Telong Reserve: Sumatra, Indonesia

Description

Juicy blackberry and bright tangerine, rounded out by a soft trace of chocolate, with remarkably little bitterness. This natural from the slopes of Mount Burni Telong in Sumatra's Aceh Province is a departure from the Sumatra you think you know: clean, bright and fruit-forward, from a new generation of smallholder growers reworking what this storied region can taste like.

Origin

Smallholder farmers grow this coffee at about 5,900 feet on the volcanic slopes of Burni Telong. Most Sumatran coffee is wet-hulled, which gives the region its familiar heavy, earthy cup. This lot is instead a natural, with cherries dried slowly in thin, hand-turned layers over 27 days, nearly triple the typical drying window. That patience produces the sweetness and clarity that set it apart.

Source

• Region: Burni Telong, Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
• Producers: Smallholder farmers
• Varieties: Typica, Gayo 2 and Abyssinia
• Elevation: Approximately 5,900 ft (1,800 m)
• Process: Natural, 27-day slow dry in thin, hand-turned layers
• Grade: Grade 1 (specialty)
• Tasting notes: Blackberry, tangerine and chocolate

Roast and brewing guidance

Choose medium for tangerine, blackberry and chocolate, or dark for a chocolate-led cup with a hint of fruit. It stays clean across both roast levels.

We suggest medium for pour-over, AeroPress and French press, and medium or dark for automatic drip, cold brew, moka pot and espresso. These are starting points, not limits.

For brewed coffee other than espresso or moka pot, start with 10 g of ground coffee per 150 ml of water, or 15 g per 225 ml. Adjust grind or contact time to suit your brewer and taste.

For espresso, start with 18 g of coffee for medium and dark roasts and target a 36-42 g beverage yield, roughly a 1:2 ratio. For medium roasts, aim for an extraction time of 25-35 seconds; for dark roasts, 17-25 seconds. If a medium roast tastes sour, raise the brew temperature (if your machine supports it) or increase the yield toward 40-42 g. For dark roasts, tune out bitterness by shortening the extraction time with a coarser grind.

For moka pot, fill the filter basket level to the top without tamping or compressing, and adjust the grind so it fills cleanly. For a 150 ml (3-cup) pot, that is about 15 g of coffee, roughly a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio. Fill the water to just below the safety valve, and follow your brewer's basket and water-fill limits.

Roasted to order. Rest it your way.

We roast your coffee to order and ship it the day after roasting. That gives you the chance to experience a fresh roast as it develops, or plan ahead and rest it for the way you brew.

There isn't one peak-flavor window for every coffee. Roast level and brewing method both matter. Espresso often benefits from more rest, and lighter roasts may need longer to open up. Taste your coffee over several days to find the balance you enjoy.

Keep the bag tightly sealed in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight.