Mandheling Review and Brewing Methods: What Parameters for Pour-Over Indonesian Dark Roast Mandheling?

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There are many coffee-producing countries worldwide, and Asia has a very famous coffee region: Indonesia. Coffee enthusiasts have likely heard of Mandheling coffee. As Indonesia's signature coffee, Mandheling offers a very rich flavor profile with prominent herbal and dark chocolate notes, making it a favorite among coffee connoisseurs and dark roast lovers. This article follows FrontStreet Coffee to provide a comprehensive understanding of Indonesian coffee.

Indonesian Coffee History

In 1699, when Indonesia was still under Dutch colonial rule, the VOC (Dutch East India Company, Vereeniging Oost-Indische Compagnie) introduced Arabica coffee plants to break Arabia's global monopoly on coffee trade. The Dutch colonial government initially planted coffee around Batavia (now Jakarta).

More coffee plantations were established in East Java, Central Java, West Java, as well as parts of Sumatra and Sulawesi. Indonesia was the first place outside Arabia and Ethiopia to widely cultivate coffee. The VOC successfully monopolized the coffee trade between 1725 and 1780.

By the mid-18th century, the East India Company expanded Arabica coffee cultivation areas in Sumatra, Bali, Sulawesi, and Timor. On Sulawesi Island, coffee was first planted in 1750. In the North Sumatra highlands, coffee was first planted near Lake Toba in 1888, followed by the Gayo Highlands near Lake Laut Tawar in 1924. In the late 18th century, Dutch colonists established large coffee plantations on the Ijen Plateau in eastern Java.

In the 1920s, smallholder farmers across Indonesia began planting coffee as a cash crop. However, disaster struck in 1876 when coffee leaf rust swept through Indonesia, wiping out most of the Typica variety. Robusta coffee (C. canephora var. robusta) was introduced as a replacement in East Java in 1900, particularly in low-altitude areas where the rust was especially severe.

The plantations on Java Island were nationalized after independence and revitalized with new Arabica varieties in the 1950s. These varieties were also adopted by smallholder farmers through government and various development programs. Today, over 90% of Indonesia's coffee is grown by smallholder farmers on farms averaging one hectare or less.

Indonesian Coffee Regions

Sumatra

Sumatra is not only Indonesia's largest island but also the world's sixth-largest island. It is located in the northwestern region of Indonesia. Due to its geographical location, Sumatra enjoys the country's earliest harvest season from November to March.

Mandheling coffee beans grow on Arabica coffee plants in Sumatra. Sumatran coffee is characterized by low acidity and complex flavor profiles, which many coffee enthusiasts describe as representative of spicy and herbal flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that several factors influence Sumatran coffee's flavor. On one hand, the island's fertile volcanic soils contribute to the coffee's earthy notes. Regarding its low acidity, the most important factor is Sumatran coffee's processing method—the locally prevalent Wet Hulling method, which we will详细介绍 in detail below.

On Sumatra Island, specialty Mandheling coffee mainly comes from the Lake Toba region and the Gayo Highlands. FrontStreet Coffee currently offers two Indonesian coffees, both from these specialty Mandheling origins. "FrontStreet Coffee — Daily Series Lin Dong Mandheling Coffee Beans" presents flavors of toasted bread, nuts, caramel, pine, and herbs; "FrontStreet Coffee — PWN Gold Mandheling Coffee Beans" offers deeper flavors such as spices, nuts, pine, caramel, herbs, and dark chocolate.

Java

If you are deeply passionate about coffee, you must know that Java is synonymous with coffee. But what you might not know is that Java Island is an island in Indonesia where some of the world's best coffee originates. In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company brought Arabica coffee plants to Indonesia. Most of Java's coffee is grown on five government-owned estates: Blawan, Tugosari, Pancoer, Jampit, and Kayumas. Java coffee undergoes wet processing, making it cleaner and fuller-bodied rather than earthy like Sumatran coffee. Java coffee is also known for its low acidity and rich molasses, clove, and fig flavors.

Sulawesi

Formerly known as Celebes, Sulawesi has six different provinces. One of these provinces, South Sulawesi, is where most of Sulawesi's coffee is grown, particularly on smallholder farms in the Tana Toraja highlands. Compared to other Indonesian coffees, Sulawesi coffee has a milder flavor. Through cupping comparison, FrontStreet Coffee found that specialty coffee beans from Tana Toraja in Sulawesi have bright acidity, distinct layering, and rich caramel sweetness, while the herbal and spicy flavors are more restrained, with slight floral notes.

