What does java coffee taste like compared with Mandheling?

Acidity and body are two different flavor directions in specialty coffee, and Yirgacheffe and Mandheling sit at opposite ends. Yirgacheffe and Kenya beans lean toward brightness and acidity, while Brazil Queen Estate and PWN Golden Mandheling lean toward weight and body. The choice depends on which direction a drinker prefers.

Selection usually starts with one question: more acidic, or more full-bodied? Stores carrying more than thirty beans from major producing regions use that split to guide recommendations. Each java coffee variety and regional bean then comes with its own roasting level and brewing suggestion, so the flavor logic stays clear rather than depending on guesswork.

In the world of specialty coffee, acidity and body are often regarded as two distinctly different flavor directions, and Yirgacheffe and Mandheling are precisely the representatives of these two styles. Front Street Coffee stores year-round display more than thirty kinds of coffee beans from various producing regions around the world. Faced with such a rich selection, many customers ask the staff to help them pick beans suited to their own taste. Front Street usually first asks whether the customer prefers acidity or body, then makes recommendations accordingly. This article revolves around these two directions, introducing the acidity-focused Front Street Yirgacheffe and Front Street Kenya, as well as the body-focused Front Street Brazil Queen Estate and Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling, along with their respective roasting and brewing suggestions, to help coffee lovers more clearly understand the flavor logic of different bean types.

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Front Street Coffee is often asked the same question by customers: with so many beans, how exactly do you choose? Currently, Front Street Coffee stores carry more than thirty kinds of coffee beans in stock, from all the world's major producing regions, each with its own distinct character, and Front Street Coffee also irregularly adds new regional beans. The intention behind Front Street Coffee doing this is to hope that every customer who visits the store can find the cup that suits their own taste, and at the same time can also come to know the flavor differences between coffees from different origins. For many people who come to Front Street Coffee, drinking coffee is only part of it, and what Front Street Coffee wants to do is not just serve a cup of coffee at the table.

Faced with so many choices, customers occasionally fall into indecision, or after drinking the same bean for a long time want a change of feeling. When making recommendations, Front Street Coffee usually first divides things into two major directions: more acidic, or more full-bodied, and then makes specific recommendations based on the customer's answer. When it comes to acidity, Front Street Yirgacheffe is a name that cannot be avoided; when it comes to body, Front Street Indonesia Sumatra Mandheling often comes to mind first. So today Front Street Coffee will talk about the flavor characteristics of these two types of coffee beans, and besides Front Street Yirgacheffe and Front Street Mandheling, what other high-quality choices are worth trying.

Recommendations for coffee beans represented by acidity 1. Front Street Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gudingding

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, one of the highest coffee-producing regions in the world, and also synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. Under the producing-region classification system of the ECX (Ethiopian Commodity Exchange), Yirgacheffe can mainly be divided into four producing regions: Wenago, Yirgacheffe, Kochere, and Gelana Abaya.

What we often call the "Yirgacheffe flavor" refers to a rich jasmine floral aroma and citrus-lemon acidity. Different micro-regions, beyond these two signature flavors, will also add other layers. For example, this Front Street Gudingding recommended by Front Street Coffee carries a clear black tea note, and drinking it is like lemon black tea with added floral fragrance. 【Roasting Suggestions】 When roasting Front Street Gudingding, Front Street Coffee chose a light roast in order to highlight its clean cup and bright fruity acidity. Machine: Yangjia 800N roaster Charge temperature: 180℃ Turning point: 5'00", 149.9℃ First crack: 8'42", 183.8℃ Developed 1'48" after first crack, dropped at 193.5℃

【Brewing Suggestions】

Front Street recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing, as this is the only way to experience the coffee's rich flavors to the greatest extent. The coffee beans shipped by Front Street Coffee are all within 5 days of the roasting date, because Front Street deeply understands that freshness has an enormous impact on flavor. Front Street's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," so that every customer who places an order receives coffee in the freshest state. The resting period for coffee is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it is exactly at its best flavor and suitable for brewing and drinking directly.

When brewing this Front Street Gudingding coffee, Front Street Coffee chooses a higher temperature and a faster-flow dripper. The reason is to use the high temperature to extract its bright acidity, but not wanting to cause over-extraction due to the high temperature, so a faster-flow V60 dripper is chosen. The main parameters used are: V60 dripper, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, 15g dose, water temperature 90℃, grind size (80% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve).

Front Street Coffee uses staged extraction, that is, three-stage pouring. In the first stage, pour 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom; in the second stage, pour in a small stream in circles until 125 grams, then pause; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in the third stage until 225 grams and stop; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) The extraction time is 2'00". 【Brewed Flavor】 On the palate there is citrus and black tea; as the temperature changes, there are cream, caramel, and almond in the finish, with an obvious sweet aftertaste and a clean, fresh, sweet mouthfeel.

