Sumatra is one of the great romance coffees of the world. The beans in the lots I have examined are irregular in size and shape, have little nicks and nibbles taken out of them, and seem saturated with intestinal nuance rather than simply rubbed in it. Indonesians are available More) with either (dry-processed) Ethiopian or Yemeni coffee. And recall that in the classic wet method of coffee preparation, one step involves allowing natural enzymes and bacteria to literally ferment or digest much of the fruit from the beans. Not having a designated coffee grinder/mill, I wanted to try out the typed of blenders I already have. Apparently villagers in parts of Sumatra both gather the beans from wild luak excrement as well as feed coffee fruit to luaks kept in cages. It is like asking the difference between a Colombian and Costa Rican coffee with no further info provided. The coffee is grown without shade, but also without chemicals of any kind, and almost entirely by small holders. This way the beans get a different, milder flavor than the usual process of getting to the beans. Mash-Up Colombia + Sumatra Blend Whole Bean Coffee, Medium Roast, 11 Oz Bag. Colombian coffee has been called some of the best in the world. The parchment skin is then removed by machine at a middleman’s warehouse and the coffee is further dried. The coffee cherries – the beans are actually the pits – are picked, then mashed with a pulper. The overall temperature and humidity have increased in that area, making Arabica beans not grow as well as they used to before. All Rights Reserved. Nevertheless, only the luak knows. 40% Colombian, Nicaraguan or Brazilian roasted Full City to preserve body; 30% Mexican ... brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. This classic Colombian coffee brings together a mellow acidity and a strong caramel sweetness, perhaps with a nutty undertone. Often an all-purpose synonym for coffee, Java is an area of Indonesia producing a light-bodied coffee bean. The labels on coffee bags are sometimes unclear, and unless you know your beans, they can be actually frustrating to tell apart. Such coffees are marketed as Gayo Unwashed. Like any beans, the region where the crop is from has a pronounced impact on the flavor. So as to control the taste tests, as so as not to die of over-caffeination on assignment, I have developed a strict testing methodology. Sumatran Vs Colombian Coffee: What’s Are The Differences? This involves a serious amount of water, lots of skill, and more water. Plus it just sounds fancy. With the exception of Belize, Central America as a whole is a large contributor to the global coffee supply, and along with its southerly neighbor Colombia, coffee from this region of the world is what has most informed the North American coffee-drinking preferences and habits. We often start our day with a cup of coffee. Hello! So in this way, Colombian beans have a softer, milder taste. Sellers often label Lintong and Mandheling coffees dry-processed. These coffees resemble Lintong/Mandheling coffees, and probably often are sold as such by the Medan exporters. Takes cream or milk well. A more accurate description might be Gayo Semi-Dry. Sumatra has a rich, earthy flavor and is considered to be among the finest beans available. I don’t know why this is, but you can safely rely on this fact to correctly guess what type of bean you’ve got, if it’s never marked on the label. So what is the difference between Arabica and Colombian coffee ? Lintong properly describes only coffees grown in a relatively small region just southwest of Lake Toba in the kecamatan or district of Lintongnihuta. However this has become common practice for many Latin America coffee exporters, so you’ll find Brasil coffee that was washed as well. (Did the beans forget to take a bath?) This classic Colombian coffee brings together a mellow acidity and a strong caramel sweetness, perhaps with a nutty undertone. One thing is certain: These procedures produce a sporadically splendid yet extremely uneven product, and only relentless hand sorting at the exporters’ warehouses in Medan assures that the deep body and unique low-toned richness of the Lintong/Mandheling origins emerge intact from the distractions of dirty-tasting beans and other taints. In the morning the fruit pulp or mucilage, loosened by the overnight fermentation, is washed off the beans by hand. Sometimes even more. Musty Sumatras, which acquire the rather hard, mildewy taste of old shoes in a damp closet, are also attractive to some palates. These often excellent coffees offer an attractive compromise between Gayo Mountain Washed and the resonant weight of the traditional Lintong/Mandheling. Sumatra coffee is a coffee that comes from the island of Sumatra. The Gayo mill also markets coffees that have been processed by the semi-dry method, in which the outer skin of the coffee fruit is removed and the beans, still covered with sticky mucilage, are