Sumatra is one of Indonesia's coffee-producing regions. What significance do Starbucks Sumatra coffee beans hold? What kind of coffee are Starbucks Sumatra coffee beans? They carry a strong earthy aroma with exceptionally concentrated flavors; full-bodied and rich. The brewing methods for Sumatra coffee varieties are something every coffee lover should explore.

The most famous coffee-producing region in Indonesia is none other than Sumatra, and the well-known Mandheling coffee beans come from Sumatra. Front Street Coffee currently offers 5 Mandheling coffee beans with distinct flavors, one of which is Golden Mandheling. Front Street Coffee often encounters people asking whether Golden Mandheling differs from regular Mandheling. Comparing these two Mandheling coffee beans, Front Street Coffee finds that Golden Mandheling expresses a cleaner and clearer flavor profile, with more layers than regular Mandheling. The main reason is that Golden Mandheling undergoes more than 3 rounds of hand sorting and the selected beans are screen size 18 and above, making the Golden Mandheling beans uniform in size, which naturally results in a more balanced flavor. Therefore, whether in appearance or taste, the difference between Golden Mandheling and regular Mandheling can be clearly distinguished.

Starbucks has a Sumatra coffee that has been sold since 1972. Its rich earthy aroma and full body are the signature flavors of Sumatra coffee. However, because Sumatra coffee is roasted too dark, the herbal notes and burnt bitterness linger in the mouth and do not fade away, which is also the reason some people cannot accept Sumatra coffee.  

Sumatra Coffee Beans

Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia, and its coffee history dates back to 1696, when Dutch coffee farm owners sought broader coffee-growing lands. After extensive exploration, they finally settled on Indonesia's Java Island. Over the course of 30 years, Indonesia had established a sufficient foundation in the coffee market.

However, today the representative of Indonesian coffee is actually Mandheling from Sumatra, which is unsurprisingly the result, because from the beginning most of the Java coffee sold to Europe came from the Sumatra region, and Mandheling comes from Sumatra. So Sumatra can be said to be an important coffee-producing area of Indonesia.  

The Story of Mandheling Coffee

Mandheling originally referred to the name of an Indonesian tribe, and it became the name of a coffee bean by a twist of fate, which also has a story. When Japanese soldiers returned to Japan after colonizing Indonesia, they could not forget the delicious local coffee. So through trade connections, they asked the locals to help collect high-quality coffee beans, among which was this Mandheling. The Japanese loved this coffee bean very much and asked for its name. Because the commercial source was inconvenient to disclose, the local casually said "Mandheling," and thus Mandheling accidentally became the name of this coffee bean. The local mentioned earlier is actually the owner of the Indonesian PWN company (Pwani Coffee Company), which will be mentioned below.

Sumatra Coffee Beans' Unique Processing Method — Wet Hulling

Mandheling mostly adopts Sumatra's unique coffee bean processing method — wet hulling. Because the local weather is mostly rainy, with constant typhoons, it cannot achieve the good weather required for sun-drying, and the local economy is not good either, so it also cannot use the more expensive washed method. Thus, the wet-hulling method with strong local characteristics was developed.

In the first stage, the skin and pulp are removed with a wooden depulper. After 3 hours of fermentation, the beans are dried until the moisture content drops to a semi-dry, semi-wet 30-50%.

In the second stage, the mucilage and parchment layer are removed, and drying continues for the later stage. The drying process takes 2-4 days, and the moisture content drops to 12-13%.

In addition to the regular wet-hulling method, there is also an aged wet-hulling method. After the coffee beans undergo regular wet hulling, they are sealed and stored in a warehouse for 2~3 years. The warehouse environment must be cool, shaded, and well ventilated, and the beans must be turned regularly to prevent mold and spoilage. During this period, the acidity of the coffee beans gradually weakens and turns into sugar, and the color also becomes darker, mostly yellowish-brown or dark brown. Mandheling coffee beans using this processing method are also called aged Mandheling coffee beans.

The wet-hulling method creates Mandheling's special flavor. It can be said that Mandheling and wet hulling are bound together. But today's coffee market no longer settles for staying unchanged. Even if wet hulling is Mandheling's characteristic, attempts with other processing methods are also made, such as the natural Mandheling from Wahana Estate. Changes in processing method also come with requirements: while preserving the original flavor of the coffee beans, other flavors are added.

