Flores is a unique Indonesian coffee area, not just because the Komodo Dragons are so close… but because of the excellent coffee quality.
FloresFlores is an Indonesian island, and as a coffee bears more resemblance to the coffees of Timor-Leste, New Guinea and Java than to the wet-hulled coffees of Sumatra... ...more is an Indonesian island we have sourced coffee from for years, but now with increased focus. We are buying from regional cooperatives and individual farmers. The coops include many small-holder farmers and are doing a range of processingThe removal of the cherry and parchment from the coffee seed.: Coffee is either wet-processed (also called washed or wet-milled) or dry-processed (also called wild, natural or natural... ...more methods, wet-process, honeyIn coffee, honey-like sweetness is often found, but we use terms such as refined honey (highly filtered and processed) as opposed to raw honey rustic honey sweetness. This... ...more (pulp naturalPulp natural is a hybrid method of processing coffee to transform it from the tree fruit to a green bean, ready for export. Specifically, it involves the removal... ...more) and full natural process.
This means a range of flavors, from the more subdued and clean tasting wet-process coffee (akin to how much Central American coffeeCentral American coffee is known for its "classic," balanced profile.: Central American coffee is known for its "classic," balanced profile. Centrals are primarily wet-processed since the climate is... ...more is processed) to the more fruityIn some coffee taster’s lexicon, “fruity” means the coffee is tainted with fruit, and “fruited” means a coffee is graced by positive fruit notes. We don't exactly see... ...more and rusticA general characterization of pleasantly "natural" flavors, less sophisticated and less refined, but appealing. : What is Rustic? This is a general term we came up with... Dried... ...more honey and natural methods.
We source Flores Indonesian coffeeIndonesian coffee is known for its unique earthy, potent flavors. Some like it, some hate it, but it's certainly distinctive. Much of the coffee in Indonesia is processed... ...more from several areas, which can be roughly divided as the Bajawa area in the southern central area and the Manggarai area centered on Ruteng a bit north and west of Bajawa.
The coffee areas are modest in altitude. The highest peak is only 1736 meters (about 5696 feet) above sea level and much coffee comes from areas around 1000 -1200 meters. The milling tradition is wet-process; the coffee has a resemblance to the coffees of Timor-Leste, and JavaThere are several types of Abyssinia variety coffee, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3. PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety... ...more, compared to the semi-washedAn uncertain term to describe a coffee processing technique somewhere between wet-process and dry-process: Semi-washed has been used, most commonly in Brazil, to describe a hybrid coffee process.... ...more coffees of SumatraIndonesians are available as a unique wet-hulled or dry-hulled (washed) coffees. Giling Basah is the name for the wet-hulling process in Bahasa language, and will have more body... ...more and SulawesiSulawesi coffees are low-acid with great body and that deep, brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial... ...more. Wet-process method has the potential to be a clean, sweet cup and a clean taste overall (similar to Central American coffee).
Flores is small by island standards, just about 360 kilometers end to end. It is in the Indonesian archipelago, between Sumbawa and TimorTimor-Leste (East Timor) is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, annexed by Indonesia and liberated in a referendum several years ago. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started... ...more islands. The name Flores is an abbreviation of “Cabo de Flores”; a name used by Portuguese sailors in the 17th century.
There are challenges regarding issues with the consistency and the processing practices used there. Coffee might be picked one day, but not processed until a day or two later, resulting in off, fermentedAs a defect flavor, a fruit quality in a coffee that is excessively ripe, toward rotten. Fermented flavor can be the result of poor wet-processing, over-ripe cherry, or... ...more flavors. The farmers also fermentAs an aroma or flavor in coffee, ferment is a defect taste, resulting from bad processing or other factors. Ferment is the sour, often vinegar-like, that results from... ...more coffee in inconsistent batches on an irregular basis, not a bad thing in itself if it was only done to the same standards each time. But the methods are improving rapidly since my first visit 6 years ago.
Fermenting times depend on temperature, in some cold, high-altitude locations 36 hours is needed, whereas lower, hotter climates can require just 8-12 hours. Flores can be quite warm, yet they ferment coffee sometimes for 3-4 days! This also results in off fruity notes.
Nonetheless we do find great micro-lots of coffee from Flores, and we are working with a group who provides farmer training in hopes of better quality processing, and more consistent quality. Flores coffees are known to have crowd pleasing qualities with well-rounded notes so roasting some is sure to result in a cup every end of your palate will enjoy. -Thompson
Here’s our current selection of Flores coffees. (….or click here for Coffee Shrub)
Also see out IndonesiaUSDA is (obviously) the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA also had coffee plant breeding programs in the past and one variety they distributed to Indonesia and was... ...more articles about:
- Sumatra Gayo: Stories About Aceh, With Pictures
- Sumatra: Some Things I Have Learned About Aceh, Perhaps.
- Sumatra: Arabica Varieties in Aceh
- Coffee Science: Academic Papers and Documents
A Flores Indonesia Travel Gallery
S-795 cultivar at the farm of Om Bene, Tolo Rojo area Bajawa Albertus and Siska at the home of Marselina Wayu, founder of Kahgo Masa coop Marselina Wayu here, walking us through a fresh table of delicious coffee from Kagho Masa coop members In between farm visits, nothing beats a soak in Malanage, a meeting point where both cold and hot water springs converge Massive bamboo trees arch over the roadway near Manulalu A welcoming respite after a long morning of walking coffee farms 
Nothing but words of encouragement in Golewa Daniel at left, and Om Leo at right at the Primavera coffee cooperative near Bajawa town Another colorful bus brightens up the roads of Golewa Visiting more green coffee suppliers in the Golewa region of the Ngada District 
Film print of a coffee shrub at a small farm in Bajawa Film print from the fish Market at Lauan Bajo Flores Labuan Bajo Flores, fish market Labuan Bajo Flores, fish market A visit to Om Leo of Primavera Coop and his beautiful cats. This tuckered out pup sidles up next to a warm cooking stone at the home of Reti, a coffee farmer from Primavera coop. 
Hooked up with this cute puppers on the coast between Bajawa and Mang Om Alo, a coffee collector who produces wet hulled coffee in Bajawa area. Mall life in Ranoba near the coast A home-cooked meal and good conversation is the perfect end to a day of visiting coffee farms in Tangkul
