We've said it before, and we'll say it again: our friends at Quaffee are quite choosey. It's one of the things we love about them. If they don't find a coffee from an origin that they like, they simply don't offer coffee from that origin. Despite one of the widest selections of specialty single-origin coffees available in South Africa, there are sometimes noticeable "omissions" from Quaffee's list, typically a result of the coffees from that country not pleasing their palates on the cupping table that season.

Over the years, we've learned to take notice when coffee shows up on Quaffee's offering list, from an origin we haven't seen in a while. Sumatra is just such an origin. It's not entirely surprising either; the reality is that most Sumatran coffee is commodity grade, and even among higher-end Arabica lots, flavour profiles can be hit or miss. The preferred Sumatran processing method, Giling Bisah or semi-washed, sometimes creates less desirable flavour profiles, though it can also create quite delicious ones when executed just right.

This is the third ever Sumatran coffee Quaffee has felt is worth roasting and sharing, over the ~9 years we've worked with them, so we have no doubt that it is going to be worth a try. We have been fortunate enough to try enjoy a few semi-washed coffees of the Gayo variety from the producers near the Takengon River, courtesy of some of our other roasting partners, and they have always been examples of Sumatran coffee at its best.

Phaedon's tasting notes

Well that wasn't what I was expecting! I love it when a coffee completely undermines my preconceived notions; it reminds me of why I thought it would be fun to get into this specialty coffee thing in the first place.

This is a semi-washed coffee, but I really wouldn't say it has a semi-washed flavour profile. It's quite bright, tangy, and even effervescent. Its flavours aren't really earthy; they're more citrusy, or even a little stone fruity. It reminds me a little of an orange soda - not the super sweet kind, the slightly more sophisticated European kind, if you will. It's quite something.

For best results, I'd throw this one into a batch brew, or break out the trusty siphon. Don't expect a lot of sweetness, but prepare for a fair bit of intrigue, and some perspective shifts about Sumatran coffee. What more could you ask for?

Quaffee's notes

Asian coffee has been a challenge for us. While the traditional commodity-grade coffees are a dime a dozen, good Asian coffee has been harder for us to source. We love the variety that this Sumatran coffee offers us as coffee lovers.

• Taste Profile:  When tasting it reminded us of red grapefruit lightly sprinkled with brown spice and sugar.
• Roast Used: A gentle bump and kick profile that produced the grapefruit acidity.
• Roast degree: Light
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.4 (27sec)
• AeroPress: 17g:200g (medium)
• Plunger: 48g:800g
• Pour over/filter: 18g:300g (45+3mins)

Coffee details from Quaffee

Arinagata Cooperative produces and exports the Gayo variety of Arabica Coffee. It specialises in Organic Coffee and Fair Trade coffee. Furthermore, the Cooperative works with 1.820 selected coffee farmers. They have 1.831,5 hectares of coffee plantations in 32 villages. The villages are in Aceh Tengah district of Aceh Province, Indonesia. The Cooperative started in 2006 and can produce 62 containers per year on average.

Arinagata has had Organic certification from Control Union since 2007 (CU 807170). It also has Fairtrade International certification since 2008 (FLO ID 18296).

• Producer: Arinagata Cooperative 
• Farmers: Cooperative represents 1,820 farmers each having on average half – one hectare. This lot is from producers near the Takengon River.
• Region: Aceh Province, North Sumatra, Indonesia
• Country: Indonesia
• Altitude: 1,200-1,800 masl
• Processing: Semi-washed / wet-hulled
• Species/Variety: 100% Arabica Gayo (or Tim-Tim)
• Packaging: Jute bag

Quaffee's transparency information

• FOB Price: €9.61/kg € :ZAR on time of payment was 1:20.61
• Cupping score: 84.25 (from Trabocca)
• Sourced from: Trabocca
• Lot size bought: 1 x 60 kg bag (Batch: PBO210623-01)
• Relationship: This is our first coffee from this co-operative
• Certifications: Organic & Fair Trade