How to Brew Indonesian Lintong Mandheling Coffee Beans - Techniques, Methods, and Parameters

There are countless varieties of coffee beans to choose from, with flavors and textures from different growing regions available for selection—the variety is simply overwhelming! Take Indonesia's Mandheling from the Asian region, for example. Many people find Mandheling coffee delicious because its unique wet-hulling process creates a low-acidity, full-bodied flavor that has captured the hearts of many, with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

Coffee Cultivation History in Indonesia

According to FrontStreet Coffee, Indonesia first cultivated coffee in 1696, when the governor of Malabar gifted Arabica coffee to the Dutch governor in Batavia (now Jakarta in Java). The first batch of seedlings was washed away by floods. In 1699, the governor of Malabar in India sent a second batch of seedlings, which yielded the first coffee harvest in 1701, ushering in a new era of Indonesian coffee.

Origin of Indonesian Mandheling Coffee Bean Name

Seasoned coffee enthusiasts know that most coffee beans are named after their growing region or estate—for example, Costa Rica's Monster Estate coffee beans, which FrontStreet Coffee recently stocked, or Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe coffee beans. However, the origin of the name Mandheling involves an interesting little story.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's research, this story began when Japanese soldiers returned to Japan after the colonial period in Indonesia, unable to forget the delicious local coffee. Through their trading connections, they asked locals to help collect high-quality coffee beans, including this particular Mandheling variety. The Japanese loved this coffee bean and asked for its name. The locals, misunderstanding that they were being asked about their ethnicity, replied "Mandailing." The Japanese misheard this as "Mandehling." Due to this double misunderstanding, Mandheling became the name of this coffee bean by chance.

Indonesian Coffee Growing Regions

Mandheling is primarily produced on Sumatra, Indonesia's largest island. Located near the equator, it has a typical tropical rainforest climate—high temperatures, humidity, and abundant rainfall—making it ideal for growing high-quality Arabica coffee beans.

However, the limited altitude in Indonesian growing regions restricts the space available for cultivating premium Arabica coffee beans. Therefore, only 25% of coffee beans produced in Indonesia belong to the Arabica species, as Arabica can only develop its best flavor when grown at high altitudes. The remaining 75% consists of Robusta coffee trees, which can be cultivated at lower elevations. Sumatra has the highest altitude in Indonesia.

Among traditional Arabica coffees produced in northern Sumatra, the finest are marketed under the name Lintong Mandheling. More specifically, Lintong Mandheling coffee beans refer to coffee grown in a small area southwest of Lake Toba in the Lintong administrative region.

Famous coffee-growing regions in Sumatra include the GAYO mountain region (also known as Aceh), Lintong, and Sidikalang.

The Lintong region is located near Lake TBA, Sumatra's famous tourist area, with elevations ranging from 1,400-1,800 meters and coffee varieties including Jember, Garundang Typica, and Ateng.

However, according to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Mandheling from the Lintong region has been further subdivided in recent years. The market has begun to see some Mandheling varieties named after specific regions (such as Sidikalang, abbreviated as SDK Mandheling). The meaning of Lintong region has gradually narrowed to become the area near Lintongnihuta.

Indonesia's Unique Processing Method: Wet-Hulling

According to FrontStreet Coffee, Indonesia uses the wet-hulling processing method because local weather is predominantly rainy with constant typhoons, making it impossible to achieve the favorable conditions required for sun-drying. Additionally, the local economy is not prosperous enough to afford the more expensive washed processing method. This led to the development of the uniquely local wet-hulling method.

Of course, Indonesian coffee development has now moved beyond its former impoverished state. Many estates and companies can now use washed processing methods, but they have not abandoned wet-hulling. FrontStreet Coffee believes that wet-hulling is a key factor that brought Mandheling coffee to global prominence. When Mandheling coffee is mentioned, wet-hulling comes to mind—clearly, they have become complementary to each other.

The specific steps of wet-hulling can be divided into the following two stages:

First stage: The outer skin and pulp are removed using a wooden peeler, followed by 3 hours of fermentation, then drying until the moisture content reaches 30-50% (semi-dry).

Second stage: The mucilage and parchment layer are removed, followed by continued drying. The drying process takes 2-4 days until the moisture content reaches 12-13%.

In addition to conventional wet-hulling, there is also aged wet-hulling. Coffee beans are first processed using ordinary 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 spoilage. During this period, the acidity of the coffee beans gradually diminishes and converts to sugars, while the color deepens to yellowish-brown or dark brown. On FrontStreet Coffee's menu, Mandheling coffee beans processed using this method are called Aged Mandheling coffee beans.

The above is the information about Indonesian Mandheling coffee compiled by FrontStreet Coffee. So how should one brew delicious Mandheling coffee? FrontStreet Coffee will now share how to hand-brew Indonesian Lintong Mandheling coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Lintong Mandheling Coffee Beans

Country: Indonesia

Region: Sumatra (Lintong)

Altitude: 1,100-1,600m

Varieties: Typica, Caturra

Processing Method: Wet-hulled

Flavor Notes: Toasted bread, nuts, caramel, pine, herbs

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling Brewing Recommendations

Dripper: KONO

Dose: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15

Water Temperature: 86-87°C

Grind Size: BG #6M

Lintong Mandheling Brewing Technique

First pour: Use 30g of water for blooming for 30 seconds. Second pour: Use small circular pouring until reaching 125g, then pause. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue with the third pour until reaching 225g, then stop pouring. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from blooming). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Flavor Description: Herbal notes on entry, black chocolate, caramel, with sweet aftertaste.

AeroPress Method

Flavor: Rich, complex, prominent spice notes, fresh forest aroma

1. Equipment choice: AeroPress

2. Water temperature: 85°C

3. Grind size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Steeping time: 2 times, first 20 seconds, second 50 seconds

Specific technique: Prepare AeroPress in normal orientation. Recommend using 20g of coffee grounds with 1:17 water ratio. First pour 100g of 83°C hot water, stir 3-5 times to fully wet the coffee grounds, let stand for 20 seconds. Add remaining hot water to reach 240g, let stand for 40 seconds, stir for 5 seconds. At 1 minute 50 seconds, insert the plunger and press down. Total time: 2 minutes 5 seconds.

Siphon Method

Flavor: Mellow, rich, prominent herbal and bitter notes with distinct caramel sweetness

1. Equipment choice: Hario siphon brewer

2. Water temperature: 90°C

3. Grind size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Steeping time: 30 seconds

Specific technique: Side-burn extraction. Recommend 20g for 2 servings, 1:12 water ratio, water scale at 2. Use post-addition method—add coffee grounds after bubbling begins, stir 4-5 times, extract for about 30 seconds then remove heat. Finally, stir twice and let the coffee liquid drain freely.

French Press Method

Flavor: Balanced, full-bodied, with good texture and oils, slightly sweet

1. Equipment choice: French press

2. Water temperature: 92°C

3. Grind size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 4.5

4. Roast level: Medium-dark roast

5. Steeping time: 2 minutes 30 seconds

Specific technique: Use 20g of coffee beans. Pour hot water (approximately 92-93°C) into the French press to the 300ml mark, start timing. Place the lid on the French press with the filter stopped at the highest position, wait for 2.5 minutes. Press the filter down completely.

FrontStreet Coffee recommends that coffee enthusiasts brewing at home use the pour-over and AeroPress methods to showcase Mandheling's rich and mellow flavors, because siphon and French press methods can easily lead to over-extraction. Once Mandheling coffee is over-extracted, you can only taste sour and bitter flavors.

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