Indonesian Mandheling Grade Classification | Is Mandheling Coffee Bean Arabica? Its Flavor Profile and Taste Characteristics

Generally, Indonesian Mandheling exports are classified by bean size, using international standard grading screens as the basis for grade classification, which is what we commonly see as 17/18 mesh. Due to the complex composition of bean varieties, mostly hybrid varieties, genetically speaking, both Indonesia and Yunnan can be referred to as Arabica coffee.

Coffee grading is typically based on defect rate, bean size, altitude, raw bean density, processing standards, and other factors. Each producing country has different factors such as historical reasons, trade interests, climate and topography, leading to different evaluation and grading systems for raw coffee beans. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce how Indonesian raw coffee beans are graded.

Indonesia is located near the equator and has a tropical rainforest climate. Mass-produced coffee beans mostly use rough wet hulling processing. Wet hulling greatly accelerates the entire processing process, but removing the parchment layer while still in a semi-dry state requires significant friction, making the raw beans easily crushed and squeezed, especially at both ends, forming small gaps. Therefore, the defect rate of Indonesian coffee beans processed by wet hulling is generally high, so raw bean merchants will arrange manual hand-picking before export to remove incomplete beans with defects.

Indonesian coffee grading is mainly based on the number of defective beans, supplemented by size grading. Indonesia's general quality requirements are no live insects, no moldy or rotten beans, maximum moisture content of 12.5%, and impurity rate less than 0.5%. Graded by defect rate (based on 300g), the Grade standard is mainly divided into 6 levels, namely G1-G6.

Usually, the coarse burlap bags containing raw Indonesian coffee beans will be marked with: country + grade name + raw bean merchant. For example, the Lindong Mandheling coffee and PWN Golden Mandheling coffee on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list are both G1 grade. Among them, the raw bean bags of PWN Golden Mandheling coffee are printed with "PWN GOLDEN MANDHELING TRIPLE PICKED Grade 1 PROD OF INDONESIA 30KGS NET". Indonesian PWN company has undergone 1 machine selection + 3 manual selections on the basis of G1, producing Mandheling raw beans with uniform color, regular size, and neat shape, belonging to extremely high-quality Indonesian coffee beans.

Although wet hulling has increased the defect rate of coffee beans considerably, the coffee flavor is not particularly negative, but instead brings unique aromas. In the final drying stage of wet hulling, there is no protection from parchment paper, and the raw beans are directly exposed to the environment, where various microorganisms grow. This gives Indonesian coffee a unique woody, spicy, and herbal plant aroma. This is what we call "terroir flavor." FrontStreet Coffee has added Indonesian Lindong Mandheling coffee beans to its daily bean series to let everyone taste this unique flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's original intention of launching small-packaged daily beans is to hope that coffee novices can recognize the essence of coffee by tasting the basic flavors of different producing regions.

Brewing Methods

To present the classic rich flavor of Mandheling coffee, FrontStreet Coffee has chosen medium-dark roasting for both Mandheling coffees, making the aroma of dark chocolate and caramel more explosive. When Mandheling coffee beans enter their optimal flavor period, the aroma is most full. FrontStreet Coffee believes that using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing is crucial. Aromatic substances in coffee beans accelerate loss over time, which affects the final flavor presentation of the coffee. FrontStreet Coffee hopes every customer can drink fresh, good coffee, so it only ships freshly roasted coffee beans within 5 days, plus logistics time, so you can enjoy them right when you receive them.

FrontStreet Coffee's brewing parameters are based on the characteristics of coffee beans, degree of roasting, and flavor tonality. Whenever launching a coffee bean, FrontStreet Coffee will taste it through cupping. PWN Golden Mandheling coffee presents flavors of nuts, dark chocolate, spices, pine, and caramel in cupping, with weak acidity and high body.

FrontStreet Coffee's baristas will choose KONO drippers to brew this type of rich, full-bodied coffee. Compared to v60, KONO dripper has a smooth curved surface, weaker exhaust effect, and straight ribs that are only one-quarter of the dripper, allowing the coffee layers and hot water to form immersion extraction, making the coffee taste more rounded and full-bodied. KONO dripper is also suitable for coffees like Brazil's Queen Estate coffee and Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee.

Dark roasting makes the internal structure of coffee beans loose, and we can crush them with a light pinch with our hands, indicating strong water absorption after grinding into powder. To avoid coffee powder releasing too many bitter substances after absorbing water, FrontStreet Coffee will adjust the grind to be coarser and use lower temperature water for pour-over. FrontStreet Coffee will use the common 1:15 powder-to-water ratio. If you want a richer taste, you can use 1:13, adjusting according to your own taste.

Brewing Recommendations

Recommended brewing water temperature: 87-88°C. Coffee powder: 15g. Powder-to-water ratio 1:15. Grind size: medium-coarse grind (70% pass rate through Chinese standard 20 mesh sieve). Use a three-stage water injection method, divided into three stages to better express the rich body of Golden Mandheling coffee and the sweetness of caramel.

The first stage is blooming with 30ml water injection. This injection fully wets the coffee powder for degassing, to better extract the flavor substances of coffee in the subsequent stages. The second stage injects 100ml, which mainly brings out the golden foam of Mandheling and raises the powder layer. The final stage is gentle center water injection of 95ml, which can increase the sweetness of the coffee, overall expressing a thick, rich body, caramel sweetness, and flavors of chocolate and nuts.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473