The World Atlas of Coffee: From beans to brewing - coffees explored, explained and enjoyed
Page 17
In recent years, speciality buyers have encouraged producers throughout Indonesia to experiment more with the washed process to allow some appreciation of the taste of the variety and the land rather than the dominant flavours of the process. We shall see if demand for these coffees is strong enough to encourage widespread production of cleaner coffees, or if the industry will see continued demand for semi-washed lots and simply continue to meet it.
An Indonesian woman scales a large coffee tree to harvest the crop. Coffee has been exported from here since the 16th century, when the Dutch East India Company established a lucrative trade.
Large baskets of Robusta berries are raked out to dry in the sun in Tanggamus, Lampung Province, one of the largest coffee-producing regions in Indonesia.
KOPI LUWAK
In Indonesia, Kopi Luwak refers to coffees that are produced by collecting the droppings of civet cats that have eaten coffee cherries. This semi-digested coffee is separated from the faecal matter and then processed and dried. In the last decade it has come to be seen as an amusing novelty, with unattributed claims of its excellent flavours, and it sells for spectacularly high prices. This has caused two main problems.
Firstly, the forgery of this coffee is quite commonplace. Several times more is sold than produced, and often low-grade Robusta is being passed off at high prices.
Secondly, it has encouraged unscrupulous operators on the islands to trap and cage civet cats, force-feed them with coffee cherries and keep them in terrible conditions.
I find Kopi Luwak abhorrent on just about every level. If you are interested in delicious coffee then it is a terrible waste of money. One-quarter of the money you might spend on a bag could instead buy you a stunning coffee from one of the very best producers in the world. I can only regard the practice as abusive and unethical and I believe people should avoid all animal-processed coffees, and not reward this despicable behaviour with their money.
TRACEABILITY
While it is possible to find coffees from individual farms on the islands, these are relatively rare. However, those that have been kept traceable, and have been fully washed (rather than semi-washed) are definitely worth trying.
Most coffee is produced by smallholders with just 1–2 hectares (2.2–4.4 acres) of land so usually a coffee is only traceable down to a specific washing station, or only a region. There is very wide variation in the quality of these regional coffees, and they can be something of a gamble.
TASTE PROFILE
Semi-washed coffees tend to be very heavy bodied, earthy, woody and spicy with very little acidity.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 263,510,000
Number of 60kg (132lb) bags in 2016: 11,491,000
From its origins in Java, coffee slowly spread around the other islands in the region, first to Sulawesi in 1750. It didn’t reach Northern Sumatra until 1888, first being grown around Toba lake, and eventually appeared in the Tawar lake region in Gayo in 1924.
SUMATRA
The island of Sumatra has three main growing regions: the province of Aceh in the north, the Lake Toba region a little to the south and, more recently, coffee has been produced in the south of the island around Mangkuraja. It may be possible to trace coffees to smaller areas within these regions: Takengon or Bener Mariah in the Aceh region; and Lintong, Sidikalang, Dolok Sanggul or Seribu Dolok around Lake Toba. Traceability down to this level is relatively recent.
In the past it was common to see coffee sold under the name of ‘Sumatra Mandheling’. There is no place called Mandheling, the name refers to an ethnic group from the island. Often Mandheling coffees were given a grade, either 1 or 2. The grading is apparently based on the cup quality rather than the green coffee, which is more usual, but I would be hesitant to recommend all grade 1’s because the awarding can occasionally seem somewhat random.
It is unusual to separate different varieties into different lots, so most Sumatran coffee will probably be a mixture of unknown varieties. Coffees from Sumatra are shipped out of the port of Medan, but the hot, humid climate can have a negative effect on the coffee if it is left on the dockside too long before being shipped.
Altitude:
Aceh 1,100−1,300m (3,600–4,300ft), Lake Toba 1,100−1,600m (3,600–5,200ft), Mangkuraja 1,100−1,300m (3,600–4,300ft)
Harvest:
September–December
Varieties:
Typica (including Bergandal, Sidikalang and Djember), TimTim, Ateng, Onan Ganjang
VARIETY NAMES
Variety names in Sumatra can be a little tricky. Most of the Arabica seed stock initially brought to the island would have been derived from the strain of Typica that was taken from Yemen. In Sumatra this is often called Djember Typica, but it should be noted that Djember also refers to a completely different variety (a less superior one) found in Sulawesi.
It is common to see varieties that have, at some point, been cross-bred with Robusta. The best-known hybrid is called the Hybrido de Timor, a parent of the more common Catimor variety. In Sumatra it is often called TimTim.
JAVA
It is more common to find large coffee estates here than anywhere else in Indonesia, due to the colonial history and practices of the Dutch. The four largest farms, previously government estates, cover over 4,000 hectares (8,800 acres) between them. For a long time the island enjoyed a stellar reputation for its coffee, although I am sure it was not long before other coffees came to substitute the real thing in the ‘Mocha-Java’ blend of a great many roasters. Javan coffees commanded huge premiums for a long time, although prices fell towards the end of the 20th century.
