Indonesia - Sesongot

Tastes like: Blackberries, hazelnut and complex, juicy and fruity
Location:  Bebesen, Sumatra
Varietal: Abyssinia, Ateng, Caturra, Gayo, Timtim, Typica

Altitude: 1,300-1,600 masl

Process:  Anaerobic natural

Context

Coffee grower Aulia Kahfi inherited Rakyat Farm from his family and has been involved in coffee production since his early teens, with a unique interest in specialty coffee. Since specialty coffee was not in high demand in his area during his teenage years, Aulia spent several years mining and selling Vesuvianite, a precious stone often found near volcanoes, before returning to coffee production.
 
Now in his early thirties, Aulia is entrepreneurial and enterprising. As well as growing his own beans, he has expanded his business by buying a few bags of coffee at a time from neighbouring farmers in the Lukup Sabun, Pantan Sile and Ratawali neighborhoods, and more recently from Gegarang (Jagong Jeget).

The coffee derives its name from the beautiful Sesongot caterpillar, which is native to Gayo and is commonly found hanging about in the coffee trees. It is the name Aulia chose for his experimentally and special processed coffees because of the creature's unique and very special appearance.

Across Sumatra, almost all farms are small, with an average size of 0.5 to 2.5 hectares. Coffee is usually their primary cash crop but most farmers grow vegetables, maize and fruit alongside it, with this making up a large part of their families' diets throughout the year.

The process

Aulia selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry from his own farm, and purchases it from neighbouring farmers. The cherry is then fermented for 24, with the water changed 12 hours in. Post-fermentation, the cherry is laid to dry on patios where it is frequently raked to ensure even drying.