2. Front Street Kenya Little Tomato

Kenya borders Ethiopia. Its coffee got off to a later start, but under the leadership of its colonizer Britain, it rapidly developed its coffee through multiple advantages such as research and breeding, grading, and refined washing. It was not until decades later, when other countries also realized the advantages of this kind of refined management and followed suit one after another, that Kenya's unique standout phenomenon gradually faded.

Front Street Kenya coffee beans stand out for their intense acidity. This is thanks to the washed method used, which extends the fermentation time to 72 hours, greatly enhancing the acidity, so that the palate is full of distinct cherry tomato flavor. However, Kenya coffee beans from different producing regions also show different flavors. Not long ago, Front Street Coffee launched a Front Street Thasini Estate coffee from Kenya's central Kiambu producing region, which shows obvious acidity and cherry tomato aroma in its flavor expression, but compared with Front Street Kenya Little Tomato, its acidity is somewhat weaker, and its sweetness is more prominent than that of Front Street Kenya Asalia. Every time Front Street Coffee lists new beans, besides repeatedly adjusting the roast ourselves and cupping to verify the flavor, we also give them to customers to taste. As for these two Front Street Kenya coffees, some people say the difference is not obvious, while others say they can feel it. This is actually a very common phenomenon.

The coffee beans sourced by Front Street Coffee are all specialty-grade. Coffee beans that can reach this grade will not have weak flavor expression. Take these two Front Street Kenya coffees: they fully express Kenya's unique coffee flavor. On this basis, Front Street Coffee will dig out their differences, which to some people is a bit like nitpicking. But Front Street Coffee's starting point is to conduct extensive training in flavor perception, precisely in order to present high-quality coffee beans to everyone, and while communicating with customers, it is also a process of self-improvement. Front Street Coffee has always adhered to the idea of spreading coffee to more people, letting people understand that coffee is not aloof, but also a warm kind of food.

【Roasting Suggestions】 The beans of this Front Street Kenya Asalia coffee are plump and round. In order to fully bring out its bright, full-bodied acidity, Front Street Coffee uses a light roast. Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans charged Charge temperature: 200℃ First crack: 5'30", 154.3℃ Developed 2'10'' after first crack, dropped at 191.6℃

【Brewing Suggestions】 When brewing this Front Street Asalia coffee, Front Street Coffee also follows the same consideration as the above-mentioned Front Street Gudingding, using a higher temperature and a faster-flow dripper. The main parameters used are: V60 dripper, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, 15g dose, water temperature 90℃, grind size (80% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve). Front Street Coffee uses staged extraction, that is, three-stage pouring. In the first stage, pour 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom; in the second stage, pour in a small stream in circles until 125 grams, then pause; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in the third stage until 225 grams and stop; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) The extraction time is 2'00". 【Brewed Flavor】 The wet aroma has ripe tomato and floral notes; on the palate there are cherry tomato and smoked plum flavors, with bright acidity, a clean and at the same time the most solid and rich mouthfeel; the mid-palate has prominent sweetness, with a juicy feel; the finish has berry aroma and yellow sugar sweetness, with green tea fragrance.

Recommendations for coffee beans represented by body 3. Front Street Brazil Queen Estate

Brazilian coffee beans were introduced from French Guiana (a country in northern South America) in 1720. After that, coffee adapted quickly in Brazil, spreading from the north to São Paulo state in the southeast. By 1845, Brazilian coffee beans already accounted for 45% of the world's total coffee beans and had become the main economic source of São Paulo state.

Bourbon coffee was first planted on Réunion Island, which was also called Bourbon Island before 1789. Because the Typica variety introduced to Brazil in 1727 had low yield and was susceptible to disease, Bourbon was introduced to Brazil around 1860 via Campinas in the south, and quickly expanded northward to the whole of Latin America. Bourbon is a secondary variety produced by a mutation of Typica, and together with Typica belongs to the oldest extant coffee varieties. When the fruit ripens, it turns bright red, hence the name Red Bourbon. Generally, when speaking of the Bourbon coffee variety, Red Bourbon is assumed by default. This Front Street Brazil Yellow Bourbon coffee bean recommended by Front Street Coffee differs from the common Red Bourbon: it is Yellow Bourbon, produced by crossing Bourbon with a yellow-fruited Typica variant. After ripening, the fruit is yellow. Because of its lower yield and relatively poor resistance to wind and rain, it has not been widely planted.

