Sampling Volcanica’s excellent Sumatra Mandheling coffee beans. The majority of exported beans are Arabica beans, which are grown at higher altitudes and boast smoother, less bitter flavor. But don’t worry: you’re unlikely to end up buying Robusta beans, as most are consumed in-country or processed into instant coffee. These highly caffeinated but more bitter beans are not considered as high-quality as Arabica beans, which make up the other 15% of Indonesia’s crops. They are known as the most unique, interesting beans that are grown in Sumatra.Ībout 85% of Indonesia’s coffee beans are of the Robusta variety. Mandheling beans are named after a local tribe, the Mandailing people. You’ve probably heard of the other major coffee region, Java, which is so well-known that people use its name interchangeably with coffee. Sumatra is the sixth-largest island in the world and one of the country’s most famous coffee-producing regions.

Did you know that Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest coffee producer? The country, which is made up of over 17,000 islands, currently produces 8% of the world’s coffee.

Roasting sumatra coffee beans