About the Bean
Farm Description:
This coffee was grown in the Sintep and Kenawat sub-districts of the Aceh province of Sumatra. The districts border a small inland lake in Central Aceh, receiving humid conditions typical for the Indonesian country. Coffee here is grown at elevations ranging 1500–1600 meters above sea level in rich black humus soil.
This coffee underwent Anaerobic Natural processing referred to as “Wine Process” for the strong wine-like aromas and flavors produced by the processing method. Freshly harvested cherries are washed to remove any debris left over from the harvest before being sealed into airtight containers. The cherries are fermented in this anaerobic environment for 25 days before being rinsed with water and moved to the drying area. The fermented cherries are dried to a humidity of 12–13% before being milled, sorted, and packaged for export.
Region Description:
The semi-autonomous province of Aceh lies on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia’s westernmost island. The country’s archipelago spans over 5,000 kilometers including 17,000 islands and 120 active volcanoes. Indonesia has a population of more than 260 million people, making it one of the world’s most populous countries.
There are many ethnic groups, languages, and religions present in Aceh. The people of Aech are known for their independent spirit and ability to make the most of challenging circumstances. Coffee varieties grown in Aech are a mix of legacy seedstock distributed by various waves of government and private interests. More than 100 different genetic varieties of coffee are present in Indonesia and Aceh’s regular rainfall, fertile soil, and moderate temperatures offer the ideal climate for Arabica coffee.
Coffee in Aceh is processed through wet-hulling, where both the cherry skin and the parchment layer are removed before the coffee is fully dried. Sumatran coffees are often described as earthy, and while we do find rich notes and extremely full body in coffees from Aceh, we also find notes of crisp pepper, agave syrup, honey, spices, and apple.