Introduction to the Characteristics and Flavor of Indonesia Sulawesi Toraja Sapan Village Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Indonesian Sulawesi Toraja

Indonesian Sumatran coffee is most famous for Mandheling. Mandheling has gained worldwide popularity for its rich body, intense herbal flavors, and full acidity, making it one of the must-try coffees for coffee enthusiasts.

Because Indonesian Mandheling is so famous, many people overlook coffees from other producing regions. Today, I want to introduce the specialty coffee from Sulawesi. After all, Indonesia can't be just about Mandheling; there are always new wonders waiting for us to discover.

Sulawesi Island is one of the largest islands in Indonesia. Indonesia is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia consisting of thousands of islands distributed along the equator from Malaysia to Papua New Guinea.

Most Indonesian coffee is processed using the traditional Indonesian "wet-hulling" method. However, since the 1970s, someone brought the traditional Central American washed processing method to Sulawesi and, combined with local conditions in Sulawesi, improved it into Sulawesi's unique semi-washed processing method. This makes Sulawesi coffee beans cleaner in taste than most Indonesian coffee beans.

Therefore, although both are Indonesian beans, Sulawesi, like Mandheling, has characteristics of low acidity, herbal notes, and smoky flavors. However, due to different green bean processing methods, Sulawesi has a lighter mouthfeel. The bitterness doesn't linger on your tongue but passes quickly, followed by a pleasant aftertaste.

For those who don't like fruity acidity in coffee and also dislike Mandheling which "tastes like traditional Chinese medicine upon entry," Sulawesi is an excellent choice. Sulawesi Island is shaped like a starfish, and its original name was Celebes.

Almost all coffee on this island comes from the southern region of Toraja, which is divided into two by the Sesean Mountains: Minanga on the east side and Sapan on the right. The Sapan village in Toraja has a cool climate, abundant vegetation, plentiful rainfall, and iron-rich soil, making it known as "one of Indonesia's premium producing regions." The tradition of growing coffee in Toraja's Sapan village has continued for centuries. Local residents have always used small-scale cultivation methods, planting coffee crops alongside cocoa, vanilla, and various spices.

Coffee farmers typically use semi-washed processing to handle the fruits. However, the Sapan people adapted to local conditions and invented a rare processing method. Freshly picked coffee cherries are peeled using a hand-cranked depulper to remove the coffee pulp. Then, they spread the peeled green beans on waterproof parchment or woven mats to dry in ventilated courtyards.

Indonesia Sulawesi Toraja

Variety: Typica

Processing Method: Wet-hulled

Altitude: 1300~1600m

Description: Pleasant flavors reminiscent of cedar and sage, with a sweet aftertaste like maple syrup.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research establishment that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three discounted coffee events every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to provide the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years!

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