Different types of coffee beans can indeed provide their own taste and aroma. Not surprisingly, because there are many factors that influence the taste of coffee itself, from the height of the place where the coffee is grown to the way the coffee beans are processed before serving to you.
According to its history, coffee first entered Indonesia in 1696 brought by Dutch troops from India. The first coffee beans that came to the archipelago were of the Arabica coffee type which was spread for planting in the highlands of various islands, such as the islands of Sumatra, Bali, and Sulawesi.
Kinds of local coffee beans with aroma and taste
The Dutch colonial government had replaced the variety with Liberika coffee, but it was also not pest resistant. Finally, in the 1900s, Robusta coffee beans were resistant to pests, had higher yields, and could be planted in the lowlands, so they quickly became a promising economic commodity.According to the American National Coffee Association (NCA), the best coffee is a type of coffee bean that comes from areas in the Coffee Bean Belt, which is between latitude 25 degrees North and 30 degrees South, one of which is Indonesia. There are many types of coffee beans in the world, but in general, there are 2 main types, namely Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee.
However, in practice, these coffees are further divided into several groups based on varieties and processing methods. Here are some types of local coffee beans that are widely consumed in Indonesia.
1. Arabica coffee
This type of coffee bean was first discovered in Ethiopia but is now widely cultivated in other parts of the world, including Indonesia. The advantages of Arabica coffee are its distinctive aroma, less sour taste, and lower caffeine compared to Robusta coffee.Unfortunately, Arabica coffee can only grow in the highlands and is less resistant to pests, so it needs extra care. This expensive production cost has an impact on the high price tag for this type of coffee.
2. Robusta coffee
contains 50-60% more caffeine than Arabica.
3. Liberika coffee
This type of coffee bean is a development of Arabica and has also been cultivated in Indonesia because it is less susceptible to pests than Arabica. However, Liberia coffee is less attractive to coffee farmers because the weight of the dry coffee beans is only 10% of the weight of wet coffee, which ultimately affects their income.
4. Gayo coffee
Gayo coffee is one of the export commodities of the special category of coffee from Indonesia which is in great demand abroad. This type of coffee bean is Arabica which is cultivated in the Gayo Highlands, Aceh and has a savory taste and a fragrant and distinctive aroma.
5. Toraja coffee
Toraja coffee is also a local export commodity from Indonesia which has high prices, especially in foreign markets. These types of coffee beans come from Tana Toraja and Enrekang which are hilly and have lowlands suitable for growing Arabica (70%) and Robusta (30%) coffee.Toraja coffee is known for its distinctive taste and aroma. In addition, this coffee also has a complex taste and a strong consistency.
6. Luwak Coffee
Kopi Luwak is a type of coffee bean that is superior due to the natural process that the coffee beans experience after they are no longer in the tree. Yes, coffee beans are eaten by civet civets, processed through the animal's digestive system, and undergo a fermentation process for approximately 12 hours in the civet's stomach. This process can improve the taste of the coffee.The coffee beans leave the civet's body as feces but are harvested by Luwak coffee farmers and processed to make it safe for humans to drink. This fermentation process is believed to make Luwak coffee beans have a distinctive aroma that cannot be replaced even by machine processing.