sun-dried. Ever stared blankly at the supermarket shelf, wondering which coffee to pick, and the only difference was that one is “100% Arabica” and the other says “Original Colombian” ? Arabica grown in Columbia will taste differently from Arabica grown in the U.S.A., because of climate. Before roasting, the green coffee beans of Sumatran coffee are a beautiful deep blue green color with the appearance of jade. You’re staring at the hot beverage menu of a café and the options ‘Original Arabica’ and ‘Pure Colombian’ are staring back at you. Colombian coffee, however, tends to be more sweet and less acidic (even with some nutty hints), and Brazilian coffee has a less-clean after taste and is more chocolatey and a little creamier. This is true for all plants, actually. Colombia Alco Bolivar Supremo Huila Varietal: Diverse Grade: Supremo Harvest: 2015 Appearance: 99.9% above 16 screen Intensity / Prime Attribute: Bread, cinnamon, broth/heavy body, caramel Region: Pitalito – Huila Altitudes: 1,400 meters (4,550 feet) to 1,700 meters (5,500 feet), above sea level Q-Grade: 83+ Process: Wet Exporter: Laumayer & Co. On the same note, there’s Vietnamese coffee (the bean, not the drink) which is just Robusta beans. What should be noted though is that Columbia’s coffee export has started to decline since 2006. This is because coffee needs the area between 30 degrees South and North (known as the coffee belt), with volcanic soil, wet or at least humid climate, plenty of warmth, and quite a bit of shade. Volcanic soil has the nutrients coffee needs to grow to its best version. Almost exclusively Arabica. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial name for the island. This leaves the beans/pits in a mucus-sort of pulp, which is then washed off over a couple of days. It’s an Arabica bean, grown in a high enough elevation with the necessary climate (humidity, sun, warmth) and with the best processing method possible. For coffee drinkers who prefer their cup of coffee with a full body and light-roast palate, Colombian Blend from this ESSENSO black coffee series will be the ideal cup. This leaves the beans/pits in a mucus-sort of pulp, which is then washed off over a couple of days. We might have each our own taste when it comes to coffee. The last term is a bit misleading. I hope you’ll enjoy these articles at least as much as I enjoy writing them for you. Finally, the coffee is trucked down to the port city of Medan, where it is dried a third and last time. Enter your email address below to receive our free e-mail newsletter. Sumatra gayo vs Mandehling. Coffees in Sumatra are traditionally processed using a method called Giling Basah, or wet-hulling, which results in a coffee that leaves the farm with a much higher moisture content than other methods used more popularly worldwide. It is reported that elsewhere in the Mandheling area the mucilage is simply allowed to dry on the bean after the skins have been removed, much as is done with the semi-washed coffees of Brazil. Sumatra has an earthy, syrupy body with sweet chocolaty notes. For many of us who used to pop into a coffee shop every morning before work, or usually make our coffee at work, the past few months have served as a form of coffee … This boils down (ugh :-) to a matter of taste. Most plants, actually, don’t need direct sunlight and will actually wither away if kept in the sun too long. I go into these procedures in such detail because it is not clear how much of the unique character of Lintong- and Mandheling-style coffee derives from soil and climate and how much from these unusual processing techniques and the prolonged three-step drying. Mandheling is a more comprehensive designation, referring both to Lintong coffees and to coffees grown under similar conditions in the regency of Diari, north of Lake Toba. I hope I helped you find the differences between Arabica and Colombian coffee. The most prevalent is a backyard version of the wet method. One coffee may taste wildly lemony, another buttery, another earthy. But of course read the descriptions under the coffees at Blackout Coffee, as each coffee’s uniqueness comes out at different roast levels. Sun dried on clay patios, this coffee will exhibit winey and good citric acidity with ripe bell pepper, caramel sweetness and a heavy mouth feel. This is the first time I have ever tried whole bean coffee. All are grown in shade and almost all without chemicals. This coffee come to us the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sumatra has a rich, earthy flavor and is considered to be among the finest beans available. That’s Coffee’s line of gourmet natural organic coffee beans allow you to maintain your high standards without compromising on Gourmet Coffee taste or freshness. So you will often find blends of these two beans, to balance flavor and caffeine, and you can also find pure Arabica or Robusta. Posted April 3, 2005 link. Colombian coffee is typically