Sumatran coffee is famed for its big, heavy flavor profile which is balanced by low acidity.These single-origin beans are harder to find than the semi-washed big hitters but are well worth the effort.īut you can also expect specific flavors to come through depending on which island your Indonesian coffee has come from:

On the other hand, washed processed coffees from Indonesia tend to be much lighter in body, with complex fruit, floral notes, and refreshing acidity. When processed this way, the main flavors that dominate the palate are from the processing, not the individual island’s terroir. They are very big-bodied with earthy, woody, spicy notes, and minimal acidity. Overall, coffee from Indonesia is full-bodied, has a syrupy mouthfeel, and is low in acidity.Ĭoffees that are semi-washed (Giling Basah) have a very distinctive flavor profile. Whilst the flavor of Indonesian coffee varies depending on which island it has come from, there are still some common characteristics:

As Indonesian coffee can fall into a wide spectrum of styles, some unique to the islands, we also pick out some great options for you to try.

In this article, you will go on a journey through each of the different regions to understand the variations in everything from soil to altitude to processing. Plus, it is home to the island of Java, whose name is still synonymous with the drink to this day. But, today, only 5 of the Indonesian islands have serious coffee farming and it’s worth trying coffee from each one.Ĭoffee growing in Indonesia has a long history as it was one of the earliest countries to start growing coffee on colonial plantations. You can experience huge flavor variations in Indonesia coffee despite not going very far.Īs the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is made up of 17,000 islands of which around 6,000 are inhabited. And this is so apparent as you travel through the islands of Indonesia (well, travel through your coffee cup anyway). Depending on where your coffee comes from, it will taste completely different.

Sumatra java