Arabica coffees that come from Papua being a concern of national and international coffee fans.
The coffees in Papua, especially from Mount Bintang, are planted above an altitude of 1,800 meters. On top of lush mountains and with minimal sunlight, the coffee from Papua ripens slowly and perfectly.
Those conditions makes the taste of Papua coffee at the top of the ranks of Indonesian coffees.
So, where did the coffee come from?
Papuan coffee was brought from Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the early 21st century by the Dutch government and missionaries.
In addition to neighboring Papua, PNG has also started coffee cultivation. Luckily, the country has 14 active volcanoes that help soil fertility. Meanwhile, volcanoes are not found in Papua Province, Indonesia.
In Papua New Guinea, coffee is widely grown in mountainous areas. One of them is the Mount Hagen plateau with an altitude of 1200-1800 masl.
Mount Hagen is known to be ideal for growing coffee with a friendly climate and mineral-rich volcanic soil. The coffee from Mount Hagen has a thick texture, low-to-medium acidity, herbal, wooden, and has a tropical or tobacco flavor.
In general, coffee in Papua New Guinea is cultivated organically by traditional farmers in their yard or in small gardens. Only a few plantation companies are growing coffee on a wider scale.
The coffee plant in Papua New Guinea was introduced by the British colonial in 1937. The Papua New Guinea coffee variety is Jamaican Blue Mountain Arabica that imported directly from Kingston, Jamaica. Britain has controlled the territory of Jamaica since the 17th century.
Coffee from England is also grown in several areas in Papua New Guinea. In the northern highlands of Papua New Guinea, coffee grows at an altitude of up to 1,500-1,900 masl, with high rainfall, the coffee plants that grow in this area have the best quality with a complex flavor.
In Enga and the highlands of western Papua New Guinea, it has a dry climate. The coffee is grown at an altitude of 1,200-1,800 masl, has the character of low acidity coffee, herbs, nutty notes. In Jiwaka, Waghi Valley, coffee is grown at an altitude between 1,600-1,900 masl. Jiwaka is known to produce the best coffee with bright characteristics with gentle fruity notes.
While in Chimbu or Simbu, Northern Highlands coffee is grown at an altitude of 1600-2,400 masl. The coffee produced in this area has a fresh citrus flavor, has a cherry and dark chocolate flavor. Whereas in Hidden Valley, Morobe Province, about 300 kilometers northwest of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, coffee is grown at an altitude of 1000 masl. The character of the coffee from this area has a sweetness, fruity taste with low acidity.
However, the culture of drinking coffee in Papua New Guinea is very low.
“The people of Papua New Guinea prefer to consume the instant coffee that made in Indonesia which is widely traded at the border,” said archaeologist Hari Suroto.
In addition, the Papua New Guinea government also pays less special attention to coffee farmers, coffee brewers, and coffee shops.
In fact, Papua New Guinea coffee occupies quite a good position in the international market, especially the United States. Most of the Papua New Guinea coffee sold in the United States comes from several well-known coffee plantations, namely Sigri from the Western Highlands Province near Mount Hagen.
Seeing the origins of Papuan coffee from PNG and Jamaica, it’s no wonder the coffee has a rich taste.
