ORGANIC Sumatran Gayo – Koperasi is the newest addition from the Sumatran Gayo region that is a wet processed coffee that breaks the mold of Indonesian coffees. This coffee does have an Indonesian “earthiness” that is typical of coffees in this reagon but, it is in the background and not in the forefront of the cup flavors. This particular bean delivers the “earthy” notes accompanied by a slight black tea astringency with a hint of lime. It is hard to explain as the earthy flavors meld with the lower citrus notes just after the strong front notes of the cup retreat on your tongue. Check out the Organic Sumatran Gayo – Koperasi tab and select this coffee for a full description and tasting notes. If you want the “Full Monty” flavors of this bean, set your roast range to City. If you prefer the darker chocolates and dried plumb spectrum of flavors set your roast range to Full City Minus. The darkest roast I might suggest for this particular bean is Full City Plus; beyond this range the coffee becomes bi-dimensional in the chocolate – tobacco (with a smoky element) flavor range.
The quickly disappearing Sumatra Gajah Estate – Natural Processed is a gem of an Indonesian (Sumatran) coffee that is Naturally Processed and not Wet Processed. Nearly all as Indonesian coffee are Wet Processed; that is the cherries are processed in water then fermented to remove the plant material around the coffee seed. This particular batch is Dry Processed; as many African coffees are (sometimes called sun dried or Natural Processed). The result of this fairly unique processing technique, in Indonesia, is an outstanding cup that is reminiscent of fruited African varietals. This is like no other Indonesian coffee I have ever tasted. To my pallet, many Indonesian coffees tend toward monolithic flavors with a strong earthy (sometimes musty) notes. My sampling of this bean was a shock to me and I instantly knew I had to grab some to feature this Island coffee to the 144 Roastery fans. Take a peek at the menu above and there is lots more information about this seed (or, if you must, bean). Try it out and let the Roaster know what you think; do you fancy more Indonesian coffees? The only way I will know is to use the handy Contact us button in the footer and tell me of your preference!
General Information on Indonesian Coffee Beans
Sumatra coffee production has a long history, extending to the 17th century when the Dutch East India Company imported coffee plants to Indonesia. Sumatra is home to a wide range of tropical flora, fauna, and microclimates. Farms on Sumatra are typically 0.5 to 2.5 hectares scattered across remote regions, connected by a network of collectors, processors, traders, and exporters to the global market.
Green coffee from Sumatra is classified into different grades depending on the number of defects present in an unroasted coffee sample of 300 grams. The highest, Grade 1 TP, signifies that the coffee was triple-picked, referring to how many times the beans were hand-sorted, and less than five defects were found per sample. Similarly, Grade 1 DP (double-picked) signifies less than nine defects were present in the sample. For a Grade 1 Indonesia green coffee without a TP or DP mark, less than 11 defects were found per sample. The grading system spans grades 1 to 6.
The key Indonesian green coffee regions include Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, West Java, Bali, and Flores. Java, in particular, is renowned for its pivotal role in spreading coffee production across the Indonesian archipelago. While regions like Sulawesi and Sumatra boast a long history of coffee cultivation, Bali represents a relatively newer coffee-growing area, primarily known for its small-batch, limited-scale coffee production.
