This lot originates from 137 smallholder farmers growing Catimor, Tim Tim and Typical varieties on plots averaging 2 hectares, located in the Garut district of West Java, at elevations around 1300 meters. Generally harvest runs from May through August, after which they sell their partially finished green coffee to collectors who travel the region. This region borders on a forest conservation area called G. Mandalawangi, which is home to many species of wildlife.

Country of Origin: Indonesia

Region: Java Garut

Producer Type: Small Holder Farms

Processing: Washed

Processing Description: 16 hour fermentation then dried in greenhouses

Growing Altitude: 1300 MASL

Plant Species: Arabica

Varietals: Catimor, Tim Tim, Typica

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History of Coffee in Java

Although coffee was first planted successfully on Java around 1700, cultivation spread slowly throughout what would become the great archipelagic state of Indonesia. In fact, the green coffee of Java served as progenitor to the coffees of far off Central America and had begun its ascent to being considered, alongside Arabian Mocha, as one of the best coffees in the world, long before commercial cultivation spread to nearby islands. At the same time, it should be noted that nearly all coffee from any island in the Dutch East Indies was considered “Java” until the early 20th century, so whose to say what Java was before then. 

Growing Coffee in Java

Some of the large coffee estates created by the Dutch 175 years ago can still be found on the volcanic Ijen Plateau at the eastern tip of Java, but most coffee farmers are smallholders growing coffee on an average of 1.5 hectare, many of them among a cluster of volcanoes in West Java, where coffee cultivation first began on the island. Although disease resistant Robusta became the dominate coffee crop, West Java has seen a steady increase in Arabica production in recent years. Arabica generally grows above 1200 meters and virtually all coffee is fully washed.