Indonesia: Coffee with tradition, history and strong taste
Unique and special coffee beans from Southeast Asia.
In its turbulent and long history, coffee literally went through ... forty waves, after from its original cradle, Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula, it crossed trade sea routes that scattered it to three continents and dozens of countries among the Tropics. Cancer and Capricorn. The first stop of the coffee on his long journey was Indonesia.
As much as today we consider South America the undisputed cradle of coffee and we particularly appreciate the exotic coffees of the African continent, there was a long period when coffee was ... synonymous with Indonesia! The island country of Southeast Asia has a long history of coffee, a distinct culture, hidden secrets and, of course, excellent coffees with a special, unique character.
Let's get to know her better!
A brief history of coffee in Indonesia
The history of coffee in Indonesia has very old roots, as the island country is the first land where coffee was systematically cultivated, beyond the Arabian Peninsula and Ethiopia, long before Latin America or the Caribbean. The first coffee trees were introduced to the country by Dutch colonialists as early as the end of the 17th century, and the cultivation was soon systematized. A few years later, the Dutch East India Company, thanks to Indonesian coffee, will break the Arab coffee monopoly for the first time, offering coffee of other origins on the market.
The cultivation of coffee will be a major source of income for the Dutch colonialists, but after the change of situation, also for the people of Indonesia. Coffee cultivation is spreading throughout the country (Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, Bali, Timor and Papua are the main coffee growing regions), as the country's climatic conditions and geographical landscape are ideal. Ports such as Jakarta will prove to be key to transporting coffee to the rest of the world, and will catalyze the country's development.
The first blend ever created was the infamous Mocha-Java, when the only coffee beans circulating in Europe came from Yemen's Moka or Indonesia's Java. Demonic traders mixed the beans, marketing their product as Mocha - Java, creating the tradition of blending, which is still dominant in the coffee culture. It is no coincidence that the word Java is still synonymous with the word "coffee" in America, with many Americans ordering "a cup of Java". After all, even the programming language of the same name has a steaming cup of coffee as a logo!
Today, Indonesia is firmly among the five largest coffee producers in the world and the second largest Asian coffee power, behind only Vietnam, while the country has developed over the years a special, rich and diverse coffee culture, as Indonesians they are heavy coffee drinkers.
Does Indonesian coffee taste good?
Both Arabica and Robusta are grown in Indonesia, but also an endemic hybrid between the two varieties, found mainly on the island of Timor. The wide geographical spread of the crop creates different terroirs, and therefore different taste profiles, which make the categorization of taste relatively difficult.
Trying to outline the taste profile of Indonesian coffee, we come across delicious notes reminiscent of earth, wood and tobacco, while it is not uncommon for the aftertaste to resemble spices or bitter chocolate. The body of Indonesian coffees is usually full and strong. Although in most cases the acidity is balanced, there are areas such as Papua or Bali that give lively acidic coffees, compared to that of African coffees.
Indonesian coffees blend perfectly with South and Central American coffees, as their profiles complement each other, giving very balanced blends for every taste, while Indonesian Robusta coffees are among the best in the world, giving the same taste. . Of course, Indonesian coffees are often available as single-variety options, giving coffee makers the opportunity to easily evaluate the particular Indonesian terroir.
Two tasty suggestions for authentic, quality Indonesian coffee
Coffee Espresso Caffe Lab Giava 250g in beans: The Italian company Caffe Lab offers one of the best Robusta coffees on the market, from farms on the island of Java. The mouth is dominated by woody notes and caramel aromas, while the body is strong and a balance of sweetness and bitterness is ideal. By mixing its beans with an aromatic Ethiopian Arabica, we can "resurrect" the lost taste of Mocha - Java, the first coffee blend ever created.
Coffee Espresso New York Monorigini Java 250g in beans: New York single origin choice is a real surprise, since we are talking about washed Robusta from Java (it is worth noting that liquid treatment is applied to less than 3% of world production Robusta). The result is a rich coffee in taste, with a character reminiscent of chocolate and nuts. The body is strong and the cream rich and dense, which makes this coffee ideal for espresso, in its most premium and delicatessen version.
Among the things we have been missing lately, travel is one of the most important. If Indonesia falls far short of us, with a cup of espresso from Java, we can travel mentally to a magical, mysterious country, with great coffee.
