Sumatra Mandheling Fair Trade Organic

About Sumatra Mandheling Fair Trade Organic

Latest arrival in late November 2024, just having arrived in the US. Sumatra Mandheling is known for its very heavy, almost syrupy body and its low acidity. This combination makes for a smooth, velvety, yet pronounced cup of coffee. Powerful aroma. Direct and sturdy with nutty flavor. Our current lot is from the Koperasi Pertanian Gayo Lauser Antara Cooperative (KPGLA) and is both Fair Trade & Organic certified. These beans are deep blue-green and vibrant with signature Sumatra character.

Established in 2015, the Koperasi Pertanian Gayo Lauser Antara, commonly known as KPGLA, began with 446 farmers. Situated in the Jagong Jeget district at the western edge of Aceh Tengah regency, KPGLA enjoys a unique terrain that supports the cultivation of both highland arabica and lowland robusta coffee. The cooperative has grown to nearly 1,000 members from six villages, managing over 1,100 hectares of land dedicated to coffee and a variety of fruit trees, including banana, jackfruit, and avocado, alongside other crops for local consumption. KPGLA is committed to supporting its members by providing essential farming tools, cash dividends, and educational supplies for their children.

The coffee grown in this region follows the principle of the conservation, where each coffee is planted with shade trees. This kind of cultivation is rarely found in another region in Indonesia. This coffee has both USDA Organic and Fair Trade certifications. The cooperative uses the wet-hulled or semi-washed processing method, called "Giling Basah" in the local language.

The supply chain for small-scale coffee producers in Sumatra is intricate, with no single person or group managing the entire process. Instead, the coffee progresses through various stages, handled by different entities until it's completely dry. In Aceh, coffee plantations are relatively small, ranging from 1 to 5 acres. Local collectors in villages with cooperative members gather the daily harvest for processing. After the coffee is depulped, fermented, washed, and sun-dried, it's taken to a cooperative hulling station. There, the coffee's parchment is mechanically removed, revealing the moist coffee seed, also known as "wet-hulled." This seed is then laid out to dry further until it reaches the desired moisture level. The cooperative oversees each transfer, ensuring traceability at every stage. Once fully dried, the coffee is mechanically and manually sorted to meet Grade 1 export standards.

• Origin: Indonesia
• Region: Sumatra
• Subregion: Aceh
• Producer: Koperasi Pertanian Gayo Lauser Antara (KPGLA) Cooperative
• Altitude: Minimum 1200 - 1500 meters above sea level and higher
• Varieties:  Tim-tim, Catimor
  
• Processing Method: Wet Hulled
• Drying Method: Sun dried
  

Cup Characteristics: Aromas: tobacco, smoky, roasted hazelnut.  Clean flavors include raisin, persimmon with svory, smoky notes. Earthy, nutty and smooth. A sturdy and pronounced but not overbearing body. The coffee's mouthfeel is viscous and tongue coating.

Roasting Notes: C+ to FC are good levels for Sumatra, though it is also highly prized when roasting darker. You will find different taste characteristics at each point: At C+ sweeter, nuttier flavors, less mouthfeel; at FC mouthfeel intensifies and reveals the earthy character; as the coffee roasts longer and caramelizes the body remains with added bittersweet characteristics.