Brewing Up Local Interest in Indonesia’s Gourmet Coffee

Robusta coffee beans are roasted at the Losari Coffee Plantation in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010. (Bloomberg Photo/Dimas Ardian)

Indonesia has long been known as a powerhouse in the global coffee trade. The country is the fourth largest coffee exporter in the world and last year alone it exported over 425,000 tons of coffee worth over $1.2 billion, most of which were of the Arabica and Robusta varieties. But while Arabica coffees like Luwak, Toraja Kalosi and Mandailing are fast becoming household names overseas, the Indonesian public still seem to be missing out on the hype.

Bogor Agricultural Institute lecturer Ade Wachjar pointed out that consumption of gourmet or specialty coffee in Indonesia is among the lowest in the world at less than a kilogram per person in 2012. This figure is a far cry from neighboring countries like Malaysia at over two kilograms or Vietnam with over one kilogram.
Indonesia’s consumption also pales in comparison to countries elsewhere in the world. Finland tops coffee consumption figures with over 12 kilograms, followed by Germany with seven kilograms and Brazil at 6 kilograms.

The JJ Royal Coffee company highlighted this fact during the launch of their newest product, JJ Royal Kopi Tubruk or black coffee.

“JJ Royal Kopi Tubruk is made of specialty grade one, or premium coffee, throughout Indonesia. Their packaging and reasonable price is designed to make gourmet coffee more accessible to the Indonesian public,” said JJ Royal Coffee president director Yusuf Sumartha during the event, which was also attended by bestselling author Dewi “Dee” Lestari and Indonesian rock act Andra and the Backbone.

“It is regrettable that many Indonesians are yet to enjoy our best coffee, which in turn renders them ignorant of Indonesia’s best brews,” Yusuf said. “I hope that JJ Royal Kopi Tubruk will find its way throughout Indonesia’s cities and its villages.”

He added that the sale of the premium coffee is in line with the rise of Indonesia’s middle class, particularly in recent years.

“I deplore the fact that most Indonesians drink second or third grade coffee, as the premium products are bound for export,” Dee Lestari concurred. “Coffee has always been a major part of Indonesian culture, which is something that I can personally attest to. For instance, my short story ‘The Philosophy of Coffee’ uses coffee as a metaphor that the best things in life are its simplest pleasures.”

Andra and the Backbone vocalist Dedy Lisan was just as critical.

“It seems that the government’s policy of exporting premium coffee is rooted in our agricultural policy,” he said. “For ages, we have been selling our best produce and have had to make do with the second or third rate stuff.”

JJ Royal Coffee also gave an inside glimpse of the coffee trade by holding a coffee cupping or coffee tasting. The process is almost akin to wine tasting.

“Tasters in coffee cupping set out to determine the coffee’s flavor through its aroma. This is vital, as a coffee’s taste is determined through its aroma,” explained JJ Royal Coffee product and advertising department head Clarissa Halim. “It is important that premium coffee be made of whole, flawless beans even before they are roasted. Defective beans can give the brew a sour taste if they are accidentally processed with their more wholesome counterparts.”

Though it did not take long to see Clarissa’s point, it did take a strong stomach. Coffee cupping entails trying three different brews, namely a cup of Arabica and Robusta as well as a mix of the two.

“The taster should take a sip of each coffee strain and taste it by swirling the coffee in their mouth” Clarissa explained. “They should then spit it into a cup and move to each respective coffee strain. This has to be done so that the taste of the preceding coffees would not cover up the taste of the coffees that come after them.”

She added that the taster should also take care not to swallow any bit of the coffee seed, as their strong, bitter taste would also cover the taste of other coffee brews.

While coffee cupping might be a stomach-turning proposition, it does make one view coffee in a new light.

The careful tasting revealed the Arabica’s sweetness and low acidity, while the Robusta’s highly acidic, full bodied, and strong flavor also stood out. The Arabica-Robusta mix was well blended, as it highlighted the best of the former’s sweetness with the latter’s strong flavor.

JJ Kopi Royal Tubruk has yet to prove whether it can live up to its billing of providing the Indonesian premium coffee to the public. But what is certain is that it is a step in the right direction for Indonesian coffee buffs deprived of their country’s best brews for too long. Tunggul Wirajuda, JG