How do you use a Mandheling SOE shot in a soe latte or soe americano?

Mandheling from Sumatra is a single-origin coffee with a rich, solid body and low acidity. As an entry-level SOE it works well in espresso: use 20 grams of Front Street Lintong Mandheling, yield 40 grams of liquid, a 1:2 ratio, and extract for 26 to 32 seconds with a grinder set for espresso.

The shot carries clove, nuts, dark chocolate and caramel notes, so it also suits moka pot brewing. A home machine that holds 9 bar of pressure can handle extraction and milk frothing. Build the soe americano with hot water and the soe latte with steamed milk, adjusting the milk ratio to taste.

Mandheling coffee is Indonesia's Sumatra Island's iconic single-origin coffee, renowned for its rich, solid mouthfeel and low acidity. This article focuses on the application of Mandheling in espresso, first introducing the flavor profile and extraction parameters of Front Street Lindong Mandheling as an entry-level SOE, then detailing the operational process of making Mandheling SOE with a home coffee machine, including key steps such as dose, grinding, distribution, tamping, and extraction time control. It then extends to the blending ratios for Americano and Latte, and delves into the grade standards, screening process, and flavor layers of Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling under medium-dark roasting, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand the complete character of Mandheling from a daily staple to a high-end single-origin offering.

Mandheling is a single-origin coffee produced on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, and has to some extent become the calling card of Indonesian specialty coffee. It differs from ordinary bitter coffee, with a rich aroma profile, a solid and full body, low acidity, and a long finish. Because it is usually dark-roasted, when tasting it you can perceive both a lingering bitterness and an elegant sweetness, and the unique deep, heavy aroma can be experienced through both smell and taste at the same time.

Based on differences in the desired mouthfeel, Mandheling is also subdivided into multiple types. Among them, the most worth trying are Front Street Mandheling from the Lindong region, and the higher-end Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling. Front Street Lindong Mandheling is an entry-level standard version, one that almost every beginner will encounter; after brewing it presents a rich flavor interwoven with clove, nuts, dark chocolate, and caramel, so it pairs very well with espresso and moka pot coffee, and is also called Mandheling SOE.

Front Street Mandheling SOE Extraction Parameters

Coffee beans: Indonesia. Front Street Lindong Mandheling

Coffee dose: 20g

Coffee liquid yield: 40g

Dose-to-yield ratio: 1:2

Extraction time: 26–32 seconds

Grind setting: Galileo 2.0

Making espresso is inseparable from a home coffee machine. As long as it can stably reach 9 bar pressure, it can meet the needs of both extraction and milk frothing, and an espresso grinder is also needed. The coffee machine used by Front Street has a double basket capacity, with 20 grams dosed each time and a 1:2 dose-to-yield ratio, meaning 40 grams of coffee liquid is collected within a reasonable time.

Before extraction, first wipe the basket clean, start the grinder to grind a double dose of coffee, place it on an electronic scale and adjust until it is exactly 20 grams. Then use a distribution tool to level the coffee bed, and use a tamper to apply force vertically downward to compact the puck, so that the extraction process will be more stable.

Next, turn on the extraction switch and run water for 1–2 seconds to moisten the group head and rinse away any coffee residue attached to it. Place an electronic scale under the cup for collecting the Espresso and tare it to zero, then place it together under the group head during extraction.

Lightly lock the portafilter onto the group head, flip the extraction switch down to begin extraction. Pay attention to the state of the coffee liquid flowing out. When the electronic scale shows the liquid weight has reached 40 grams and the time is about 30 seconds, flip the switch down to stop. Extraction parameters will fluctuate slightly with daily air humidity and the condition of the coffee beans, so the dose, grind setting, or liquid yield need to be adjusted accordingly.

The Mandheling SOE extracted in this way gives off a rich aroma of roasted nuts and caramel. To make a Mandheling SOE Americano, add 200g of iced water or warm water at a ratio of 1:5; you can also add 200ml of frothed fresh milk at a ratio of 1:5 to soften the mouthfeel, and this gives you a delicious cup of Mandheling SOE Latte.

As a premium grade among Mandheling coffees, Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling uses only beans of screen size 18 and above, with fewer than 3 defective beans (in a 300g green bean sample), belonging to the highest grade G1, with a darker green color and a neat, flat bean shape. After processing, the green beans first undergo density and color sorting, then manual bean selection, going through four rounds of careful selection in total, which is what gives Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling its uniform color and consistent bean shape. It is said that when processing the green beans, Mandheling beans under sunlight give off a golden sheen, hence the name Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling.

Front Street Golden Mandheling carries a high-quality herbal note, with more prominent caramel sweetness, steady and elegant fruit acidity, abundant sweetness, and a rich yet wild spice flavor. Being dropped before second crack preserves excellent clarity and sweetness, allows broader roasting interpretation, and gives a more distinct roasted aroma, so medium-dark roasting is used.

After brewing, Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling presents roasted nut tones, and as the temperature drops slightly, notes of cinnamon spice, herbs, and the aroma of melon gradually emerge, with caramel-like sweetness accompanying a clean, rich mouthfeel.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.