Sumatran Mandheling Coffee

Our Indonesian Sumatran Mandheling Mena Gold speciality single origin Arabica coffee has a full body with a concentrated flavour of herbal nuances and a spicy finish, a low acidity with a richness that lingers on the back of the palate. Delicately hand roasted it has clean earthy, herbal, woody and spicy flavour notes, with a wine and chocolate aftertaste.

Cupping Notes: Strong cedar notes, consistent, balanced, sweet tobacco, spicy, chocolate

Aroma: Slightly earthy

Flavour notes: Herbal, chocolate, clean, earthy, woody, spicy

Body: Full

Acidity: Light

Roast: Medium

Country: Indonesia Sumatra

Region: Dolok Sanggul, North Sumatra

Certification: Organic

Altitude: 1200-1500 m.a.s.l

Variety: Ateng Super, Catimor, Bourbon

Harvest Period: June - December

Milling Process: Semi-Washed, Giling Basah (wet-hulled)

Grade: Gr.1

Menagold coffee originates from the renowned coffee-growing regions of "Hutapaung" and "Ria Ria" in the Dolok Sanggul district of North Sumatra. This exceptional coffee is the result of years of collaboration between smallholder farmers and PT Musfaha Niaga Mandiri, with every step of the journey—from farm to roastery—carefully monitored to prioritise quality. Only the ripest red cherries are hand-picked, meticulously sorted, wet-hulled, and dried at the mill before being transported to Medan for final processing.

Over 323 farmers, organised into dedicated groups, work exclusively with PT Musfaha Niaga Mandiri to produce premium Sumatra Arabica known for its distinctive "wild" flavour profile and unique "greenish-blue" hue. The name "Menagold" reflects the heritage of its origins, with "Mena" symbolizing the connection between Medan and Aceh, and "Gold" representing the exceptional quality the brand embodies.

History of Sumatra Mandheling coffee: Many of the islands of Indonesia were formed by volcanoes. Therefore, they are mountainous and have rich soil that is ideal for growing coffee. It is no wonder that some of the world's most famous coffees are grown on the islands of the Malay Archipelago of Indonesia: Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Java.

Approximately 15% of all the coffee grown in Indonesia is Arabica. Sumatra is the second largest island of the Republic of Indonesia. Sumatra Mandheling coffee is grown on the lofty volcanic slopes of Mount Leuser near the port of Padang in the Batak region of west-central Sumatra. Coffee trees were originally brought to Indonesia in the early 19th century by the Dutch, who sought to break the world-wide Arabic monopoly on the cultivation of coffee. Within a few years, Indonesian coffee dominated the world's coffee market. Yet by the end of the century disease completely destroyed the crop. Coffee trees were successfully replanted and quickly gained a large share of the world market until the plantations were ravaged again during World War II.

"Mandailing", spelled here correctly, is technically an ethnic group in Indonesia, not a region, as is Batak. The unique method used in its production results in a very full body with a concentrated flavour, garnished with herbal nuances and a spicy finish. Giling Basah, the name of the traditional Sumatran process, involves hulling the parchment off of the bean at roughly 50% moisture content; for comparison, most other processes hull coffee at around 10-12% moisture. This unique Sumatran process results in a trademark flavour profile (low acidity and a richness that lingers on the back of the palate) and gives the green beans a signature dark colour. Notes of chocolate are evident in the finish.

What is Grade 1 coffee?

Grade 1 coffee beans are the highest quality beans based on specific grading criteria established by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) or equivalent organisations. This ensures the coffee beans are defect free, of uniform size, premium quality and fully traceable. We buy Grade 1 (G1) Sumatra's as Double-Picked (DP) or Triple-Picked (TP), referring to the number of times the coffee is hand-picked for defects. This extra quality control results in a very consistent cup including only cherries at optimum ripeness.

Sustainability: All of our coffee beans are traceable directly to the farm and the farmer. Our coffees are either Fairtrade Organic (FTO) or Rain Forest Alliance (RFA) certified, or grown as a collective or cooperative to assure a fair wage, investment in the community and good environmental practice. Our coffee bags are recyclable.

Why buy from us? Our award-winning, ethically sourced coffee is freshly hand roasted to order every week. Our aim is to retain the main characteristics of single origin Arabica beans and to enhance them with delicate roasting. All of our medium roast single origin Arabica coffee is suitable for espresso. Just choose Fine Grind or Whole Bean depending on your coffee machine or brewing method.

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