Sumatra Weh Ilang Gayo G1 Wet-Hulled

Weh Ilang G1 TP | Sumatran Unroasted Coffee

The Weh Ilang area is situated in one of the highest valleys in Takengon, a town in the highlands of Aceh. The lofty altitudes at 1600masl and cold temperatures in the evening curb the coffee ripening process. This allows more fruit sugars and sweetness to develop in the beans.

Abdul Karim and Samsudin, the farmers contributing to this lot, utilize organic practices in farming (even though this lot is not certified). Like many ethnic Gayo farmers, primarily grow Gayo 1 and Gayo 2 varietals. Although their origins are not well-documented, many believe that Gayo 1 is a strain of the Timor variety, while Gayo 2 shares similar characteristics to Timor and Bourbon. Both are commonly found throughout the highlands of this popular coffee region. The cup profile tends to be lighter-bodied than Mandheling coffees from further east.

Sumatran coffee production has a long history, extending to the 17th century when the Dutch East India Company imported coffee plants to Indonesia. Sumatra, Indonesia’s westernmost island, is home to a wide range of tropical flora, fauna, and microclimates. Farms on Sumatra are typically 0.5 to 2.5 hectares scattered across remote regions, connected by a network of collectors, processors, traders, and exporters to the global market.

What Is Wet Hulled Coffee Processing (Giling Basah)?

The wet-hulled coffee process, locally known as Giling Basah, is the method of choice in Indonesia due to the humid climate. The wet-hulled process has become synonymous with Indonesian coffees and contributes to its unique cup profile.

In the wet-hulled process, coffee cherries are generally depulped at the farm level using hand-cranked machines. The cherries are then fermented overnight to help break down the mucilage, which is subsequently washed off. Afterwards, the coffee is quick-dried to 30-50% moisture and dried to between 11%-13% as it makes its way through the supply chain into an exporter’s mill.

Sumatra Coffee Quality

Green coffee from Sumatra is classified into different grades depending on the number of defects present in an unroasted coffee sample of 300 grams. The highest, Grade 1 TP, signifies that the coffee was triple-picked, referring to how many times the beans were hand-sorted, and less than five defects were found per sample. Similarly, Grade 1 DP (double-picked) signifies less than nine defects were present. For a Grade 1 Indonesia green coffee without a TP or DP mark, less than 11 defects were found per sample. The grading system spans grades 1 to 6.

Indonesian Green Coffee

The key Indonesian green coffee regions are Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, West Java, Bali, and Flores. Green coffee from Java is exceptionally well-known for its role in disseminating Indonesian coffee production throughout the archipelago. In contrast to the long history of coffee from regions like Sulawesi and Sumatra, green coffee from Bali, a relatively newer coffee region in Indonesia, mainly produces small-batch, limited-scale coffee quantities.