My 5 Star Certified Photos! Yes, 5 Star Certified. That’s what you have to do when you take your fancy camera to Sumatra, and proceed to take 1250 photos.
Too many pictures for sure … and that’s after paring them down on a daily basis. You end up with a mere 202 verified 5 star images. I jest. But I hope this image set and the comments will give some indication of both hope and futility of trying to figure out the Sumatra coffee system, and exactly how anything can survive it and actually taste good.
Sumatra defies all logic. Whatever you learn in other coffee-producing places rarely applies here. And seemingly they break every rule in the process. But then Sumatra doesn’t taste like other coffees. Should it?
If Sumatra conformed to other “best practices” would we have a wanna-be, second-rate wet-process style coffee to call Sumatra? Or is it better that all these Catimor and Hibrido de Timor cultivars, with mixed arabica and robusta genes, should be processed in a way that obscures there varietal character?
These are the questions rolling around in my mind as I traveled on to Aceh on this IOM project with Hans Langenbahn from Germany and fellow Yankee George Howell (with Laurie Howell too).
A stimulating trip, filled with discussions about possibilities, doused by the realities of fermented and rotting wet parchment, and broca bugs flying up from the coffee into your nostrils. Ay! -Tom
Medan Panorama – Welcome to Medan, now start sweating. From the swank Hotel Aryaduta, the biggest city in Sumatra looks like it is going through growing pains. But this is a resource rich place- sadly the road to riches is palm oil though. Medan, Sumatra. 
Grade One Sumatra? – So this is some context for a trip to Sumatra at this time. The market is so high for Sumatra, that there is incentive for fraud, like this …16 containers triage shipped as Sumatra Grade 1 to US importers. The exporter in Medan switched the coffee, then disappeared. That’s the level of trust right now between buyers and sellers here. 
Things look better when you shrink them. – Oddly, I sat next to manager of the airport in Banda Aceh on our short flight there from Medan. I wonder if he made a tiny managers office for himself in this model. Anyway, I can assure you that the model airport is not based on the real one. Trust me. Aceh, Sumatra 
Toy shop – Basically, anything that can be done on 2 wheels in Sumatra is done, and many things that should not be done. On the side-car “taxi” bikes we counted one with 7 people, another with school kids had over 10! Near Biren, Aceh, Sumatra 
Pick a sign, any sign – And don’t say you weren’t warned. I remember from my last Sumatra trip I was amused by the various pedestrian signs, some with thin people, some a bit more plump. Biren, Aceh, Sumatra 
IOM Office in Takengon – So we were here on a project to bring coffee buyers to provide feedback to buyers and exporters, part funds by the International Organization for Migration. A better coffee local market means Gayo people who fled in the conflict might return to a stable crop. Takengon, Aceh, Sumatra 
Ah, Takengon, how I did not miss thee, not at all. – A 6 hour drive to Takengon from Banda Aceh, a night in the fabulous Hotel Renggali, and of course, no beer with dinner. Aceh is under Sharia law. Beer is hard to find. Takengon, Aceh, Sumatra 
Buying coffee at KBQ Baburrayyan Coop / NCBA Mill – Price of parchment that comes in from the collectors is based on the number of defects and the smell, but from all appearances it looks like they accept anything. Aceh, Sumatra 
KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill – This was better quality parchment than what was being received from collectors. It would receive a small premium. Still it had a very very fruity smell. KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill. Aceh, Sumatra 
Malaysian school kinds on a tour of Aceh – They stopped for a tour of the coffee mill, but all wanted their pictures taken with us. At KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill. Aceh, Sumatra 
KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill – Aceh, Sumatra 
The wet huller at KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill – The change to wet hulling from dry processing occurred in Gayo area around 1980. The reason was that they simply could not dry the coffee. Removing the outer skin aided in drying, but prematurely hulling out of parchment (wet-hulling) mean the coffee could dry that much faster. It works for mills to trade in humid coffee, since farmer has to do the labor of pulping and dispose of the byproduct. Aceh, Sumatra 
KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill – Aceh, Sumatra 
Coffee just wet-hulled – , ready to dry (40 moisture) Aceh, Sumatra 
KBQ Baburrayyan/NCBI – Aceh, Sumatra 
KBQ Baburrayyan Coop at NCBA Mill – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Typica in Takengon – We found very few old Typica trees on this trip. This was along the roadside, and I found it is called Kolpi Beras in local Gayo language. Aceh, Sumatra 
TimTim cultivar, most popular type with Gayo farmers. – They love the steady production from the plant and large bean size. It is very elongated in form. But TimTim is an form of Hibrido de Timor, the mutation of Robusta and Arabica, and not a great coffee in cup quality. Does it matter, given the way Gayo coffees are processed??? Aceh, Sumatra 
Too cheap to prune correctly – Here is an issue with farmer mentality. They break off branches and tops of trees to prune rather than pay $6 for a pair of pruning scissors to do it right. The trees don’t heal well from this and can rot at the cuts. In essence, they will not invest in coffee at all. On the plus side, they do not treat coffee with chemicals… So there is some benefit to cheapness. Aceh, Sumatra 
Uneven development of coffee cherry – In early stages, the flower blooms at different times so the coffee cherries mature at different rates. It tends to even out a bit in terms of size as they reach maturity. Aceh, Sumatra 
The classic Gayo pruning technique – Aceh, Sumatra 
Indocafco (Ecom) – Aceh, Sumatra 
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takengon – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Typical roadside processing, Pegasing, Gayo area. – Aceh, Sumatra 
– Aceh, Sumatra 
timtim – Aceh, Sumatra 
timtim – Aceh, Sumatra 
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timtim – Aceh, Sumatra 
Mutiara Gayo (Taiwan couple) – Aceh, Sumatra 
Mutiara Gayo (Taiwan couple) – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Takengon, Gayo area, Aceh – Aceh, Sumatra 
Takengon, Gayo area, Aceh – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Lake Tawar – Aceh, Sumatra 
takengon – Aceh, Sumatra 
Older TimTim trees with Gayo pruning. – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Spooky coffee – Aceh, Sumatra 
Zaini – Atu Lintang area Aceh, Sumatra 
Purple blush – Aceh, Sumatra 
TimTim grafted onto TimTim – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Jagong Town – Aceh, Sumatra 
Jagong Town – Aceh, Sumatra 
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– Aceh, Sumatra 
Tire Dryer – Aceh, Sumatra 
Lemon Grass – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Kodachrome Moments … Atu Lintang – Near Jagong Aceh, Sumatra 
– Aceh, Sumatra 
Samsudin, farmer and collector for Irham – Peragan district, Linge area Aceh, Sumatra 
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Mango-scape – Aceh, Sumatra 
