Lychee Co-Ferment

From Bener Meriah, Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia — grown and processed by Central Sumatera Coffee (CSC), founded in 2015 by Enzo Sauqi Hutabarat. CSC operates a 100-hectare estate in Bener Meriah (plus two more near Lake Toba), giving them unusual control over genetics and processing compared to the typical smallholder-blend coffee from the region.

This lot goes through an intentionally high-intervention process: depulped cherry is fermented anaerobically for 48 hours with added yeast, then dried lychee fruit powder is mixed in for another 12 hours of fermentation. After washing, the parchment is dried on raised screens while being lightly coated with a real lychee extract (carried in a food-safe solution that fully burns off during roasting), then wet-hulled in the traditional Sumatran style to finish drying.

Tasting notes: Intensely lychee-forward, with honey, orange zest, black cherry, and black tea underneath. Best brewed with a higher dose and coarser grind on a conical pour-over.