Recommended preparation: Filter & Espresso
Tasting notes: Peach, honey, jasmine
 |
Sumatra |
 |
1,600m. |
 |
Abbysinia, typica |
 |
Washing |
 |
Hendra Maulizar |
 |
2022 Harvest |
Sumatran coffee
Sumatran coffee originates from Indonesia, the sixth largest island in the world and home to more than 50 million people.
In Sumatra , the three main coffee growing regions are in Aceh province in the north, the Lake Toba region in the south, and the south of the island around Mangkuraja.
The island's humid and rainy climate is a factor that determines coffee production in this area. This climatic condition, which is unusual in many other coffee-producing countries, requires coffee growers on the island of Sumatra to pay special attention to processing and drying.
This difference from other coffee-producing regions gives Sumatran coffee a special character.
Hendra Maulizar, a coffee visionary
Hendra Maulizar, a pioneer in specialty coffee process innovation in Indonesia, began his journey in the coffee world when his father, Hamdan, moved to Aceh in 2006 and began growing coffee.
Following in his father's footsteps, Hendra started growing coffee on one hectare and has now expanded his farm to 10 hectares, producing 40 tons of specialty Sumatran coffee.
Hendra and his father have invested in a washing station to monitor the entire process. This has allowed Hendra to experiment with eight to ten different processing methods. He has also started a nursery to grow different varietals that have not been part of Sumatran coffee until now.
In addition, Hendra collaborates with 70 local farming families, who help him produce cherries for processing and whom he supports with knowledge and fair payment for their harvests.
Coffee from Sumatra and Indonesia
Indonesia, as a coffee-producing nation, ranks fourth in the world in terms of production, and Sumatra is one of the country's main growing regions.
Coffee cultivation in Indonesia began in the 17th century, when Dutch settlers introduced the first coffee plants to Java. Since then, coffee has spread throughout the archipelago, including the island of Sumatra, where regionally specific cultivation and processing techniques have been developed.
Sumatra's humid, tropical climate, coupled with its nutrient-rich volcanic soils, provides ideal conditions for growing specialty coffee .
One of the most notable characteristics of Sumatran coffee is its 'Giling Basah' processing method, which gives the coffee its low acidity, full body, and distinct flavor notes.
Producers like Hendra Maulizar are experimenting with other processes with excellent results, and this batch of washed coffee is an excellent example of this.
Until recently, Sumatran coffee—and Indonesian coffee in general—was not well-known to specialty coffee lovers. Thanks to the efforts of producers like Hendra and his father, Sumatran specialty coffee is gaining ground in roasters around the world.
Additionally, Sumatran coffee is known for its sustainability and focus on ethical production, as many producers work closely with cooperatives and organizations that promote fair trade and environmentally friendly practices.
Sumatran specialty coffee, washed process
This coffee lot, produced by Hendra Maulizar, is a washed-process coffee that combines the Abbysinia and Typica varieties, grown at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level.
This coffee undergoes initial dry aerobic fermentation before being pulped, washed, and dried on raised beds. The result is a very clean coffee with flavor notes of peach, honey, and jasmine.
Sumatran coffee is a unique and delicious coffee that benefits from the island's geographical and climatic conditions, as well as the hard work and dedication of producers like Hendra Maulizar.
