Any coffee enthusiast with respect for themselves is familiar with Indonesian coffee. Do you know that the characteristics and operations of each island can be quite different?
Sulawesi Coffee is a prime illustration of the contrasts in the landmasses of this archipelago.
Stay and discover more info about the unique Indonesian coffee, how it tastes, and where to procure premium beans.
Sulawesi 101
Let’s start with what, or rather where, Sulawesi is. For those of you who haven’t attended a geography course recently (or one that taught you information other than identifying all 50 US states), Sulawesi is an island belonging to Indonesia. Indonesia is made up of several islands and one area, in particular, is located south of the Philippines, across the Celebes Sea. It is an area that has an unusual form.
Sumatra is an island that is one of the four Greater Sunda Islands and has four distinct peninsulas. This island is significantly hilly and mountainous, so it tends to be simpler to navigate the coastal seas and bays in comparison to traversing via land. In addition, Sulawesi is composed of six regions: North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi.
On Coffee
In many areas of the globe, there is no definitive narrative about how coffee appeared in Sulawesi. However, we do have a couple of guesses. It is likely that the Dutch were responsible for introducing the coffee plant to Indonesia in the 1700s.
Gradually, the espresso plants did very well because of the pleasant atmosphere and eventually expanded to other Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi. Nevertheless, this locale’s coffee stayed quite obscure in the worldwide market until the late 1970s.
Coffee Culture
Lately, people in Sulawesi have encouraged building a more well-established cafe environment to link their citizens to the coffee beans they harvest. It is becoming more frequent in regions which have typically shipped out a huge amount of their goods.
By bringing coffee shops to places like Toraja, farmers have the chance to get rid of the middlemen who frequently provide them with meager compensation for their goods, and can instead benefit from and contribute to the local economy.
Flavor Profile
No matter the province, there tend to be some similarities that you will encounter across the island. The assortment of flora consists of Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara and the collection period is taking place between July and September.
The smell of this dish is a potent, earthy aroma with an occasional soft touch of almond and cocoa. The bodies of the substances tend to be substantial and heavy, with an exceptional richness accompanied by limited acidity. In addition, tastes can range from more earthy types with spiciness, nuttiness, or smokiness to flavors that are on the fruitier side with a hint of natural sugary sweetness.
The flavor of Sulawesi coffee is created through the last stage of their processing. The majority of coffee from this area is processed using wet-hulling, which will be discussed further on.
Regional Run-Down
Did you know that while the majority of coffee grown in Indonesia is Robusta, up to 95% of the coffee produced in Sulawesi is Arabica? You can anticipate that the beans from this region are of excellent quality.
Toraja
This is the biggest growing region in Sulawesi. This area has land composed of volcanic matter, and it is mostly made up of mountainous terrain.
White Eagle
The most popular Toraja variety is White Eagle coffee. This is a form of Arabica that is akin to the original-sprouting Typica plants from Ethiopia. These plants are more than two centuries old, and their beans are known to be of the highest quality Sulawesi coffee.
Due to their being grown non-artificially and somewhat randomly, the yearly yield is not very large. Normally, only 300 to 600 sacks of coffee are made, so this type of bean is comparatively uncommon in the overall market.
Not only are there a declining number of these beans but it is also hard to process and export. The remote growing sites necessitate that the only method of hauling the products is by horse over the hilly terrain. This journey could take as long as 4 days.
The beans in question are usually kept away from other beans to make sure they keep their originality.
Best Sulawesi Coffee
Sadly, Sulawesi coffee is not especially well-known and isn’t a significant focus in the region, making it hard to locate reliable retailers to purchase it from. Although the business in that region has not yet improved drastically, we have some ideas we suggest you look at.
Volcanica Toraja Sulawesi White Eagle Coffee
Volcanic’s item is suggested first; it is sustainably sourced, has Fair Trade certification, and is acknowledged by the Rainforest Alliance. These Toraja Sulawesi White Eagle beans have been cooked at a medium heat level and will give you an effortless taste with a delightful follow-up.
This coffee is produced without the use of any artificial fertilisers or pesticides and is sourced from native Toraja trees that can usually be found in secluded areas in Ethiopia (a place widely seen as the inception of coffee). These trees are more than two and a half centuries old and a jungle foliage is covering them.
The beans may be minuscule in size, however the flavour they offer is worth the effort. The beans of this distinctive type are kept apart from all the other types of beans to protect the quality of the variety.
Coffeebean Direct Sulawesi Kalossi Coffee
Now we have the pleasure of offering Sulawesi Kalossi coffee from CoffeeBean Direct. The vegetation is cultivated in soil composed of ash and other volcanic materials from a region located at high elevation close to the town of Kalossi. These beans are slow-roasted to a nice, light roast.
The acidity level of the beans is quite low, which is a fantastic discovery for a light roast (especially for those with delicate stomachs). This beverage has a strong, soil-like flavor with hints of berries. If you would rather have something a bit stronger, they have a Dark Roast option.
Coffeebean Direct Sulawesi Kalossi Coffee
This is another Toraja ” White Eagle” offering. These white eagle beans have a pleasant taste, a velvety texture, and a desirable sweet finish. This is a medium roasted coffee offering a blend of subtle earthy flavors with a hint of strawberry and cocoa.
These coffee beans also have the same certifications as Volcanica’s: Fair Trade Certified, Shade Grown, and Rainforest Alliance Certified. The vegetation is cultivated at an altitude of 4,300 feet and the wet-hulling method, typically used for Sulawesi legumes, is employed.
A Tale of Two Origins
The Dutch East India Company
Prior to 1690, it would have been difficult to locate coffee grown outside of Yemen as it was a monopoly owned by them. Occasionally when the Dutch East India Company had an input, smuggling was not far behind.
