MEET THE PRODUCERS | Hamdan and Hendra Maulizar are the father-son duo behind Pegasing Washing Station, a wet mill which collects and processes coffee from about 70 smallholders in the Pegasing area of Indonesia. Hamdan moved his family to Pegasing in 2006 and started growing coffee straightaway. Four years later, his son came on board and quickly began experimenting with washed coffees and other processing methods - a feat which was altogether uncommon in an area known for rolling out conventional wet hulled coffees. Today, Hendra has created what's been deemed "an island of specialty experimentally processed coffee" in a sea of conventionally processed cups. TRUST THE PROCESS | Hendra employs 8-10 different processes at the wet mill and often decides which one to use on a particular lot based on the weather that day. For this lot, it was apparently a thermal shock kind of day! Upon arriving at the wet mill, the cherries are put through four rounds of sorting, twice through a density table and twice by hand, ensuring that only the beans of highest quality remain. Then, the cherries undergo several hours of fermentation before being washed: first, with warm or tepid water, and then suddenly with very chilly water (around 12 degrees Celsius), causing a thermal shock effect. Finally, they are spread out on raised beds in a drying tent (where temperature can be monitored) and spend 20-25 days there, being turned regularly to ensure even drying. TAKE A SIP | As a variety, Abbysinia can likely be traced back to Ethiopian landraces - and you just might mistake it for such if you cupped this coffee blind. It bears little resemblance to the majority of coffee grown in Indonesia, which is typically known for its brown spice and woody characteristics. Vibrant and complex, this coffee is equal parts exceptionally clean and amazingly sweet (like maple). Dried stone fruit and fresh orchard fruits take center stage in the cup: dried apricot, fig, and pink lady apple. With a great acid structure and lovely tactile experience, this coffee is a true testament to the work that Hamden and Hendra are doing in Pegasing. Lots like this one have shown us that they are able to maintain - and exceed! - quality expectations even as their scale has increased sharply in recent years. ___________________________________________________________________________ Origin | Pegasing, Indonesia Producer | smallholders in Pegasing Washing Station | Pegasing Washing Station Process | Thermal Shock Washed Variety | Abbysinia Elevation | 1400-1700 masl