fresh and fruity. My name is Alexandra, and this site is born from my love for tea and coffee. Colombian coffee has an extra step in the processing of the bean, and it’s actually washing the beans ! This gourmet curiosity consists (ostensibly) of coffee beans that have been excreted by a smallish animal called a luak or palm civet after the luak has consumed (and digested) the coffee fruit that previously enveloped those beans. Arabica coffee is far superior in flavor, thus earning it the name the “champagne” of coffee. Sumatra Gayo Mountain, Aceh. This raises the price on Colombian coffee, since the process itself takes time, skill, lots of water, and imparts an aroma that most people consider to be better, or of higher quality. Sumatra is an island in Southeast Asia that seems to be ideally suited for growing arabica coffee. Gayo Mountain Washed ranges from thin and grassy to sweet and subtly rounded, a higher-toned, lighter-bodied version of the Lintong/Mandheling flavor profile. Arabica vs Colombian coffee: which do you choose if you have the option? The only problem is that it’s too far north to grow other types of plants. Well, yes actually. To make a well-informed decision, you first need to know the differences between Arabica and Colombian coffee. Earthy Sumatras, which pick up the taste of fresh clay from having been dried directly on the earth, are popular among some coffee drinkers. Colombian coffee is simply Arabica coffee that was grown in Columbia. That’s why you’ll find articles both on coffee and tea, respectively. Back the the actual coffee growers, some will grow Arabica, some will grow Robusta, some both. And finally, there comes the problem of heat, indirect sunlight. Another important factor, aside from the soil, is the elevation. Most folks prefer Arabica, so the coffee industry is happily obliging that. Alright, you now know Colombian coffee is just Arabica grown in the best possible spot for it. Starbucks will often feature a unique Colombian coffee bean through their Starbucks Reserve program. Funny enough, Robusta is the one with more caffeine – double as much as Arabica. Coffee plants grown best between 1200 and 1800 meters above sea level. That’s 0.74 – 1.11 miles for non-metric folks. But I have a hard time picking a favorite between the two. Delicious Sumatran coffee is creamy, sweet with a touch of butterscotch, and spice. But the Aceh coffees most likely to reach North American specialty stores come from a large mill near Takengon. (After all, Guatemala and Honduras are much closer to the States than any African coffee-growing region is, and it's easier for us to buy from them than t… This site is owned and operated by Ciuraru Dragos PFA, and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Arabica is the most sought after and common type of bean, because it has a sweeter, milder flavor and has actual notes of honey or vanilla or fruity tones to it, depending on where it was grown or what strain you’re getting. ... Only the highest grade of Colombian coffee beans are used in our medium roast Columbian Supremo coffee which boasts of a rich aroma and full bodied flavor. This praise applies mainly to the finest of the traditional arabica coffees of northern Sumatra, the best of those sold under the market names Lintong and Mandheling. I’ve grown up with tea, and discovered coffee only in college. Sweet and medium-bodied, they have the most recognizable coffee flavor to most North Americans. Robusta coffee is higher in caffeine and is more bitter and acidic in taste. That's Coffee Best Selling Gourmet Coffees Beans ordered by our loyal customers over the last year are Sumatra Black Satin, Colombian Supremo and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe. Decaf vs Regular Coffee – Why The Difference Matters, Vietnamese Coffee Beans – About The Roast, Brew, And Taste. Some admirers of Sumatra enjoy certain of these flavor taints. You will discover a delicious dozen types of Kirkland Coffee at Costco. From dark brewed to creamy ones, you can pick the coffee you like. So what is Colombian coffee, in the end ? The question is: would Colombian beans work to substitute for Brazil beans as the base for an espresso blend? Most coffees are either Arabica or Robusta variations, Colombian coffee has an extra processing step, What you’re getting when buying Colombian beans, Arabica VS Robusta Coffee – 10 Differences In Your Morning Cup, Coffee Bean Types – Geography And Climate In Your Cup Of Joe. This Mandheling variety is considered to be the finest in Sumatra. Sumatra. Luak coffee is one of those snicker-rich stories beloved of newspaper writers and party raconteurs. Sumatra coffee captures the wild jungle essence of this tropical Indonesian island. Sumatra. As for indirect sunlight, coffee is usually grown mixed with other plants that grow very tall and can give them proper shade. Sweet and medium-bodied, they have the most recognizable coffee flavor to most North Americans. Colombian soil is rich, so the coffee grown there is flavorful. The mill’s Gayo Mountain Washed Arabica is processed by a meticulous wet method following international standards, and is certified organic by a Dutch agency. But the coffee world is changing, and it’s time we set aside these notions and discover the truth. 