Much of the coffee is planted on the east side of Java, around the Ijen volcano, but there are producers on the west side of the island, too.
Altitude:
900−1,800m (3,000–5,900ft)
Harvest:
July−September
Varieties:
Typicas, Ateng, USDA
OLD BROWN JAVA
Some estates in Java choose to age their coffee before export, for anything up to five years. The raw coffee beans turn from the blue-green commonly associated with semi-washed coffee, through to a muddy shade of brown. Once roasted there is no acidity left in the coffee whatsoever, and there is an intense pungency and woodiness that some enjoy. However, if you like your coffee sweet, clean and lively, you may well hate it.
SULAWESI
Most of the coffee from Sulawesi is produced by smallholders, although there are seven large estates which make up about five per cent of the total production. Most of the Arabica on the island is grown high up around Tana Toraja. To the south is the city of Kalosi, which became a kind of brand name for coffees from the region. There are two other less well-known coffee-growing regions: Mamasa to the west, and Gowa south of Kalosi. Some of the most interesting coffees from the island are fully washed, and can be exceptionally enjoyable. I would recommend seeking them out if you get the opportunity. The semi-washed process is still common though, and the island also produces a good amount of Robusta. Coffee production can be somewhat disorganized throughout the region, as many smallholders grow coffee for supplemental income, concentrating their efforts on other crops.
Altitude:
Tana Toraja 1,100−1,800m (3,600–5,900ft), Mamasa 1300–1700m (4,300–5,600ft), Gowa average of 850m (2,800ft)
Harvest:
May−November
Varieties:
S795, Typicas, Ateng
FLORES
Flores is a small island about 320km (200 miles) to the east of Bali, and among the Indonesian islands it was a latecomer to both growing coffee and developing a strong reputation for it. In the past it was not uncommon for a large portion of the coffee from Flores to be sold internally or blended into other coffees rather than being exported as ‘Flores coffee’. The island has a mixture of active and dormant volcanoes, which have had a positive effect on the soils. One of the key growing regions is Bajawa. In terms of coffee proce
ssing, the semi-washed process is still extremely common in the area, although there is some fully-washed coffee being produced.
Altitude:
1,200−1,800m (3,900–5,900ft)
Harvest:
May−September
Varieties:
Ateng, Typicas, Robusta
BALI
Coffee came to Bali fairly late, and it was initially grown on the highland plateau of Kintamani. Coffee production in Bali suffered a significant setback in 1963 when the Gunung Agung volcano erupted, killing two thousand people and causing widespread devastation to the east of the island. By the late 1970s and early 1980s the government was doing more to promote coffee production, in part by handing out Arabica seedlings. One could argue that this had limited success, however, as today around eighty per cent of the island’s production is Robusta.
While tourism provides the largest income for the island, agriculture is its biggest employer. In the past, Japan bought a substantial portion, if not all, of the coffee crop.
Altitude:
1,250−1,700m (4,100–5,600ft)
Harvest:
May−October
Varieties:
Typica and Typica derivatives, Robusta
Raw coffee beans are dried at a plantation in Bali. Coffee production creates significant employment in the region and much of the coffee harvest is sold to Japan.
Plantations in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern and Western Highlands are the most notable areas for coffee, most of which are owned by smallholders.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Many people would associate Papua New Guinea’s coffees with those from Indonesia, but it would be unfair to do so. Papua New Guinea rightly stands apart and the eastern half of New Guinea shares relatively little with neighbouring Papua when it comes to coffee.
The history of coffee production on the island is not long. While coffee was planted relatively early, in the 1890s, it was not treated as a commercial product at first. In 1926, however, 18 estates were established using seeds from Jamaica’s Blue Mountain, and by 1928 coffee production had begun in earnest.
The industry began a more structured growth in the 1950s, with the creation of infrastructure to help facilitate the movement of coffee around the island. Further growth followed in the 1970s, perhaps spurred on by Brazil’s drop back in production. The government sponsored a series of programmes to encourage small farms to be run by cooperatives. At that time the industry was more focused around managed estates, but since the 1980s the industry has begun to change and decentralize. This is probably due to the drop in coffee prices, which has left many estates in financial trouble. Smallholders aren’t at such risk from market forces and so have been able to continue to produce coffee.
Today 95 per cent of producers are smallholders, often subsistence farmers. They produce around 90 per cent of the country’s coffee, which is almost entirely Arabica. This means a very large proportion of the population is involved in the production of coffee, especially in the highland regions. This has certainly presented challenges when it comes to producing large quantities of high-quality coffee, as many producers lack access to proper post-harvest facilities, and a lack of traceability in the product prevents clear rewards for higher-quality coffee.
