Sumatran Coffee: The Bold and Rich Coffee from Indonesia

Coffee plants came to Indonesia by way of Dutch traders and colonialists in the late 1600's, who had smuggled coffee seeds from Yemen.  The first island to grow coffee was Java, home to the city Jakarta, which was then called Batavia. In the year 1700, Batavia was a bustling and strategically important colonial city located on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies, which is now known as Indonesia. Batavia was founded by the Dutch in 1619 as the capital of the Dutch East Indies, serving as the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Batavia flourished as a center of trade, commerce, and colonial administration in the region. It was a melting pot of cultures, with Dutch, Chinese, Javanese, and other ethnic groups coexisting and interacting within the city. The VOC exercised significant control over Batavia, governing the city and its surrounding territories.

The Dutch played a significant role in the development of Sumatra's coffee industry, which eventually led to the island becoming one of the world's renowned coffee-producing regions.

Sumatra Coffee

Some of the world’s finest premium gourmet coffees are grown in Sumatra and called Mandheling, Ankola, and Lintong, these unique coffees are distinguished by their heavy body, earthy flavor profile and low acidity.

Sumatra Mandheling coffee is named after the north Sumatra Mandailing people and is considered one of the world’s top specialty coffees. It grows at elevations up to 5,000 feet and as low as 2,500 feet above sea level near Padang in West Central Indonesia.

With a body as full as any premium coffees, Sumatra Mandheling is frequently described as syrupy. Despite a subdued acidity the tastes are complex and intense, and a chocolate sweet flavor often holds earthy undertones. Notes of licorice may also be present.

Sumatra coffee captures the wild jungle essence of this tropical Indonesian island. Delicious Sumatran coffee is creamy, sweet with a touch of butterscotch, and spice. Before roasting, the green coffee beans of Sumatran coffee are a beautiful deep blue green color with the appearance of jade. 

Why Does Sumatran Coffee Taste So Different?

Every coffee-growing region has its own personality, and Sumatra is one of the most distinctive.

We've roasted coffees from origins around the world, and Sumatran coffee consistently stands out for its rich body, smooth finish, and earthy depth. Rather than bright fruit or citrus flavors, you'll often notice notes of dark chocolate, cedar, baking spices, fresh herbs, and a syrupy mouthfeel.

Much of that character comes from where the coffee is grown and how it's processed. Sumatra's volcanic soil, tropical climate, and mountainous growing regions create ideal conditions for producing exceptional Arabica coffee. The traditional wet-hulling process, practiced by many Sumatran coffee producers, further develops the full body and low-acidity profile that coffee lovers have come to expect.

No two Sumatran coffees taste exactly alike, but the best examples share the qualities that have made this origin famous: bold flavor, smooth body, and remarkable depth in every cup.

What is Wet Hulling Coffee?

Wet-hulling, also known as "Giling Basah" in the local language, is a method where the coffee beans are partially dried before the parchment is removed, resulting in a distinctive appearance and flavor. Sumatran coffees are often processed using this method, which contributes to their characteristic flavor.

Wet hulling is the most common processing method used in Sumatra. Coffees processed this way are sometimes called natural or dry processed, wet hulling is distinct from natural processing methods used in other parts of the world, such as Ethiopia. Wet hulling involves the following steps:

1. Farmers remove the skin of the coffee cherry immediately after picking using homemade machines.
2. The skinned coffee beans are placed in woven bags and left to ferment overnight
3. The following morning, coffee farmers wash off the mucilage (remaining fruit) by hand
4. The coffee beans, in their parchment, are partially dried in the coffee farmer’s yard
5. The coffee beans are shipped to a warehouse, where the parchment is removed, and the coffee beans continue to dry
6. The coffee beans are shipped to a port city for exportation, and dried a third time at the port city

Wet Hulling Leaves Coffee Moist for Longer

Part of the reason the coffee beans are not dried by coffee farmers is because Sumatra has such a wet climate, which is great for growing coffee trees but poses processing challenges. In most processing methods, coffee beans are dried until their moisture levels are between 9 and 11 percent when they leave the processing facility. Because wet hulling involves three stages of drying, the coffee’s moisture remains well above 11 percent for a long time—often until it’s finally exported.

Wet Hulling Produces Unique Characteristics

Sumatran coffee’s unique characteristics stem from wet hulling. The modified natural processing method and extended drying time produce coffees with muted flavors and aromas. Instead of being known for their notes, Sumatran coffees are typically characterized by their full bodies and low acidity. The aromas and flavors they do feature tend to be funky: earthy, spicy, wild, and mushroomy. 

To enhance the coffee beans unique characteristics, and to counteract the high variance that’s introduced by a multi-stage processing method and using homemade hulling machines, most coffee roasters will roast Sumatra coffee dark. This builds on their body and adds a roast induced richness to the coffee beans.

Where to Buy Freshly Roasted Sumatran Coffee

The best Sumatran coffee starts with high-quality green coffee, but freshness after roasting is just as important.

When shopping for Sumatran coffee, look for a roaster that clearly identifies the coffee's origin, roast level, and roasting date. Freshly roasted beans preserve the rich aroma, full body, and deep chocolate notes that make this origin so memorable.

At Weaver's Coffee & Tea, we roast our Sumatra in small batches to highlight its naturally smooth body, earthy character, and subtle sweetness. Whether you brew coffee at home every morning or enjoy crafting espresso on the weekends, freshly roasted beans make a noticeable difference in the cup.

If you're looking for a bold, low-acid coffee with exceptional depth and body, our Sumatra coffee is an excellent place to start.

→ Shop Freshly Roasted Sumatra Coffee

Weaver’s Sumatra Coffee, is a superb and captivating—one of the world's most complex single origin coffees. Inherent subtle flavors reminiscent of sweet pipe tobacco, woody-cedar undertones and warm maple sweetness in the finish. 

We are artisan coffee roasters from the San Francisco Bay, and we love what we do.  Our Master Coffee Roaster has been roasting coffee since 1980 and worked as the Master Coffee Roaster at Peet's Coffee for 27 years, until he left to start our company with Renee Brown, Michael Brown, and Bryce Inouye.

Related Guides

• What Is Sumatra Coffee?
• Sumatra Coffee: Deep, Earthy, and Bold
  
• The History of Sumatra Coffee
• Women Coffee Farmers in Sumatra