Mitalena Coffee

Coffee of Asia

The coffees of Asia are considered some of the most renowned coffees of the world. Among the major coffee producing countries of Asia are Indonesia, India and Yemen Arab Republic.   In the Indonesian Archipelago there are three islands that are known to produce world class coffee. These single origin coffees are distinctively spicy, lightly acidic, with deep tones which produces a vivacious, earthy, and rich flavor. Asian coffee growing business was strongly correlated with the spice trade of India. Arabian traders from Yemen during the 1600’s introduced the coffee bean to Indonesia, and after that, the Dutch colonials started coffee plantations and included coffee business alongside their spice trade with Europe. The Island of Java is where the Dutch first began production and trade in the mid 17th Century resulting in a universal name for coffee. The phrase “cup of java” is used for any coffee varietals. The other two coffee producing islands are Sumatra and Sulawesi, or Celebes which was the former name. Celebes Kalossi is an excellent quality gourmet coffee because of its elegance which is set apart from other Indonesian coffee. Sumatra has two major growing regions: Mandheling and Lintong. Sumatran beans are very powerful and particularly the coffee beans that are originated from Mandheling, which are said by connoisseurs, to be the world's most full bodied coffee. Like India, Indonesia is expected to produce a lighter colored bean with a spicy flavor. This, of course, is because of the same climatic conditions. The topography and the climate conditions in the Asian pacific are a perfect picture of green volcanic mountains engulfed with rain and humid environment, which are ideal elements for growing fine coffee. These ideal elements of growing coffee will further enhance the quality of coffee when stored together with spices in a high humidity warehousing that produces cross contamination and providing spicy flavor with low acidity coffee. These storage areas are designed to be covered from direct rain but side open to allow monsoon winds carrying moisture to mingle flavor of spice with coffee and give coffee the flavor which is famous for. Until lately, the government of Indonesia used to store the coffee beans for aging process in open warehouses for more than a year. This storing method resulted in less sought after flavors in coffee. As a result, popularity for the unique, aged flavor dropped, although it is still produced. Aged coffee is labeled “Old Government”, “Old Brown”, or “Old Java”. Coffee loses acidity and gains body with age, depending on the manner in which it was stored. Most coffees are roasted light to medium for exceptional flavor. Certain coffees, however, tolerate more heat than others and some coffee beans excel in dark roast. These types of coffee are exhibited in the quality of Espresso and Dark Roast Category. Check out our roasted coffees of Asia and green coffees of Asia at www.mitalenacoffee.com

Mitalena Coffee: Coffee of Asia