An Introduction to Indonesian Arabica Coffee Varieties: The Untold Secrets Between Arabica and Mandheling

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange | For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Mandheling Coffee Varieties

Mandheling is produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, also known as "Sumatra Coffee". The main coffee-producing regions in Indonesia include Java Island, Sulawesi Island, and Sumatra Island. In 1877, a massive disaster struck the Indonesian islands when coffee rust disease devastated nearly all coffee trees. People had to abandon the Arabica varieties they had cultivated for years and introduced Robusta coffee trees from Africa, which have stronger disease resistance. Today, Robusta varieties account for 90% of Indonesia's total coffee bean production. Meanwhile, Sumatra Mandheling represents the rare Arabica variety. These trees are grown on mountain slopes at elevations between 750 and 1,500 meters.

Indonesia's coffee history can be traced back to 1699 when the Dutch first planted Arabica seedlings on Java Island. In 1908, a rust outbreak caused devastating damage to the coffee trees on Java Island, forcing a switch to the more disease-resistant Robusta coffee trees. Today, Indonesia is a major coffee-producing country where Robusta accounts for 90% of total coffee production. However, some regions cultivate exceptional Arabica varieties, with Mandheling from Sumatra Island being a prime example.

The finest traditional Arabica coffees produced in northern Sumatra are marketed under the names Lintong and Mandheling. Specifically, Lintong refers to coffee grown in a small area located southwest of Lake Toba in the Lintong administrative region. The coffee smallholder plots are scattered across a high, undulating clay plateau covered with ferns. Lintong coffee is grown without shade, without chemical products, and is almost entirely owned by small private growers. Mandheling is a broader designation that includes Lintong coffee and growing areas under similar conditions such as Diari [capital Sidikalang] and the northern part of Lake Toba.

Imported Mandheling coffee beans offer a rich, solid flavor with pleasant acidity. They have a mellow aroma, moderate acidity, and rich sweetness that is intriguing and memorable. Suitable for dark roasting, they emit a strong, rich fragrance.

Mandheling has always expressed its unique sweetness through its most distinctive bitterness, much like the bittersweet nature of life. No amount of sugar can mask its bitterness, which may astonish you at first taste. However, the captivating aroma it releases makes us unable to resist our fascination with it. Its bitterness is like the thorns beside a flower - making us more aware - while its fragrance refreshes us. The bitterness of Mandheling won't make you frustrated; instead, it will make you feel more clear-headed.

Knowledge Point: Sumatra coffee is famously known as the "Two Lakes, Double Mandheling."

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research center dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share everything without reservation simply to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three coffee promotion events with significant discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to enable more friends to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices. This has been our mission for the past six years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473