beans are dried to a semi-dry, semi-wet state with a moisture content of 30-50%.

In the second stage, the pectin and parchment layer are removed, and drying continues for the final stage. The drying process takes 2-4 days, reducing the moisture content to 12-13%.

In addition to regular wet hulling, there's also aged wet hulling. Coffee beans are first processed using regular wet hulling, then sealed in warehouses for 2-3 years. The warehouse environment must be cool and well-ventilated, with regular turning of the beans to prevent mold and decay. During this period, the coffee beans' acidity gradually diminishes and converts to sugars, and the color becomes deeper, mostly yellowish-brown or dark brown. Mandheling coffee beans processed this way are also called aged Mandheling coffee beans.

Wet hulling creates Mandheling's special flavor. It can be said that Mandheling and wet hulling have a bonded relationship. However, today's coffee market is no longer satisfied with the status quo. Even though wet hulling is Mandheling's characteristic, other processing methods are being attempted, such as natural processed Mandheling from Wahana Estate. Changes in processing methods have requirements - they must preserve the original coffee bean flavor while adding other flavor notes.

Lintong Mandheling

Region: Lintong region, Sumatra
Altitude: 1100-1600 meters
Variety: Typica, Caturra
Processing: Wet hulling
Flavor: Toasted bread, nuts, caramel, pine, herbs

Lintong Mandheling comes from the Lintong mountainous area in north-central Sumatra, near Lake Toba. In FrontStreet Coffee's view, Lintong Mandheling represents the standard version of Mandheling. Lintong Mandheling uses the locally common wet hulling method, which creates its characteristic low acidity and high body. A consequence of wet hulling is that the semi-hard, semi-soft moist green beans are easily damaged when the pectin and parchment layer is removed, causing the beans to crack open like goat hooves - commonly known as "goat hoof beans." These are not defective beans but can be considered a significant characteristic of Mandheling.

Lintong Mandheling doesn't focus heavily on screening, and the less refined processing can lead to inconsistent coffee quality, but this doesn't diminish people's love for Lintong Mandheling's mellow flavor.

Typica has bronze-colored young leaves and oval or slender-pointed beans, with elegant flavors but weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low yield. Besides Mandheling coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee's other coffee beans, such as Jamaica Blue Mountain and Hawaii Kona, also belong to the Typica variety.

Caturra is a natural mutation of the Arabica Bourbon variety, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Its plant is not as tall as Bourbon but more compact. Due to inheriting Bourbon's bloodline, it has relatively weak disease resistance but higher yields than Bourbon.

FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling Coffee Beans

Region: Aceh Gayo Mountains, Sumatra
Altitude: 1100-1600 meters
Variety: Ateng
Grade: G1, 3 rounds of hand sorting
Processing: Wet hulling
Flavor: Spices, herbal, caramel, pine, nuts, chocolate

Since discovering Mandheling, the Japanese have been very attentive to this coffee bean. During cooperation with local green bean suppliers, they established strict screening standards. After processing, the green beans undergo density and color sorting, followed by multiple rounds of manual bean picking, finally presenting Mandheling with uniform color and consistent bean shape. It's said that during green bean processing, Mandheling beans emit a golden luster under sunlight, hence the name Golden Mandheling.

Golden Mandheling specifications are above 18 screen size, with fewer than 3 defective beans (in a 300g green bean sample), belonging to the highest G1 grade. The color tends toward dark green, and the shape is uniform flat beans. After strict screening, Golden Mandheling not only eliminates the typical earthy impurity flavors of regular Mandheling but also tastes cleaner and brighter, with more intense sweetness.

However, it wasn't a Japanese company that registered Golden Mandheling as a trademark, but the local Indonesian company PWN (Pwani Coffee Company) that cooperated with Japanese companies to export Mandheling coffee beans. The Japanese company registered "Gold Top Mandheling." In terms of flavor performance, there's actually little difference between the two, but due to different brands and marketing strategies, it's possible that public opinion has shifted. As for which of the two Golden Mandhelings is superior, it's a matter of personal preference.

Ateng is a hybrid variety between Arabica and Robusta, with several subtypes widely grown in Sumatra and other Indonesian islands. Simply put, it's a branch of Catimor, with Ateng being the local name.

