by Nigel Ong
When it comes to coffee, most of us think of Latin American and perhaps African countries. However, Asia is one of the world’s largest coffee producers, with Indonesia being one of the top dogs.
However, Indonesian coffee does not seem to be as famous compared to, say, Colombian or Ethiopian coffee. This is despite Indonesia producing some of the best coffee in the world.
In this post, let’s learn more about Indonesian coffee and explore some of its history, regions, and flavors.
How Popular Is Coffee In Indonesia?
Indonesia is a giant player in the world of coffee. It is the fourth largest coffee producer in the world, behind Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia. In 2022, Indonesia produced 681,000 metric tons of coffee.
Much of the coffee is also for local consumption. Over half are consumed locally, with the others exported out. As a result, Indonesia has a very vibrant coffee culture, and this is something not many coffee fans notice.
In fact, coffee has become a way of life here. It is consumed during social situations, breaks, and more. Some even use coffee for mystical purposes. Many Indonesians do not start their day without having a cup of joe. Many enjoy theirs with cigarettes, too.
Indonesians enjoy drinking coffee in places such as Warung Kopi (coffee shacks/stalls). Here, coffees of all origins are served, with snacks, food, and cigarettes.
Western coffee shops are also very popular, with many foreign and local coffee chains operating in the country. Some local chains are particularly successful, such as Janji Jiwa or Kopi Kenangan, which operates hundreds of branches in and outside Indonesia.
History of Coffee In Indonesia
Coffee was first brought to Indonesia by the Dutch colonials in the 17th century. The Dutch treated the Indonesian islands as a large plantation and planted whatever had a good price at the time.
The Dutch purportedly smuggled Arabica coffee seeds out of Yemen and then planted the seeds on the island of Java, around the trading center of Batavia (now Jakarta.) Many pointed out that this is why coffee is also casually called ‘Java’ today.
As the Dutch slowly expanded its power around the Indonesian archipelago, more coffee plantations were set up. Places like Bali, Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua soon had coffee farms.
As Indonesia started producing more coffee, Europeans soon tasted it. They love it so much that they are willing to pay a premium for Indonesian coffee despite having cheaper options like Brazilian coffee.
To cater to the demands, the Dutch soon learned to blend the beans with those from Mokha, Yemen. This created the world’s first coffee blend, the Mocha Java. All was going well until disaster struck.
From 1860 to 1880s, coffee trees in Asia were struck by the ‘Coffee Rust,‘ a disease that leaves coffee trees yellow and wilt. The planters eventually switched to planting Robusta trees, which are stronger.
This explains why many coffee farms in Indonesia and Asia produce Robusta beans mostly, even today. In recent decades, some farms started planting Arabica trees again.
What Are The Types of Coffee Planted In Indonesia?
There are four major types of coffee trees. These are the Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. All four types of coffee are planted in Indonesia. Production of coffee types may depend on region, terroir, and more.
Arabica: Indonesia’s Arabica coffee is growing in popularity and is generally grown in regions with higher altitudes and cooler climates. Some regions with major Arabica farms include Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Flores.
Robusta: Considered the staple coffee for Indonesians, Robusta coffee thrives in areas with lower altitudes, with a hotter and more humid climate. It is primarily cultivated in regions like southern Sumatra and East Java.
Liberica & Excelsa: These beans are also grown in Indonesia, although not as popular as Robusta or Arabica. This is because there isn’t much demand for these beans.
How Is Indonesian Coffee Processed?
Generally, most coffee is processed either naturally or washed. Natural processing usually involves drying the coffee seeds with the cherry together, while washed processing removes the cherry before drying.
Indonesian coffee generally uses something in between. The ‘Giling Basah’ (wet hull) method was first introduced by Japanese investors in the 70s and has gained popularity ever since.
Farmers usually separate the seeds from the fruit by hand, instead of using water like in washed processing. The seeds are then left to dry under the sun for several days. The beans are not dried completely, but only to about 30 to 50% moisture.
These beans are then taken to a collector, who then puts the beans through a hulling machine. These beans can dry completely under the sun for a few more days.
Many attribute Indonesian coffee’s unique, earthy, and spicy flavors to the Giling Basah processing. However, the flavors of the coffee usually differ according to the region.
How Does Indonesian Coffee Taste?
Generally, Indonesian coffee is well appreciated for its deep and rich flavor. Many seem to enjoy Indonesian coffee for its earthy flavor, with hints of spices such as clove and nutmeg. Some regions produce herbal, chocolatey coffee as well.
You may get very different notes and flavors depending on the coffee region.
Sumatran
Sumatran coffee can be broken down into several major regions. Some of the more popular coffee regions here include Gayo, Mandheling, and Lintong. Coffee beans from these regions are given the same name as well.
Gayo: Gayo coffee comes from northern Sumatra, in the Gayo highlands in Aceh province. The premium coffee beans here are appreciated for their bright acidity and distinct fruity and floral notes.
Mandheling: Mandheling coffee comes from the Mandailing Highlands, north Sumatra. Coffee here is deeply herbal, with notes of dark chocolate and spice. Coffee here is also low acidity, making it incredibly smooth to enjoy.
Lintong: Lintong coffee is grown in the Lintong Nihuta highlands in North Sumatra. Coffee here is known for having high acidity with herbal, fruity, and floral notes.
Lampung: The Lampung region in southern Sumatra is lower in altitude and warmer. This makes it excellent to grow Robusta coffee. Lampung coffee usually has earthy and woody tones and may have notes of nuttiness and tobacco.
