Sumatra - Aceh Tengah Organic

Coffee: Aceh Tengah Organic
Farm: Various small growers in Aceh Tengah region (Aceh Province)
Varietal(s): N/A
Processing: Semi-washed (handpulped)
Owner: Various small growers
City/Town: N/K
Region: Aceh Tengah (Aceh Province)
Country: Sumatra
Certification: Organic (UK4)

This coffee is grown in the northwest region of Aceh Tengah. The province of Aceh in Indonesia is divided into regencies which in turn are divided administratively into sub districts, known as Kecamantan.

Coffee is farmed on 1.5-2 acre plots by individual farmers that form part of a cooperative. Each farmer depulps and washes their own coffee then transports the wet parchment to a central drying mill where it is hulled and sundried on elevated tables. This unique processing method gives the beans their distinct flavour.

In cupping and drinking this coffee you can't help but wonder how such quality can be produced in the face of so much adversity.

Not wanting to beat the history drum too loud - but from 1976-2005 farmers have had to deal with the conflict between the Free Aceh Movement fighting against Indonesian government forces in the Aceh Insurgency costing over 15,000 lives - many of them farmers and their families caught up in the conflict.

Then in 2004 Aceh was the closest point of land to the epicentre of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which triggered a tsunami that devastated much of the western coast of the region, including part of the capital of Banda Aceh.

In the disaster 226,000 Indonesians were killed or went missing and approximately 500,000 were left homeless, with these casualties particularly pronounced in Aceh. Many being coffee plantation farmers and skilled workers.

This event helped trigger the peace agreement between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, mediated by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, with the signing of a MoU on August 15, 2005. With the assistance of the European Union through the Aceh monitoring mission as of December 2005, the peace has held and hence we are now able to have consistant quality coffee again.

Aceh Tengah is located at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level - a lot of coffee is planted in shade using avocado trees as canopy and to prevent soil erosion. Normal harvest occurs through September - December each year.

Coffee, from Sumatra

N/A

Tasting Notes: The cup Exhibits - mild acidity - creamy mouthfeel - full body - denotes of raspberry - sweet tobacco - well balanced sweetness - smoky background.