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Near Parapat – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Jember – typica type – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Catuai – has some rust fungus – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Ateng with bronze tips – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Lasuna type – Local cultivar, brown leaf, horizontal branches, typica like, bigger leaf than jember . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Ateng – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Volkopi covered drying patios – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Cute puppies of Lintong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
A mess of jember typica – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Hans and tall Typica (Jember) – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Troll in the Onan Ganjang coffee tree – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
The unit of measure for coffee: Bambu or Litera – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Lettuce and Coffee – The good and bad of inter-cropping… they will invest much more work, money and time on vegetable crops- in fact vegetables like peppers are routinely treated with fertilizers and pesticides in Lintong area, but the coffee is grown organically (except for incidental contact or run-off from nearby vegetable beds). . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Krazy Citrus at the Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
A fish out of water is … a dried fish – :Market at Siborongborong . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Man-cats at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Peace from Phaoenix. Market at Siborongborong – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Pa Anto-Covered drying – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Best parchment -Pa Anto – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Opung BR – mother of Joner, alfreder, pa tom – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Good parchment at Opung BR bought direct from farm, fermented and washed – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Pulper damage and fungus – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Withered bean and broca damage – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Black Bean – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Immature coffee cherry – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Pulper Nicking – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Fungus – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Broca Damage and mold / fungus – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Iron deficient “golden bean” – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Good seed – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Good Peaberry – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Splitting as a result of wet huller damage – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
at joners (swiss) – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Gorga is batak carving, Tambak is the tomb – Dolok Sanggul town . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Gorga is batak carving, Tambak is the tomb – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Ibu Manurund pulping coffee – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
fermenting coffee in a bag overnight – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
ateng coffee opung Michael – ateng coffee . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Opung Michael – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Opung Michael and Michael – I took a poloroid image with my film camera, and gave it to them. Michael is crying in both pictures! The grandmother (Opung) will take the name of the youngest boy, son or grandson. Hence Opung Michael… and the changing of names throughout life as the family changes and grows. Men also change names. . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Yanti – The farm is entirely planted in Ateng, they told me. But as we left I could find some old Jember typica trees among the new catimor plantings. . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Yanti – all ateng . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Dolok Sanggul – Dolok means mountain, and Sanggul is (oddly) a traditional ornamental hairpiece worn by women. So Hairpiece Mountain = Dolok Sanggul ?!? . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Dolok Sanggul – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
George and Laurie, mobbed – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Dolok Sanggul – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Dominos and Tuak (local palm wine) bar – The local palm wine/beer in Batak area is Tuak. Tastes super fermented and harsh, but didn’t get me sick . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Broca gone wild – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Pa Tom and his daughter, Deborah – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
at Pa Tom – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Hugo – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Paco – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Nursery at Volkopi – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Hugo – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur park -view of Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur park -view of Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Wedding Party – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Wedding Party – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Wedding Party – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
My new career: Sumatran Wedding Photographer – So basically I wanted a picture of a Karaoke singer at a local wedding in Lintong Sumatra, and ended up being the impromptu wedding photographer, honored guest, and maybe even best man (?) Who knows. And they all wanted pictures with me too… what a crazy day that was. . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Wedding Party – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Planting a TomTom coffee tree – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
TomTom – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur view point of Lake Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur view point of Lake Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur view point of Lake Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sipansur view point of Lake Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
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Beringin Tree, Family burial site – Beringin is the local name for Ficus tree, which is preferred as a Batak monument for a family burial plot. It is a beautiful alternative to the elaborate cement or wood tombs (tambak) found in the area. . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
– . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Sumatra Rainbow – Over Lake Toba, North Sumatra . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
Simalungun: Big farms on north side of Lake Toba – . Lake Toba area, North Sumatra 
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Volkopi, Medan – 
Volkopi, Medan – 
Volkopi, Medan – 
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Opung BR film_126 -, Hasselblad 6×6 Film Image 
film_127 Opung Michael -, Hasselblad 6×6 Film Image 
-, Hasselblad 6×6 Film Image 
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