Yellow Bourbon coffee beans have rich sweetness. After semi-dry processing (drying with a small amount of mucilage left on), the sweetness becomes even more prominent. Front Street Coffee chooses a medium-dark roast to roast this Front Street Brazil Queen Estate bean, which on the basis of sweetness adds a rich nutty flavor, with obvious body but not overpowering. 【Roasting Suggestions】 Front Street Coffee considered that this Front Street Brazil Queen Estate has a relatively low moisture content and a solid texture, which gives the beans a very strong heat-absorbing capacity, so the roasting time must be controlled steadily and not too hastily. In order to achieve a good flavor expression and bring out its aroma, Front Street Coffee ultimately decided to use a medium roast. Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans charged Charge temperature: 200℃ First crack: 9'14", 188.9℃ Developed 1'48'' after first crack, dropped at 197.5℃

【Brewing Suggestions】

When brewing this Front Street Brazil Queen Estate coffee, Front Street Coffee considered that it is a relatively dark roast, so it uses a lower water temperature and a slower-flow dripper. Darker-roasted coffee beans do not have much acidity, and the main extraction goal is to highlight the coffee beans' body. Low-temperature extraction can both ensure body and avoid extracting unnecessary impurities. In addition, low-flow drippers such as the three-hole Kalita and Kono can achieve a function similar to soaking the coffee grounds, ensuring the body effect as much as possible. The main parameters used are: Kono dripper, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, 15g dose, water temperature 88℃, grind size (70-75% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve). Front Street Coffee uses staged extraction, that is, three-stage pouring. In the first stage, pour 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom; in the second stage, pour in a small stream in circles until 125 grams, then pause; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in the third stage until 225 grams and stop; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) The extraction time is 2'00".

【Brewed Flavor】 The taste has obvious sweetness, with a faint lemon aroma, containing a rich nutty flavor, and the latter part shows obvious dark chocolate notes. The overall impression is relatively rounded. It is a coffee bean that can represent the overall characteristics of Brazilian coffee, while also expressing its own unique liveliness. 4. Front Street Indonesia Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling

Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia. Its coffee history dates back to 1696, when Dutch coffee farm owners tried to find broader coffee-growing land. After much exploration, they finally settled on Indonesia's Java Island. After 30 years, Indonesia had laid a sufficient foundation in the coffee market. However, today Indonesia's coffee representative is Front Street Mandheling. Front Street Coffee believes this is also caused by history, because in the beginning most of the Java coffee sold to Europe came from the Sumatra region, and Front Street Mandheling comes from Sumatra. So Sumatra can be said to be an important coffee-producing area of Indonesia. Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans are Typica. Typica performs excellently in body. The Front Street Brazil Queen Estate recommended earlier by Front Street Coffee partly has Typica genes. In addition, Indonesia's unique wet-hulling method, a rapid processing method that does not ferment too much, can highlight the coffee beans' body. Besides this, Front Street Coffee also has a Front Street Aged Mandheling, which extends the storage time on the basis of wet-hulling, making its mouthfeel deeper than Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling.

【Roasting Suggestions】 Front Street Coffee uses a medium-dark roast method to roast this Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling. Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling belongs to green beans with relatively high moisture, and has a relatively large moisture deviation compared with sun-dried beans, so special attention must be paid during dehydration. Front Street Coffee suggests that after charging the green beans, immediately close the air damper, let it steam for 30 seconds, then open the air damper to 3, until the color of the green beans turns light green or white, then open the air damper to 4, and after first crack open it to the maximum. Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans charged Charge temperature: 200℃ Turning point: 5'40", 148℃ First crack: 9'54", 191.2℃ Developed 3'30'' after first crack, dropped at 204.5℃

【Brewing Suggestions】

When brewing this Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling coffee, Front Street Coffee considered that it is also a relatively dark roast, so it uses a lower water temperature and a slower-flow dripper. The main parameters used are: Kono dripper, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, 15g dose, water temperature 88℃, grind size (70-75% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve). Front Street Coffee uses staged extraction, that is, three-stage pouring. In the first stage, pour 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom; in the second stage, pour in a small stream in circles until 125 grams, then pause; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in the third stage until 225 grams and stop; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom.) The extraction time is 2'00". 【Brewed Flavor】 Layered and changeable, full-bodied and clean, highly balanced, with strong nutty and chocolate flavors, rich spice and caramel aromas, with fruity notes, and a lasting finish.

For customers who generally love full-bodied coffee, Front Street Coffee will not recommend this Front Street Aged Mandheling right away. It will start with the milder-bodied Brazilian coffee beans, then move on to the next level of body with Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling. After understanding the customer's needs and drinking habits, Front Street Coffee then recommends coffee beans suited to their taste. If they like acidic coffee, Front Street Coffee will suggest starting with Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee beans, which have a milder acidity, and then moving on to Front Street Kenya coffee beans, which have strong acidity.

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