FrontStreet Coffee's Tiger Mandheling Coffee Beans

Region: Sumatra
Altitude: 1500 meters
Variety: Caturra, Typica, Sidikalong
Processing: Wet hulling
Flavor: Nuts, cream, dark chocolate, caramel, pine

FrontStreet Coffee's Aged Mandheling Coffee Beans

Region: Sumatra
Altitude: 1500 meters
Variety: Caturra, Typica
Processing: Wet hulling
Flavor: Ripe Pu-erh tea, caramel, herbs, chocolate, lower acidity

With wine, everyone believes the older it gets, the better, hence the term aged wine. The same applies to aged coffee. Aged Mandheling is considered the most outstanding among aged coffees. In fact, this unique flavor wasn't intentionally created. Indonesia was once a Dutch colony, and during the colonial period, Indonesia continuously supplied coffee beans to Europe. To ensure uninterrupted supply, coffee beans were appropriately stored. However, due to external factors such as long transportation distances and exposure to sea winds, the coffee beans had developed another flavor by the time they reached Europe - this was the origin of aged flavors. Fortunately, European colonists were amazed by this flavor and quickly accepted and promoted this processing method.

Today's aging process for Aged Mandheling is quite mature. Coffee beans are first processed using wet hulling (wet hulling involves sun-drying with parchment for 2-3 days to 20-24% moisture content during regular washed processing, then hulling the parchment to dry the green beans to 12-13% moisture content), then sealed in warehouses. The warehouse environment must be cool and well-ventilated, with regular turning of the beans to prevent mold and decay. They are stored for 2-3 years, during which the coffee beans' acidity gradually diminishes and converts to sugars, and the color becomes deeper, mostly yellowish-brown or dark brown, making them highly recognizable.

The special processing of Aged Mandheling gives it a more mellow and deep flavor, intoxicating like Pu-erh tea.

FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Process Mandheling Coffee Beans

Region: Lake Toba, Sumatra
Estate: Wahana Estate
Altitude: 1000-1700 meters
Variety: Bourbon, Typica
Processing: Natural process
Flavor: Melon, fermentation notes, mango, tropical fruits, peach

Wahana Estate was established in 2005, located near LeaMungkur village in the Sidikalang region of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Sidikalang has been one of Indonesia's famous coffee producing regions since ancient times. The area where Wahana Estate is situated has an altitude between 1200-1500 meters, annual rainfall of 2000-3000 millimeters, and additionally enjoys a relatively cool climate with day-night temperature differences exceeding 10°C. Based on these conditions, Wahana's red cherries all have sugar content above 13%.

Wahana Estate is still relatively young and continues to develop year by year. The estate covers approximately 500 hectares. The estate owner plans to expand the coffee cultivation area as much as possible in the coming years. Wahana Estate isolates different coffee varieties by plot and harvests them separately to unlock the potential of each variety. Additionally, only red cherries can be harvested and then processed separately.

Roasting Comparison

FrontStreet Coffee Golden Mandheling Roasting Record

FrontStreet Coffee Lintong Mandheling Roasting Record

FrontStreet Coffee Tiger Mandheling Roasting Record

FrontStreet Coffee Aged Mandheling Roasting Record

FrontStreet Coffee Natural Process Mandheling Roasting Record

Pour-Over Flavor Comparison

FrontStreet Coffee tries to standardize brewing parameters when brewing Mandheling coffee beans. Since the natural process Mandheling uses medium-light roasting while the other four Mandhelings use medium-dark roasting, different brewing parameters are used for coffees with different roast levels.

Light-Medium Roast Coffee Brewing Parameters: V60 dripper, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee dose, 90°C water temperature, grind size (80% pass-through rate on 20-standard sieve)

Medium-Dark Roast Coffee Brewing Parameters: Kono dripper, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee dose, 88°C water temperature, grind size (70-75% pass-through rate on 20-standard sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction. We use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour with a small stream in circles to 125g for segmentation. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the bloom) V60 dripper extraction time is 2'00", while Kono dripper extraction time is slightly longer at 2'10".

Flavor Descriptions

Golden Mandheling: Multi-layered, mellow and clean, high balance, rich nutty and caramel aroma with chocolate notes, persistent aftertaste.

Lintong Mandheling: Herbal and medicinal notes on entry, dark chocolate, caramel, sweet aftertaste.

Tiger Mandheling: Pine and spice aromas, relatively balanced mouthfeel with distinct cream, dark chocolate, and nut flavors.

Aged Mandheling: Woody, malt, and caramel aromas greet the nose. The mouthfeel is less wild than traditional Mandheling, with more mellowness and delicacy, giving a mature and steady feeling. Lower acidity with flavors of ripe Pu-erh tea, caramel, herbs, and chocolate on entry, with ample sweetness.

Natural Process Mandheling: Tropical fruits, fermentation notes, moderate acidity, smooth mouthfeel, noticeable sweetness.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473