We’ve come to love the coffees from this co-op so much that you can see them in our offer for the fourth year in a row. The Barokah cooperative seeks to contribute to the country’s rich tradition by diversifying its processing methods. This innovative lot processed using the anaerobic honey method provides a fruity and even slightly alcoholic cup profile.
The Farm / Processing station:
The Koerintji Barokah Bersama cooperative is made up of 320 farmers who live and farm on a plateau at the foot of Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra. Mount Kerinci is one of the many volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire. A 40,000 km long horseshoe-shaped series of 452 volcanoes that are part of an almost constant dance of eruptions and plate movements. The historic eruptions of Mount Kerinci have ensured that the surrounding area is lush and green thanks to deep reserves of fertile volcanic soil. The cooperative is run by Triyono who guides the cooperative members to process and roast their own coffee. In addition to the processing station they have a fully equipped roasting facility including a coffee tasting lab. This is especially impressive considering that the cooperative was founded in mid-2017!
Almost all farms in Sumatra are small. The average size of farms ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 hectares. Coffee is usually the main cash crop for farmers but most of them also grow intercrops alongside vegetables, potatoes and fruits. These intercrops form a substantial part of the family’s year-round diet. In addition to growing coffee as a cash crop many smallholder farmers also work as labourers on nearby tea plantations. Tea is also a major crop in this area. Larger tea plantations are often located near coffee farms. After the coffee harvest is over coffee farmers go there to pick tea leaves under hired labor. There are more and more initiatives by farmers to form cooperatives in Sumatra. Farmers did not have many levers to help get better prices for their cherries or parchment in the past. When they are in cooperatives they can share resources, organize training and negotiate better prices.
During the harvest season coffee is hand-picked with labour usually provided by immediate family. The coffee is transported to a UPH collection centre after picking. Triyono oversees activities in and around the nine UPH stations owned by the cooperative. UPH is the collection centre where the cooperative buys the coffee cherries and where the coffee is processed before being moved to the central station. It essentially functions as a small washing station. To make the operation more efficient, there is an agricultural expert who provides technical assistance and ensures that standard operating procedures are used for processing at the various stations. Each UPH is located in a different area and receives cherries from different groups of farmers.
Variety:
Andung Sari is a hybrid coffee tree that is widely grown in Sumatra. It is a cross between Caturra and HdT1343 (Timor Hybrid) and is known for its high yield and excellent cup profile. It is a dwarf plant, which means that it is relatively small and grows best at an altitude of 1,250 m above sea level or higher. It is also known for its sweetness, a desirable trait for many coffee consumers. The plant is also relatively easy to grow, making it a great choice for farmers looking for a reliable crop.
The Sigarar Utang variety was bred in the mid-1990s by the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI). It is a semi-dwarf coffee tree with dense foliage and narrow bronze-coloured leaves that is well resistant to coffee leaf rust. The result of a cross between Caturra and HdT831 (Timor Hybrid), this variety is prolific, with year-round fruit, giving credence to its name, which translates as ‘quick to repay a debt’. The variety is found throughout Sumatra and produces large grains that shrink as the plants age. Sigarar Utang has a good flavour profile, producing clean cups with herbal and fruity notes, a syrupy body and rich intensity and mouthfeel.
Processing:
In this anaerobic honey lot, cherries are first sorted by floating, then placed on raised beds where workers remove overripe, underripe and damaged cherries. The ripe cherries are then re-collected and sealed in airtight plastic bags weighing 20 kg, which are stored in a cool, dry place (at a temperature of between 18 and 22 °C) for seven days. After seven days, the beans are de-pulped and placed back on the raised beds to dry with the mucilage. The beds are placed in domes to protect the coffee from rain or harsh sunlight. The parchment is dried here for approximately 20 to 23 days. After drying, the coffee is hand-ground on a dry mill and sorted.
Our baristas notes:
Coffees from Sumatra from the Koerintji Barokah processing station has their own place in our offer every single year. This time we bought coffee processed by the honey method with extended fermentation for the filter. The coffee is pleasantly sweet and has a rather delicate, tea-like body. The body is dominated by tamarind with its pleasantly balanced acidity, a hint of cherry and cola and you can easily find the taste of black tea in the finish. The filter has a medium sweetness and a medium malic-phosphoric acidity.
Recipe for V60:
95 °C water
300ml water
20g coffee
600 micron grind (20 clicks per comandante)
0:00 40ml water
0:35 100 ml water
1:15 80ml water
1:55 80 ml water
Total time around 3:00