4. For decades, dark roasted coffee beans have been the apex of the coffee experience. I have tried using Colombian beans as an espresso base and did not care for the results. Coffee makes us feel refreshed, and it helps us to face the great day ahead. ( Indonesia ) The coffee came out great so you don't have to buy a grinder for coffee … Sumatra Mandheling Coffee Sumatra coffee is low in acidity and one of the most full-bodied coffees in world. This is because of the global warming’s effect on the local climate. One of the most popular out of these is the Coffee Arabica. Normally, or the traditional method, has the cherries dry up in the sun, and then the beans are removed from the dried fruit. You might like it or you might not, but that’s the main reason. Processing and Sumatra Character. Like the cultivars of many crops, coffee also has many different species and lines of cultivation. Some are processed by small farmers using the traditional Sumatran backyard washed method. Sulawesi itself is not a cultivar of coffee. The name is the result of a misunderstanding by the first foreign purchaser of the variety, and no coffee is actually produced in the "Mandailing region". Arabica is a type of coffee that originated in the Arabian Peninsula, and the soil in which is grows will impact its flavor. The skinned, slimy beans are then allowed to ferment overnight in woven plastic bags. But if it were close to the Equator it would be the number one exporter, I think. It is not simply that the Indonesian island of Sumatra embodies a Conradian romance of the unfamiliar. Posted by 10 hours ago. For those who like their coffee of a darker roast with a smoky taste buds, Mandheling Blend is the best option. Over two days, I prepared an 8-ounce mug of coffee from each of 13 different coffee brands widely available in U.S. grocery stores. Presumably the luak, like any good coffee picker, chooses only ripe coffee cherries to eat. Some of the world's best tasting premium gourmet coffees are Mandheling, Ankola, and Lintong grown in Sumatra. There are more than 50 different species of coffee plant, and only 10 are utilized for commercial purposes. In fact, the fruit usually is removed from the bean by a variety of hybrid methods. A handy map can be found here. Now let’s clear up a bit the confusion between coffee beans, so you get a better grip about why it matters if the coffee is Colombian or not. If you want to know more about coffee or tea, feel free to check the related articles below. Something like a sort of greenhouse is what coffee plants need. Arabica vs Colombian Coffee. I don’t know about you but I find that very endearing, given how well banana and coffee go together as flavors. They were the “strongest”, the “richest”, and—for some reason—the most “manly”. Many varieties of coffee have been derived form the arabica bean, including Columbian Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain and Sumatra, just to name a few. Many variables. 12 quality Arabica coffee beans inc. House Roasts, Colombian, Specialty, Signature and Local Origins blends The determining factor for which coffee tastes best is the palate of the customer, and the preparation process by the vendor. Small plots of coffee are scattered over a high, undulating plateau of fern-covered clay. Everything from the humidity to the precipitation to the altitude can change the subtleties that go into the flavor of each cup. Wow, where do I begin… Some background: I was working at Sbux when Pike Place was released. Does that do anything to the coffee quality ? Sumatra Lintong and Mandheling. (If you like this article so far, you can pin it to your Pinterest board by clicking the image below. Sumatra is the way to go for … Processing methods vary widely with Aceh coffees, however, as do flavor profiles. Try Light Roast perhaps from say 3 different regions - Central America, Africa (esp. Note that the luak-assisted method of picking and processing coffee is not so outlandish as it first may sound. Although the odor kopi luak produces while roasting dramatically reminds us of its intestinal journey from fruit to bean, the taste in the cup does not. Green coffee Unroasted green coffees are brought into the United States and Canada by green coffee importers, who order container-loads (40,000-lbs) at a time and then sell 132-lb bags in bulk to coffee roasters. Sumatra enjoy certain of these flavor taints coffee needs to grow other types of coffee plant, almost. Why is Sumatran coffee is the coffee world is changing, and it ’ s Why ’. 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