Dark Roast

When applied to the correct bean, an Italian roast can conjure hidden characters from coffee. Our Sumatra Aceh Gold is the perfect candidate for this dark roast level. The syrupy body and sweet flavors are very accommodating to the mild smokiness and sweet caramel given by the roast.

What's the story?

The coffees produced on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra have long been viewed as some of the finest in the world. First introduced in the 18th century by Dutch traders, the coffee of the island developed a ttaste profile all its own.

Almost all Sumatran coffees feature a thick syrupy body, low acid, and an almost musty earthiness. This profile is mostly a result of the “semi-washed” process routinely practiced in Sumatra. In this process the parchment coffee is slightly dried. The parchment layer is then removed, leaving just a whitish colored green bean. These beans are then dried on patios where they quickly change to a dark emerald shade of green.

The Aceh district is located on the Northwestern portion of Sumatra and was the center of a decades-long conflict which ended abruptly in 2004. The Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement reached accord after an Indian Ocean earthquake caused a 30 meter tsunami wave. The wave devastated the province. Aceh being a heavily religious Islamic region, many attributed the quake and subsequent tsunami to an angered Allah. The seperatists declared a cease fire two days after the wave struck; the Indonesian government quickly followed suit. The treaty was signed the following August and cites the tsunami as primary justification.

Despite an enormous global outpouring of relief funds, recovery takes time and the coffee growing industry has helped to provide a steady income stream for many.

The La Minita Company, famous for their farm in Costa Rica, sources beans from small farms in the Lintong region. They have been working closely with the farmers for several years to make sure that they receive only ripe cherry. They have also taught various agronomy techniques such as pruning and plant cycling. These methods help to foster more productive harvests and therefore can be more lucrative for the farmer. La Minita also has especially stringent milling standards that apply to any coffee that they source.

Growing Region: Lintong

Altitude:
 4000 ft

Varietal: Ateng, Djember, TimTim

Harvest Season: Year Round

Source: La Minita Corp

Process Method: Wet Hulled, Sun Dried, triple pick Hand Sorted

“Acidity” (Brightness): Mild

Body: Heavy