Sumatra is one of the large islands from the country of Indonesia. It’s the 6th largest island in the world and home to more than 50 million people. Along with Borneo and Java, it is one of the three main islands comprising the country. We wrote a blog about Java a few months back (read more). Coffee production on the island of Sumatra is thought to have begun around 1884, near Lake Toba, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. Read on to learn why Sumatran coffee is so special.
Low Acid Coffee?
Coffee Flavor Profile
The "wet hulling" process does in fact produce a different flavor profile which tends to be more earthy. The earthiness can also be attributed to the volcanic soil that the beans are grown in.
Our Sumatra Dark is an excellent example of what I mean by "earthy." You don't get as much chocolate as you would find in other Central American coffees, but instead a subtle taste of mushroom or potatoes. I realize this doesn't sound like coffee. These tasting notes are very subtle which gives Sumatran coffees a very unique flavor profile.
Is Sumatra A Dark Roast?
Twenty years ago almost everything was a dark roast, think Starbucks and Peete's Coffee. Because Sumatran coffees are plentiful there was some marketing around this coffee bean. Generally speaking Sumatran coffee is roasted dark, but that is entirely up to the roaster or the customer. At our cafe we offer both options for you. You'll tend to find more earthier, vegetably flavors in the Sumatra Light than you would our Sumatra Dark. That's because the darker roast mutes these subtle flavors.
Where Is Henry's Sumatra From?
