Sumatra Harapan Bersama

This is one of the high-end fancy Sumatrans which used to be very uncommon but in recent years are becoming more accessible and finding a bigger market. This lot is of highest quality and was sorted three times (Triple Picked Sumatrans are generally less earthy) and it is specifically grown by Coop Buana Mandiri in the Aceh region. It holds organic and fair trade certifications.

You can certainly roast this dark. You can take it 90 seconds into the 2nd cracks for a sinfully dark Italian roast. You can take it 20 seconds into the rolling second cracks for a clean fully bodied dark Sumatran mug. But you can also keep it lighter. I personally take it just barely into 2nd cracks. A few snaps. This is where I find the nicest balance of body and flavor and acidity and sweetness. But to really taste it in its full glory, you have to pull it out at Full City. Maybe about 20 seconds before the 2nd cracks begin.

Like most Indonesians, a pourover or french press is a wonderful way to prepare this coffee. At Full City in a french press, I find forest notes (think hickory), herbs (think lemon basil) and roots (think sasaparilla). There is a sweetness as it fills your mouth, but its a dark sweetness, like a dark honey or molasses and part of this sensation is because of how thick this coffee feels in your mouth ("syrupy" is the term you'll often see to describe this sensation). The finish is of cinnamon bark and cedar, with a long long aftertaste but not in the earthy "dirty" sense that a Mandheling would leave you with, but more of a spiced cinnamon tea warmth.

Sumatra coffee is inherently one of the easiest to roast and out of 6 very different roasting profiles I tested with it, all 6 were completely enjoyable in their own way. You're not likely to mess up this roast. It is very forgiving and has so much body that you get a decent mug no matter what you do to it.

US Arrival Jan 2024