Flores

Compared to other Indonesian islands, Flores is relatively small, spanning 200 miles from end to end. The island is known for its lush vegetation and is one of the few places where the endangered Komodo dragon can be found. Most coffee is produced around the town of Bajawa at elevations between 1,200 and 1,800 meters. Flores has rugged terrain with several active and inactive volcanoes. Volcanic ash has created fertile ridge soils that are ideal for producing organic coffee.

Bali

Bali is famous for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and yoga and meditation retreats. This tropical paradise offers some of the best coffee in Indonesia and indeed the world. Most coffee grows in the Kintamani highlands, located between the Batukaru and Agung volcanoes.

The Origin of Mandheling Coffee

Currently, most coffee beans on the market are named after their growing regions or countries, but Mandheling coffee is different. It is named after the Mandheling people, who traditionally grow and process these coffee beans. Why is this the case?

The story begins during World War II when a Japanese soldier stationed in Sumatra asked a local Sumatran where his coffee came from. The Sumatran man, misunderstanding and thinking he was being asked about his ethnicity, replied: "Mandheling." After the war, when the Japanese soldier returned home, he remembered the uniquely flavored coffee seemed to be called "Mandheling." In 1968, Osaka's Nomura Trading Company visited Indonesia's N.V. Pawani Medan company and imported 15,000 kilograms of Sumatran Mandheling coffee, which became hugely popular in the Japanese market. From then on, the reputation of Mandheling coffee and Pawani Coffee Company soared.

PWN is a locally famous green bean purchasing company in Indonesia. They subject their wet-hulled Mandheling green beans to one machine selection plus three manual hand-sortings to ensure each batch reaches Indonesia's highest grade, namely G1 grade. The purpose of machine selection is to first screen for beans sized 18 mesh or above, while subsequent multiple manual sorting aims to remove uneven defective beans. The reduction in defect rate significantly improves Mandheling coffee quality.

To distinguish it from regional Mandheling coffee, PWN registered "Gold Mandheling" as a trademark. The Gold Mandheling coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee all come from PWN company. At FrontStreet Coffee's physical stores, you can see PWN's Gold Mandheling coffee bean certificates and coffee sacks printed with the company logo.

Special Processing Method — Wet Hulling

Wet hulling is also known as wet dehulling method, locally called "giling basah," which is a traditional Indonesian coffee processing method. From the name, wet hulling seems similar to wet processing, but in reality, the flavors of coffee processed by these two methods are completely different.

So how exactly does wet hulling process coffee beans?

• Remove fruit skin and pulp, keeping parchment and mucilage
• Ferment in water tanks
• Wash off mucilage
• Sun-dry with parchment for 2-3 days until moisture content reaches 20-24%
• Remove parchment
• Dry green beans until moisture content reaches 12-13%
• Prepare for export

FrontStreet Coffee's Gold Mandheling is a typical representative of wet hulling processing. Due to the extremely fast speed of wet hulling, which results in higher defect rates, workers at the processing plant perform manual sorting to remove defects. Generally, there is DP (double picking) and TP (triple picking). Mandheling that undergoes triple manual sorting sees a significant reduction in defect rate.

Apart from some subtle differences, it is generally believed that wet-hulled coffee beans carry earthy, smoky, and chocolate flavors, with acidity considered low, full-bodied, but sometimes perceived as dull. PWN's Gold Mandheling coffee beans, however, exhibit quality herbal aromas, very prominent caramel sweetness, and are steady and elegant upon entry. After swallowing, the mouth fills with rich sweetness, body, and wild spice flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

• Dripper: Kono dripper
• Water Temperature: 88-89°C
• Coffee Amount: 15 grams
• Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
• Grind Size: Medium-coarse grind (70% pass-through rate on China No. 20 standard sieve)

Reason for choosing Kono dripper: The Kono dripper has few ribs located at the bottom, and the filter paper fits tightly against the dripper, which can restrict airflow and increase contact time between water and coffee grounds, allowing for full extraction and enhancing body.

Use 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom. When pouring small circular streams to 125 grams, create a segmentation. Continue pouring to 225 grams when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, then stop pouring. Wait until all poured water has passed through the coffee grounds before removing the dripper to finish extraction. (Timing starts from the bloom). Extraction time is 2'00" - 2'00".

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow the official WeChat account: FrontStreet Coffee

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