Hello Sideyard Friends,

Indonesia coffee producers don’t produce a lot of naturally processed coffees because it’s notoriously difficult to patio dry the cherries in such humid climates. Imagine trying to line dry laundry in a rainstorm. The other thing that makes this week’s coffee extra special is that it’s sorted to Grade 1 Triple Picked. Grade 1 is the highest standard for speciality coffee in Sumatra and triple picked means it’s been meticulously sorted for quality after harvesting.

Even with excellent sorting and meticulous drying, this coffee was a free spirit in the roaster. The first batch was very uneven and darker than I was aiming for. As a result, we have some “first batch” coffee available this week. They’re priced at $12 for 12oz—a steal for anyone who likes a darker edge in their cup.

After two days rest, the cup tastes like how it behaved in the roaster—a little wild! For now, the main notes are tamarind (tangy/sweet/apricot/date), and honey. There’s a lighter/brighter aspect of hibiscus/strawberry in the aroma and in the cup as it cools as well. When brewing, the wet grounds release a sweet earthy note (more like a wet-hulled Sumatra) that might emerge more in the cup over the coming week.

We have two spares from this week’s Sumatra (in stock on the site) and two yet from last week’s Peru (reply here to purchase).

This week’s origin track recommendation matches funk with funk. Salah Tingkah from the 1970s funk pop group Aria Yunior.

Cheers,
Ryan