What's the Genetic Relationship Between Arabica and Mandheling? Exploring Mandheling Coffee and Arabica

FrontStreet Coffee's Mandheling Coffee Introduction

Mandheling coffee, originating from Sumatra Island in Indonesia, is also known as "Sumatran coffee." It features a very rich flavor with distinctive aroma, bitterness, and body, accompanied by subtle acidity. It stands as one of the most sought-after coffee varieties worldwide.

The name "Mandheling" is not actually a region, place, port, or coffee variety name, but rather a phonetic translation of the Mandheling ethnic group in Indonesia. During World War II when Japan occupied Sumatra, a Japanese soldier asked a café owner what kind of coffee he was drinking that was so aromatic and mellow. The owner misunderstood and thought he was being asked about his ethnicity, replying: "Mandheling." This is how the now well-known "Mandheling coffee" came to be.

Indonesia's coffee history dates back to 1699 when the Dutch first planted Arabica seedlings on Java Island. In 1908, rust disease broke out, causing devastating damage to Java's coffee trees and necessitating a switch to the more disease-resistant Robusta coffee trees. Today, Indonesia is a major coffee-producing country, with Robusta accounting for 90% of total coffee production. However, some regions have cultivated excellent Arabica varieties, with Sumatra's Mandheling being a prime example of Arabica coffee.

These coffee trees are grown on highland slopes between 750 and 1,500 meters above sea level. The mysterious and unique Sumatra has endowed Mandheling coffee with rich aroma, full body, and intense flavor.

Mandheling coffee beans are relatively large and hard, making them prone to defects during cultivation. After harvesting, they typically undergo strict manual selection. If quality control is not stringent enough, it can easily lead to inconsistent quality. Mandheling coffee has a bold flavor with rich body and vibrant, lively character, without being astringent or sour, fully expressing its body and bitterness. Mandheling beans have a rather unattractive appearance, but coffee enthusiasts say that the less appealing Sumatra coffee beans look, the better, richer, and smoother their taste becomes.

Indonesia's rainy season overlaps with the coffee fruit ripening season, making it difficult to dry coffee beans using the natural sun-drying method. This has led to the development of the regionally distinctive "Sumatran processing method." It is precisely this production and processing approach that creates the unique flavor profile of Mandheling coffee.

The Sumatran processing method: Generally, coffee fruit processing first involves removing the pulp, followed by hulling after thorough drying. In Indonesia, due to limited drying time, hulling occurs when the beans are still partially dry, after which buyers of the raw beans complete the drying process themselves.

Mandheling embodies a masculine quality; drinking it provides a feeling of unrestrained satisfaction, freedom, and wandering through life. This flavor profile captivates men, symbolizing a spirit of perseverance and courageous greatness.

Knowledge Point

High-quality coffee fruits typically have good shade coverage. Tree shade can block the intense midday sun, slow down the coffee's metabolism, and contribute to the development of nutrients, fruit acids, and aromatic compounds.

In Conclusion

In short, FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share everything without reservation simply to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three low-discount coffee events every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to enable more friends to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years!

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

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