Indonesia - Bener Kelipah, Central Sumatera Coffee

Indonesia’s Central Sumatera Coffee is the country's 2023 Cup of Excellence Top 5 Awardee. It is the dream agri-venture of a close-knit and steadily growing team of passionate coffee people helmed by Enzo Sauqi. Their focus is to deliver extraordinarily delightful and inspiring coffee experiences through traceable, sustainable, and mindfully produced Aceh-grown varieties.

Since traditionally processed coffees from Indonesia have typically been described and remembered as earthy, nutty, possibly chocolatey, and with hints of spice — Central Sumatera Coffee has taken the initiative to explore and implement innovative, and even unorthodox, post-harvest processing techniques to diversify the flavor profiles and broaden the sensory horizons of what Aceh-grown coffees could be well-recognized for.

The CSC team has been trailblazing pathways with techniques such as Hydro-Natural, Anaerobic Natural, and Age-dried Natural, where the innovation lies in fine-tuning parameters for harvesting cherries, controlling exposure to oxygen, and adjusting fermentation times — and further on with experiments in co-fermentation.

In Aceh, Indonesia, Typica and Abyssinia are two significant Arabica coffee varieties with distinct histories and characteristics. Typica, one of the oldest Arabica varieties, was introduced by the Dutch and has been cultivated in Aceh’s highlands. Despite challenges like coffee leaf rust, strains such as Bergendal and Sidikalang—believed to be Typica descendants—continue to be grown. The variety is recognized for its tall, conical growth and refined cup quality, though it generally has lower yields.

Abyssinia, meanwhile, was introduced to Indonesia in the late 1920s and later cultivated in Aceh. It has been grown in regions such as Pegasing, Pantan Musara, and parts of the Gayo highlands. This variety is known for its tall, wide growth and elongated beans. It is valued for its bright acidity and distinct fruit notes, offering a contrast to the heavier-bodied coffees typically associated with the region.

Both varieties contribute uniquely to Aceh’s coffee landscape, adding diversity in cultivation and flavor.