Indonesia is one of the top producers of coffee beans that is a commercial exporter of coffee in the globe. The history of Indonesian coffee goes back to 4 hundred years ago.
Unfortunately, this history is mixed with a dark period of colonialism and the spread of disease in this country.
But after its independence, coffee is still cultivated and used as a drink in the daily life of Indonesian people. In fact, nowadays, Indonesia ranks 4th among the biggest coffee producers in the world. These countries are brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia respectively which produce most coffee in the globe.
As Indonesia has one of the most expensive coffee types in the globe, we want to have a look at the history of coffee in this country and describe different types of coffee in the region by introducing several types of specialty coffee.
read more: How To Grow A Coffee Plant At Home
Also, by exploring the taste of Indonesian coffee, we’ll give you a better idea about how they taste like.
So, if you want to find the answer for questions like:
- How Indonesia became one of the top coffee producers in the globe?
- What does Indonesian coffee taste like?
- What are the different types of Indonesian coffee?
Let’s dive a bit more. Perhaps, you could understand what coffee is famous in Indonesia and why:
Contents
History of Indonesian coffee
Equational or subtropical regions have the best conditions for cultivating coffee cultivars. So, countries that are located in regions like Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia most likely have the ideal conditions for growing coffee.
Indonesia which is located in southeast Asia also has the required weather condition for producing coffee.
But, the important question is how coffee plants entered to Indonesia?
Dutch traders and colonialists brought coffee plant to this region around 4 hundred years ago.
Java was the first island in the country which produced coffee in southeast Asia. It worth mentioning that city Jakarta is in this island.
In 1699. Plantation of coffee all around the city began and 12 years later the first export from the city were underway.
After several years, the java became one of the best coffee producers in the globe.
European people were among the major importers and buyers of java coffee beans. They preferred to brew their coffee by using the bean exported from modern-day Indonesia rather than other cultivars.
As a country with thousands of islands, very soon the plantation of coffee spread all over the region. And, after a century, the industry boomed in Sumatra.
soon, Celebes, Bali, and Timor as well as many smaller islands became a coffee bean producer in southeast Asia.
But, unfortunately the plantation and producing coffee were under worse condition for native people who were suffering from starvation, poverty by living under inhumane condition.
So, wherever you could a coffee farm, you could see poor people working without having access to a descent food.
In other word, Dutch owners had no merci and were demanding hard work with giving the least to native people.
This is the tragic story of native people in Indonesia and is considered as a dark history for coffee cultivation in the country.
But, as the industry grew, the infrastructures like railways, shipping, and roads brought about a new era that finally lead to the independence of the country.
In 1942, Dutch people left Indonesia and in 1945 after second world war the Japanese left the country as well, giving the country a new birth and a chance to become an independent country.
Now, Indonesia is the 4th producer of coffee in the globe which exports different types of coffee to the global market. Of course, some of them have more fame. So, you may have heard about them.
Types of Indonesian coffee
When we want to name the different types of coffee in Indonesia, we should remember that different cultivars that grown at different lands to have slightly different properties. So, we can consider each one as a different type of coffee.
But, the most unique types of coffee in Indonesia that have special properties are as follows:
Kopi luwak
As the most expensive coffee in the globe, kopi luwak is made after digestion and excretion of coffee beans by civet. The civet (Luwak) is a native mammal that lives in southeast Asia.
Native people believe that the digestion of coffee beans by animal will make the coffee softer and smoother. It also helps in losing its bitterness.
When native workers were forbidden to take coffee for themselves, this kind of coffee were discovered in the nineteenth century allegedly.
Because, by feeding the animal, they could take the excretions.
Kopi terbalik
Kopi khop or kopi terbalik is one of other special types of coffee with a unique serving style.
You can brew and pour the coffee in a glass. Then, you should turn the glass upside down to place it on a plate.
By blowing air inside the glass which can be done by a straw, the liquid pours on the plate. then, you can drink it.
There is legend that says this type of coffee is originated from coastal area in Aceh where workers had to take a sip of coffee before going to work at sea. By turning the cup of coffee upside down, they could come back from sea and drink it.
Kopi joss
It is a kind of specialty coffee that came from Yogyakarta. Addition of a burning charcoal makes kopi joss a special coffee.
The burning charcoal can neutralize acidity of coffee and gives a caramel flavor to the drink.
Some people believe that this type of coffee also has health benefits.
it worth mentioning that Kopi Joss invented in 1960s by a local vendor. Now, in tourist areas of Yogyakarta, you can find several vendors that prepare this type of coffee.
Kopi tubruk
It is a type of rich and thick coffee which is the most popular type of coffee in Indonesia. Because, it has a simple preparation method.
To prepare kopi tubruk, you need to mix hot water or boiling water with the coffee ground. The grounds usually have a medium or very small fine size.
Then, you leave the coffee for around two minutes until the grounds precipitate at the bottom. then, you will have a perfect drink. This drink can be served by several coffee additives.
As a sweetener, it is possible to add some sugar to kopi tubruk. It also is possible to add different natural additives like ginger, cinnamon, milk, and so on.
It is important to note that this type of coffee is similar to Turkish coffee. The method you prepare the coffee is also similar. So, many believe that kopi turbuk is introduced to the country by Middle Eastern traders.
Is Indonesian coffee strong?
In Indonesia, there are different types of coffee. Some of them are stronger.
But, if we look at the different types of coffee from different countries, robusta coffee beans are considered as a one of the strong coffee in the world.
What does Indonesian coffee taste like?
It is not easy to describe the taste of Indonesian coffee. Because Indonesia has thousands of islands and each island may produce a coffee with a slightly different taste.
In fact, seasoned coffee tasters can recognize the differences between flavor of different islands flavor.
Of course several coffees have more fame in the west. So, let’s have a look at the tastes of biggest specialty well-known coffee bean produced in Indonesia:
Sumatra: It is one of beloved low acidity coffee types that has earthy flavor. This coffee has a heavy body.
Java: this coffee beans are another main cultivar that are specialty coffee products which have earthy sweetness and spiciness flavor.
Sulawesi (which sometimes referred to as Celebes): This is a less known type of specialty grade coffee that is similar to Sumatra in taste. But, this type is a bit buttery with an intense aroma and fruity taste.
Final word:
In this article, we introduced several types of coffee that are famous in Indonesia and western countries.
We hope the information provided here can help you to learn more about most famous Indonesian coffee and their history.
