Indonesians and Bahrainis share a love for coffee. Indonesian Embassy in Manama celebrated the shared passion on coffee by bringing one of the best single origins arabica specialty coffee beans, Java Gunung Halu, produced by Rahyang Coffee Plantation to visit Bahrain.
Number of prominent coffee shop and roastery owners in Bahrain had the chance to taste the finest beans during the coffee cupping and tasting session. The event was organized by the Indonesian Embassy on 21 June 2022. Aside from the coffee cupping session, the Embassy also organized a traditional high tea and coffee for dignitaries and diplomats on the next day 22 June 2022.
The served beans, Java Gunung Halu, was processed in three different methods “fully washed”, “natural processed”, and “honey processed”. Although it was from the same coffee beans, each methods create a distinctive flavor from one another. For instance, the “natural processed” beans smell like ripe bananas, while the other methods will create a coffee with a hint taste of mango and fruity aroma. “Coffee and café culture are a vibrant part of daily life in both Bahrain and Indonesia, thus there is much we can learn from each other” Indonesian Ambassador to Bahrain, HE Ardi Hermawan, said. “In addition to our world-famous coffee beans, Indonesia also offers highly skilled workers in the coffee and hospitality industries. For your information, there are more than 25 Indonesian baristas working in various coffee shop here in Bahrain” added Ambassador Hermawan. This event is not only to showcase the best beans and the high skill of baristas from Indonesia, but also to facilitate direct contact between Indonesian coffee farmers and potential buyers from Bahrain. Coffee is a vital export commodity for Indonesia. The country is the fourth largest coffee producer an exporter in the world. Last year (2021) the country had produced more than 774 thousand ton of coffee beans. Coffee cultivation in Indonesia began in late 1600s and early 1700s. It has played an important role in the country’s economy. Indonesia’s geography and climate is well suited for coffee plantation. Being in the equator and with numerous mountains on its islands, create the perfect micro climate for the growth and production of high-quality coffee beans. The vast majority of coffee plantation in Indonesia are cultivated by medium and small-scale farmers who own relatively small plantation areas. Most of the big islands in the country are well known for its coffee. For instance; Sumatera with its Aceh Gayo, Toba Mandailing, and Kerinci; Java with its Gunung Halu and Semeru; Sulawesi with the Toraja; Bali with the Kintamani coffee; Sumbawa with the Flores Bajawa beans; and Papua with its Wamena that has distinctive fullbodied flavor.
