Sumatran OrangUtan coffee comes from villages west of Lake Tawar, in Sumatra's Gayo Mountains. Sumatra, the world's first commercial coffee exporter, has a long, rich tradition of cultivating coffee plants. Grown at altitudes of 4,000-4,300 feet above sea level, the overwhelming majority of coffee from this stunning region is organically grown -- with few farmers even cognizant of chemical fertilizers. Most farms rely solely on the materials at their disposal, generally a mix of natural compost and animal fertilizers. The village we purchase from produces, at most, 8 coffee lots per year. While these remote farms are rarely Certified Organic, we are confident that the lot we roast (Gajah lot 36) is naturally grown and eco-friendly. Beans from the Gayo region are harvested by hand and semi-washed before being semi-dried. Semi-wash processing, a rarely used method, is excellent for beans, such as the Sumatrans, that must be preserved for long periods of time post-harvest. The Sumatra OrangUtan, grown alongside cocoa, chili, and citrus fruits, is roasted to a rich full city shade and produces a bold, earthy taste infused with strong tones of syrupy dark-chocolate, mango, and a hint of chili pepper. This coffee has a stunningly bold, permeating aroma and nice, heavy mouth-feel. For those who love strong coffee, this is a true gem! To learn more about this great coffee, check out our blog entry.
