The natural version of the Pantan Musara washed!
Sumatran coffees are known for their distinct earthy, savoury and herbaceous characteristics, because of an unusually short drying time, due to the wet and humid climate.
Containing the largest volcanic lake in the world, Aceh, a geographically diverse region in northern Sumatra, is an incredible region for coffee production. 80% of the producers here are women and 95% of producers are smallholders, with the average farm size being one hectare.
This microlot coffee comes from Asman Gayo mill, a small mill run by cup of excellence winner, Asman Arianto. The mill serves several small coffee producers within the Pantan Musara villages, and is one of very few Sumatran mills that produces both washed and natural coffees.
Natural coffees are typically processed the day they are harvested, and are first sorted for ripeness and quality before being rinsed clean of debris. In many places this initial sorting happens via a float tank: Damaged and defective cherries will float to the top to be removed, while high-quality coffee will sink to the bottom to be cleaned and dried. After sorting, cherries are spread on raised drying beds, tables, tarps, or patios, where they will be rotated constantly throughout the course of drying. Drying can take an average of 30–40 days, depending on the weather.