Java
Java may be the first Indonesian island to plant coffee. Still, its coffee beans do not seem to have as high a profile as other Indonesian regions.
Javanese coffee is usually planted in the highlands in West Java, such as Bandung and Garut. Other Javanese regions with extensive coffee farms include Semarang and Ijen Plateau.
In general, Javanese coffee is known to have a medium body and smoothness, with a balanced acidity. Many coffees have flavor notes such as spices, nuts, herbs, and chocolate.
Bali
Bali may be known for its beautiful beaches and culture but it is also a major coffee region. Balinese coffee is usually grown on the highlands and sides of volcanoes. Some major Balinese coffee regions include Kintamani, Bedugul, and Munduk.
The island may also be popular as the major producer of the world’s most expensive coffee, the Luwak coffee. Made from the droppings of civet cats, many prize it for the flavors, but the coffee also has many ethical issues.
There is also the Bali Blue Moon, a variety of Balinese coffee grown around the Kintamani region. It is known for its sweet, creamy, and full-bodied flavor, with hints of cocoa and spices.
Balinese coffee is usually mild in acidity and has a medium body. You may pick up flavor notes such as citrus, floral, cocoa, herbs, and fruits. Some Balinese coffees exhibit a pleasant sweetness, making them popular with many.
Flores
Home of the Komodo dragons, Flores is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. The island climate with volcanic islands made it an excellent coffee-growing place. Most coffees here are Arabica.
Major coffee regions in Flores include Bajawa, Ruteng, and Ende. Depending on the locality and soil conditions, these regions may produce coffee of slightly different notes.
In general, Flores coffee is well appreciated by gourmet drinkers. They love how the coffee has high acidity and brightness with a medium body. Flores coffee also usually carries notes of chocolate, nutmeg, citrus, and even hints of tobacco.
Papua
The New Guinea Island is divided into two major parts, east and west. Eastern New Guinea is its own country, known as Papua New Guinea. Western New Guinea is part of Indonesia, as the Papua province.
Papuan coffee is an up-and-coming region slowly gaining recognition with coffee fans worldwide. Most Papuan coffee is Robusta, although some regions produce premium Arabica beans.
These regions include the Wamena and Jayawijaya highlands. Another popular region, Mandobo, produces mostly Robusta coffee.
Wamena: Wamena coffee usually displays a clean and bright acidity with a medium to full body. The flavor notes may include citrus, floral, chocolate, and fruity undertones.
Jayawijaya: Set in the central highlands of Papua province, Jayawijaya Arabica coffee has a bright acidity with a medium body. Sip some, and you may pick up nutty, fruity, and herbal notes.
Mandobo: Mandobo Robusta coffee is planted around the Mandobo River in central Papua. It is known for its bold and intense flavor and has an earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter taste.
Sulawesi (Celebes)
Sulawesi, or Celebes, is a large island east of Borneo. It has plenty of beautiful highlands and rich volcanic soils to produce some of the world’s best coffees.
Major growing regions include Toraja, Mandar, and Enrekang. These regions produce premium Arabica coffee and also regular Robusta beans as well. Some of Sulawesi coffee’s best-known varieties include the Toraja and the Kalossi.
Sulawesi Toraja: Toraja coffee is well appreciated for having a complex and vibrant flavor profile. Drinkers love its full body, low acidity, and earthy, herbal, and spicy notes. Some Toraja coffee can also be fruity and floral.
Sulawesi Kalossi: Kalossi coffee is less confined by region but is as well known as the Toraja. It usually displays a medium body with bright acidity. Flavor notes usually include nutty, herbal, and citrus, with chocolate and spices quite common.
Others
Aside from these major regions, there are also newer, up-and-coming coffee regions. These are not as popular but are starting to emerge from the shadows of their more popular cousins. These include:
Borneo: Indonesian Borneo is starting to produce high-quality coffee, particularly in the Kapuas Hulu region in the central Bornean highlands. Borneo coffee can be fruity, herbal, and sometimes floral.
Timor: Timor is the last major island on the Lesser Sunda Island chain, and is separated into Indonesian Timor, and the independent country of Timor Leste (East Timor.) Timor usually grows Robusta coffee, but some premium Arabica are starting to emerge from this region.
Timorese coffee is known for the HdT (Hibrido de Timor) variety, which exhibits the flavor of Arabica but the strength of Robusta coffee.
Where Can You Get Indonesian Coffee?
One good thing is that Indonesian coffee has become much more popular in recent years, meaning many roasters offer it. Major coffee chains such as Starbucks offer single-origin Indonesian roasts like the Sumatra Roast.
There are also more gourmet options, such as the Komodo Dragon roast, a single-origin Flores coffee. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf also offers Bali Blue Moon in its lineup of roasts.
Aside from these big boys, small roasters also offer many styles of Indonesian coffee, from blends to premium single-origins. The options can really open up here if you spend some time exploring.
Independent, premium roasters such as Volcanica offer Sulawesi Kalossi Reserve, Sumatra Mandheling Reserve, and Sumatra Gayo. Fresh Roasted Coffee offers Indonesian roasts such as Mocha Java or Timor coffee.
Coffee from up-and-coming regions such as Borneo or Papua may be harder to source, but you should find some with some effort. In fact, I am not surprised if you may even find really premium stuff, such as peaberries or organic Indonesian coffee.