Roasted - Sumatra Mandheling GR1 (Coffee of the Week)

About the bean

Distinguished by its wet-hulling Giling Basah method, offerings from Sumatra pack an iconic flavour character: spicy earthy notes combine with a bold body to yield porous blue-green beans, low in acidity. The various regions (Gayo/Aceh, Kerinci, Lintong, and Mandheling) add another layer of uniqueness to the signature Sumatran weird-wonderfulness.

Mandheling is the classic of these four with its chocolate, earth, spice profile. The other variations serve up: a sweet complexity and rustic undertones (Gayo/Aceh), balanced fruit and earth (Kerinci), and herbal brightness, clean finish (Lintong).

This new lot of Sumatran Mandheling G1 is from the country’s coffee cradle of Simalungun and Karo nestled in the volcanic highlands of North Sumatra. Batak families nurture small plots using ancestral agroforestry methods that harmonize with the pulse of the region’s rainforest. The Karo Community Coop unites these smallholders, empowering them to merge tradition with innovation: pooling resources, sharing generational wisdom, and refining techniques to elevate quality.

Our taste test delivered a dense, pleasant, smooth acidity via the V60 brew method at a City roast. A gentle, smoky aftertaste revealed the anticipated dark chocolate undertones. Overall, a much more balanced and less bitter coffee than the usual profiles we associate with this region. Can’t wait to try this one as a latte or Cortado. Roasting quirk: we stopped at the first crack (City) as the beans appeared darker than expected. The taste was super nice here. Lighter roasts are a go for this one.

TASTING NOTES
Fruity, Orange Citrus, Gentle Herbal Earthiness, Long Clean Smoky Finish

QUICK NOTES

REGION: Simalungun, Karo
FARMS: Simalungun & Karo Community Coop
PROCESS: Semi-Washed, Wet-Hulled
DRYING: Sun-dried on patio
ALTITUDE: 1,200 - 1,300 masl.
VARIETAL: Ateng (Sigarar Utang)
GRADE: 1
ROAST RECOMMENDATION: Light to Medium. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: https://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.

Note: The Coffee of the Week roasted option is exclusively offered as a choice of three roast profiles: City, Full City and/or Vienna.