The Difference Between Mandheling and Golden Mandheling

Among the Mandheling varieties commonly seen on the market today and more widely accepted are Lintong Mandheling and Golden Mandheling. Lintong Mandheling is the most classic Mandheling.

【Lintong Mandheling】
Sumatra Coffee Lintong Mandheling
Region: Lintong region, Sumatra
Altitude: 1100-1600 meters
Varieties: Typica, Caturra
Processing Method: Wet Hulling
Flavor: Baked toast, nuts, caramel, pine, herbs

Lintong Mandheling is produced in the Lintong mountain area of north-central Sumatra, near Lake Toba. Lintong Mandheling is the regular version of Mandheling. Lintong Mandheling also uses the regular wet-hulling method, which creates its characteristics of low acidity and high body. But what happens with wet hulling is that, because the semi-hard, semi-soft wet raw beans are easily crushed when the mucilage and parchment layer are removed, the beans are damaged and split open like a goat's hoof, commonly known as goat-hoof beans. These are not defective beans and can be said to be a very notable characteristic of Mandheling.

Lintong Mandheling does not put much effort into sorting, and the lack of refinement in processing easily leads to instability in the coffee beans' output, but this does not diminish people's love for its rich flavor.

【Golden Mandheling】
Sumatra Coffee Golden Mandheling
Region: Gayo Mountain, Aceh, Sumatra
Altitude: 1100-1600 meters
Variety: Ateng
Grade: G1, 3 times hand-sorted
Processing Method: Wet Hulling
Flavor: Spices, herbs, caramel, pine, nuts, chocolate

Since the Japanese discovered Mandheling, they have always been very attentive to this coffee bean. In the process of cooperating with local raw bean merchants, they established a strict sorting system. After processing, the raw beans undergo density and color sorting, and then are still hand-picked multiple times, finally presenting Mandheling with uniform color and uniform bean shape. It is said that when processing the raw beans, the Mandheling under sunlight gave off a golden shine, hence the name Golden Mandheling.

The specification of Golden Mandheling is screen size 18 and above, with fewer than 3 defective beans (in a 300g raw bean sample), belonging to the highest grade G1. The color is darker green, and the shape is neat flat beans. After strict sorting, Golden Mandheling not only no longer has the earthy miscellaneous flavors unique to regular Mandheling, but also tastes cleaner and more transparent, with a stronger sweetness and fragrance.

Ateng is a hybrid variety between Arabica and Robusta, with several subtypes, widely planted in Sumatra and other small Indonesian islands. To put it plainly, it is a branch of Catimor, and Ateng is the local name.

Roasting Comparison

When FrontStreet Coffee roasts Mandheling coffee, the roasting goal is medium-dark roast, in order to erase Mandheling's excessive acidity and enhance its body and balance.

Machine: Yangjia 800N, 550g green beans charged

FrontStreet Coffee Golden Mandheling Roast Record Sheet

FrontStreet Coffee Lintong Mandheling Roast Record Sheet

Pour-Over Flavor Comparison

When Front Street Coffee brews these two Mandheling coffee beans, it tries to keep the brewing parameters as consistent as possible.

Dripper: Kono dripper
Water Temperature: 88℃
Dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: 70-75% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve

*Reason for choosing the Kono dripper: The Kono dripper has few ribs and they are located at the lower end. The filter paper fits tightly against the dripper, which can restrict airflow, lengthen the contact time between water and coffee grounds, allow the coffee grounds to be fully extracted, and enhance the rich mouthfeel.

Front Street Coffee uses staged extraction: bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small stream in circles until 125 grams for the stage break. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring until 225 grams and stop. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts at the beginning of blooming.) The extraction time is 2'00".

【Flavor Description】

Golden Mandheling: Layered and varied, rich and clean, highly balanced, with intense nut and caramel aromas, a chocolate note, and a long finish.

Lintong Mandheling: Herbal and medicinal notes on entry, dark chocolate, caramel, and a sweet aftertaste.

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