Indonesia

What is kopi luwak (civet coffee), is it ethical, and how does it compare to other premium Indonesian coffees like Sumatra Mandheling?

Kopi luwak is probably the most controversial coffee in the world, and having encountered it throughout Southeast Asia, I have to be honest – the reality rarely lives up to the marketing hype. The traditional story tells of wild Asian palm civets eating coffee cherries and excreting partially digested beans that supposedly develop unique flavours through the animal’s digestive process. The theory is that enzymes in the civet’s stomach alter the proteins in the coffee beans, reducing bitterness and creating smoother flavours. However, the modern kopi luwak industry is largely built on a foundation of animal cruelty and fraud. Most commercial kopi luwak comes from civets kept in battery-cage conditions, force-fed coffee cherries, and living in absolutely miserable circumstances. I’ve seen these operations, and they’re heartbreaking. On top of the ethical issues, there’s a massive black market of fake kopi luwak – studies suggest that most “kopi luwak” sold globally is actually regular coffee beans that have never seen a civet. Even authentic, ethically-sourced kopi luwak (which does exist in tiny quantities from truly wild civets) often tastes unremarkable – earthy, musty, and lacking the complexity you’d expect for the astronomical price. Compare this to Sumatra Mandheling, which represents everything wonderful about Indonesian coffee. Grown in the highlands around Lake Toba, Mandheling beans undergo the unique wet-hulling process that creates those distinctive earthy, herbal, and full-bodied characteristics. It’s complex, affordable, and produced without any animal exploitation. If you want to experience exceptional Indonesian coffee, skip the kopi luwak marketing gimmick and seek out properly processed Sumatran coffees – they showcase the true terroir and craftsmanship of Indonesian coffee culture.

How does Indonesia’s unique wet-hulling (giling basah) processing method create the distinctive earthy, herbal flavours in Sumatran coffee?

Indonesia’s wet-hulling method is one of the most unusual processing techniques in the coffee world, and it’s responsible for those love-it-or-hate-it characteristics that make Sumatran coffee so distinctive. Having observed this process firsthand in Sumatra, I can tell you it’s unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere. Traditional wet processing removes the cherry and mucilage, then dries the beans in their parchment for weeks before hulling. But giling basah flips this timeline – farmers remove the parchment whilst the beans are still at 30-50% moisture content, then continue drying the naked green beans. This creates a completely different environment for the chemical changes happening inside the bean. The high moisture content during hulling means the beans are still actively fermenting and developing, but now they’re exposed to air and environmental factors. This unique timing creates those characteristic earthy, herbal, and sometimes musty flavours that define Sumatran coffee. The process also affects the physical appearance – wet-hulled beans often have a distinctive blue-green colour and can show stress marks from the early hulling. Climate plays a huge role too; Sumatra’s high humidity means beans dry slowly, allowing more time for the complex chemical reactions that develop those deep, earthy flavours. The result is a coffee with unmatched body and complexity – notes of dark chocolate, tobacco, cedar, and herbs that work brilliantly in espresso but can be polarising for filter coffee drinkers. It’s a perfect example of how processing method can completely transform a coffee’s character, creating something that could only come from this specific place and technique.

What are the differences between Indonesian coffees from different islands – Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Flores – and their unique characteristics?

Indonesia’s archipelago creates a fascinating diversity of coffee profiles, each island offering something completely different thanks to distinct climates, soils, and processing traditions. Sumatra, which I’ve covered extensively, produces those bold, earthy coffees with full body and low acidity – think dark chocolate, herbs, and that distinctive wet-hulled character. The coffees from regions like Mandheling and Lintong are perfect for espresso blends because they provide weight and complexity without overwhelming brighter beans. Java offers a completely different experience – historically significant as one of the first places coffee was cultivated outside Ethiopia and Yemen. Javanese coffees tend to be cleaner and more balanced than their Sumatran cousins, with medium body and pleasant acidity. The famous Java Estate coffees from government plantations showcase more refined flavour profiles with notes of dark chocolate and subtle spice. Sulawesi, formerly Celebes, produces some of Indonesia’s most intriguing coffees, particularly from the Toraja region. These beans offer a unique combination of Sumatran earthiness with brighter, more complex flavours – you’ll find notes ranging from dark fruit to spice to tobacco, often with better balance and clarity than typical Indonesian coffees. The high-altitude growing regions and traditional processing create coffees that bridge the gap between Indonesian boldness and more conventional flavour profiles. Flores represents the newer frontier of Indonesian specialty coffee. The volcanic soils and traditional farming methods produce coffees with remarkable sweetness and fruit characteristics – quite different from the earthy stereotype of Indonesian coffee. Flores coffees often surprise people with their brightness and complexity, showing notes of chocolate, fruit, and floral characteristics. Each island demonstrates how geography, climate, and local traditions combine to create unique expressions of Indonesian coffee culture.