The second the Dutch got the coffee saplings away from Mocha’s port, they ended Yemeni command over the exchange.
In just a few years, the Dutch had taken hold of the region and the Dutch Governor of Malabar relocated them to Jakarta in 1696.
From that point, the coffee seedlings were transported to Enrekang.
A Sacred Religious Pilgrimage
By the year 1500, Indonesia was already predominantly Islamic. The inhabitants of the area had taken on the five principles of faith for a long time, one of which is the Hajj.
Hajj is a sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims are expected to take such a journey at least once during their lifetime if they are able to.
Many in Indonesia are unlikely to be able to complete the voyage on their own, as it is a series of islands, but it is certainly feasible.
It is said that in 1920, a Dutch plantation owner encountered coffee shrubs that were at least three centuries old while in Sulawesi.
The first evidence of coffee tree seedlings planted by the Dutch was discovered in 1690, which is 70 years after it was believed to have originated.
Doesn’t the Torajan word for coffee, “kaa,” sound a bit like the Arabic word for coffee, “qahwa”?
Some linguists think so too.
It is possible that the people who lived in the area brought the coffee bean to the region in the early to mid-1600s. It can be said that the tradition of making coffee in Toraja existed before the arrival of the Dutch.
A Stunning Island and the Perfect Coffee Climate
In any scenario, the young trees that were brought to Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes) did extremely well. Sulawesi’s warm climate, with temperatures ranging from 73°F to 88°F, provided an ideal environment for the new crop.
The volcanic ash added essential nutrients to the soil, and the elevation resulted in the coffee bean’s sugars growing more intensely.
In Sulawesi’s region for coffee production, the green beans produced a particularly creamy, robust, and soil-like taste that made Toraja coffee popular in the 1800s, compared to other options.
Celebes, Kalossi, and Toraja – What’s in a Name?
There are some wrong ideas about labels, so let’s clear them up. Toraja coffee is commonly referred to as Celebes Kalossi, Sulawesi Kalossi, or simply Kalossi, no matter where it was grown. Where do the labels originate?
- Celebes: The colonial name for the island of Sulawesi. Sometimes you can see Celebes on coffee labels alone.
- Kalossi: Kalossi coffee takes its name from a small trading center. The town goes back to colonial times, and it’s located halfway between Enrekang and Toraja.
- Toraja: The northern area of Southern Sulawesi. It’s part of Suwalesi’s coffee belt, where the island highlands peak the highest above sea level (up to 6,000 feet/1,800 meters). Green coffee grows best: full of flavor and with less acidity.
A Most Coveted Coffee: Single Origin Sulawesi Toraja
Sure, Sulawesi coffee is delicious. It’s smooth, and full-bodied. The best Toraja coffees are incredibly rich in taste. What makes Indonesian coffee stand out from the rest of the great coffee grown in that country?
Sumaatra’s coffee is notably flavorful, pungent, and has an outstanding body. What are the benefits of selecting Sulawesi coffee beans over ones from Sumatra?
You see, it’s all about the altitudes. Coffee cultivated in the Torajan highlands at heights of around 3,900 to 6,000 feet develops into maturity. It develops a brighter taste.
Coffee beans from Sulawesi can offer subtler flavors with a nice tartness and a bit of sweetness that differ from the ones from Sumatra. Beans grow at 2,600 feet above sea level only.
And this coffee shows much more balance.
The acidic levels of the beans are comparatively low, and the taste is rich and flavourful, which makes them an ideal choice for using in a Moka pot or an espresso machine.
High quality, High Demand, Low Production
Even though the conditions are perfect, only a small amount of high grade coffee beans come from Sulawesi. This can be attributed to a lack of economic planning.
Certain foreign investors made an effort to replace this blank however the results were varied since extensive agriculture farming and unsustainable techniques exacerbated ecological problems.
The majority of activity related to foreign investors is focused on seven coffee plantations, which make up a tiny portion of Sulawesi’s coffee harvest.
Coffee that is sourced from Sulawesi is grown on small-scale farms in the elevated regions away from roadways, comprising of an estimated 75,000 farms that collectively produce an annual yield of 400 pounds per farm.
Five Main Coffee Growing Regions
Approximately 8% of the global coffee supply is produced by Indonesia, and 95% of the Indonesian-grown product is Robusta variety. Still, Sulawesi produces most of Indonesia’s Arabica output.
In spite of its modest size, the Sulawesi coffee sector varies extensively depending on region.
Let’s take a look at how many differences there are in Sulawesi coffee regions:
Tana Toraja
This place is renowned for producing the best coffee, and nearly all of it (95%) is of the Arabica variety. Traditional farming techniques and limited reliance on fungicides result in the highest caliber of Torajan coffee beans. That’s the spot to check out if you’re looking for heirloom coffee trees. The so-called Sulawesi Kalossi comes from here.
Mamas
The mountains of this area are the least elevated in Sulawesi and have the same issues with soil erosion as Enrekang. It is increasingly challenging to cultivate coffee in this region, as there is limited infrastructure and the goods produced here must be transported to other areas.
The remoteness of Mamasa villages makes accessing resources difficult. Products may be damaged during transport due to the long periods of time it could take to reach a trading destination, whether walking or driving. Through that way, beans end up at mills and distribution points.
Enrekang is the area with the longest history of producing coffee from Sulawesi. The port gives it a significance which surpasses the other coffee-growing areas. That is why foreign investors prefer this location.
The infrastructure here is more advanced than the other places on the island, which is the purpose for it. Unfortunately, the coffee farms in this area are having problems with soil erosion due to the overuse of intensive farming procedures and the absence of sustainable development projects.
Gowa & Sinjal
This area contributes a massive amount of coffee beans, however, the standard cannot be compared to those of the northern regions.