Although coffee production in Papua New Guinea only took hold in the 20th century, it is now an established crop. Arabica forms the majority of exports and is mostly grown in highland regions.
TRACEABILITY
Several large estates still operate very successfully, so it is possible to find coffees from a single estate. There is not a long history of traceability, and in the past some farms were acquiring coffee from other producers to pass off as their own. The idea of coffee being sold by region is also relatively new. However, the altitude and soils in the country offer great potential for quality, so there has been renewed interest from the speciality market in the last few years. Look out for coffees traceable to a specific estate or a group of producers.
GRADING
Exports are graded by quality, in descending order: AA, A, X, PSC and Y. The first three are awarded to estate coffees, while the last two are grades for smallholder coffees, PSC standing for Premium Smallholder Coffee.
TASTE PROFILE
Great coffees from Papua New Guinea often have a buttery quality, great sweetness and wonderful complexity.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 7,060,000
Number of 60kg (132lb) bags in 2016: 1,171,000
Most of Papua New Guinea’s coffee is produced in the Highlands regions, and the area shows great potential for producing some amazing coffees in the future. While some coffee is grown outside of these key regions, it is only a very small amount.
EASTERN HIGHLANDS
There is a single mountain chain that runs through the country, and the Eastern Highlands form part of it.
Altitude:
400−1,900m (1,300–6,200ft)
Harvest:
April–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Arusha
WESTERN HIGHLANDS
This is the other key area of coffee production. Most of the coffee in this region grows around the regional capital of Mount Hagen, named for an old, inactive volcano. Coffee produced in this area is often milled in Goroka, so traceability of some coffees can be difficult. The combination of altitude and incredibly fertile soil makes the potential for quality in this region incredibly exciting.
Altitude:
1,000–1,800m (3,300–5,900ft)
Harvest:
April–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Arusha
SIMBU PROVINCE
Simbu (officially spelled as Chimbu) is the third-largest producing region, but its output is substantially lower than either of the Highlands provinces. The name is derived from the local dialect and the word Sipuuuu, meaning ‘thank you’. Most of the coffee here comes from the coffee gardens around the homes of smallholders. Nearly ninety per cent of the population is engaged in coffee production to some degree, and for many this is the only cash crop they grow.
Altitude:
1,300–1,900m (4,300–6,200ft)
Harvest:
April–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Arusha
THE PHILIPPINES
The history of coffee in the Philippines is another tale of the product going from being a bedrock of the economy to almost disappearing completely. The most common version of the story starts in 1740, when coffee was first planted by a Spanish monk in Lipa, in Batangas province. It flourished under Spanish colonial rule and spread around the Philippines.
In 1828, as part of an effort to foster cultivation, the Spanish offered a prize to anyone who would plant and ripen sixty thousand square feet of coffee (equivalent to 6,000 coffee trees). One farmer transformed his property in Jala Jala, in the province of Rizal, into a fertile plantation and won the prize of a thousand pesos. His success encouraged others to follow suit and increased the cultivation of coffee.
By the 1860s the Philippines were doing a healthy trade in coffee exports, with a large market being the United States through the gateway of San Francisco. The completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 opened up Europe as a potential market too. By the 1880s the Philippines was the fourth largest producer in the world, but in 1889 it would finally succumb to the leaf rust that had plagued so many other countries.
A combination of leaf rust and insects took a particularly heavy toll in the Batangas region – still the dominant producing region – and two years later production was less than twenty per cent of what it had been. Some seedlings were transplanted north to Cavite, where they appeared to flourish. However, most farmers moved away from coffee to other crops and for at least fifty years the industry was relatively dormant.
In the 1950s the government attempted to resurrect the coffee industry. With assistance from the US, it brought in disease-resista
nt varieties and Robusta as part of a five-year strategic plan. It was reasonably successful and production increased, but it wouldn’t be until 1962 or 1963 that the level was considered self-sufficient and coffee was no longer imported for local consumption. Part of the local demand came from the production of instant coffee in factories around the Philippines.
Coffee production has, in many ways, mirrored world prices and there has been an ebb and flow in production according to whether there has been sufficient demand. The frost in Brazil in 1975 briefly gave the Philippines the chance to be an exporting country again.
Production is currently up once more, in comparison with recent years. Programs remain in place to encourage production, though domestic consumption remains strong enough to mean that very little coffee is exported from the Philippines. As so little coffee is exported, and so much of what is produced is Robusta, it is unlikely that any excellent coffees will be available in the immediate future.
However, the country does grow two other species of coffee, not commonly found elsewhere: Coffea liberica and Coffea excelsa. While neither is anything to get excited about from a taste perspective, they are undeniably interesting to try, should the opportunity present itself.