Indonesian Muhlisin (Roaster's Special)

Region: East Java Province

District: Tlogosari Village, Argopuro, Sumbermalang District, Situbondo Regency

 
Variety: Arabica Lini S795, Kartika

Elevation: 1200-1400 A.S.L

Soil Type: Volcanic (Argopuro Volcano)

Processing: Natural

Roast profile: Medium Roast

Tasting notes: Plump Purple Grapes. Refreshing Cola. Bubble Gum.

Acidity: Winey

Body: Syrupy

Tasting Experience

As a pourover, expect grape jam and Intense blackcurrants notes to hit your palate followed by a cola sweetness and lingering pleasant aftertaste of grape bubblegum. Truly an outstanding representation of a natural process east java coffee!

As an espresso, expect a full-on blackberry, cherry, and molasses jam! If you underextract, you can enjoy a sweet winey acidity, extract further and you'll notice the acidity tunes to a refreshing cola note,  further extraction and it becomes like a sweetened grape cola.

Farm Information

Dutch colonists used to plant huge estates of Robusta coffee, but the demand for Arabica and need for small producers to differentiate their coffee has driven innovation in processing and different microlots appearing.

In 2014, Pak Muhlisin gathered and educated local producers on new processing methods and varietals he learned from formal university training to improve the quality of coffee. As a young boy, he was raised in the Tlogosari Village before pursuing agricultural science and farming at the Brawijaya University, Malang. He continue to pursue his interest in coffee production at the Institut Pertanian Bogor before returning home to share his knowledge.

To supplement their income, the microlot producers also grow tobacco, tea, sengon and fruit trees (mango & guava) while raising cattle on the side. A total of 200 producers individually own farms from 0.5ha to 0.75ha.

During harvesting, cherries are handpicked and processed at the Pokmas Walida Wet Mill. Floated in water to remove floaters, the cherries are evenly spread out on covered raised beds for 15 days before moving to tarped patios to dry for another 10 days. The cherries are regularly raked to prevent mould. Once the target moisture content has been reached, the beans are transported to the dry milled to be hulled.