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Indonesia, the world’s third-largest coffee producer, has unique coffees and brewing methods in various regions. Among them, the globally popular Kopi Luwak has been ranked 4th in the “Best Southeast Asian Coffee” rankings.

Introduction

Indonesia is attracting worldwide attention for its coffee bean production, but it is also notable for the way people enjoy its coffee. In this article, we’ll explore the depth of Indonesian coffee culture through coffees that have ranked in “Southeast Asia’s Best Coffee” and their production methods and drinking styles.

Indonesian Best Coffee by the Numbers

Kopi Luwak Ranks 4th in Southeast Asia

According to the “Best Southeast Asian Coffee” rankings compiled by online gourmet and travel guide Taste Atlas in March 2024, three Indonesian coffees were included in the top 8.

One of them is Kopi Luwak, which scored 4.1 out of 5 points, ranking 4th. The others are Kopi Tubruk in 5th place and Kopi Joss in 7th place.

Kopi Luwak has become known in Japan in recent years as a luxury coffee, made from coffee beans collected from the excrement of civet cats called “luwak.” Kopi Tubruk is a traditional coffee enjoyed throughout Indonesia, where hot water is poured into a cup containing finely ground coffee beans, and the upper layer is drunk.

Kopi Joss is a traditional coffee from Yogyakarta, where a hot piece of charcoal is placed in a cup of hot coffee. “Joss” refers to the sound made when the charcoal is placed in the coffee. The heated charcoal reduces the acidity of the coffee, allowing for a smooth and unique flavor.

Meanwhile, Vietnam, the world’s second-largest coffee producer, had the most coffees in the rankings. The top 8 included four Vietnamese coffees, including the famous “Vietnamese Coffee.” Vietnamese coffee is also popular in Indonesia and occasionally appears on café menus. The practice of adding condensed milk to tea or coffee is common in Indonesia as well, which likely suits Indonesian tastes.

“Best 8 Southeast Asian Coffees” (Taste Atlas, March 2024)

1. Iced Vietnamese Coffee (Vietnam): 4.3 points
2. Ipoh White Coffee (Malaysia): 4.2 points
3. Hot Vietnamese Coffee (Vietnam): 4.2 points
4. Kopi Luwak (Indonesia): 4.1 points
5. Kopi Tubruk (Indonesia): 4.0 points
6. Egg Coffee (Vietnam): 3.8 points
7. Kopi Joss (Indonesia): 3.2 points
8. Vietnamese Yogurt Coffee (Vietnam): 3.1 points

*Note: Taste Atlas rankings are typically created based on reader votes and are updated periodically.

Reference: Indonesiabaik.id “8 Kopi Terbaik di Asia Tenggara”

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Indonesia’s Best Coffee” in video

Touring the Kopi Luwak Production Process

The origins of Kopi Luwak are said to date back to the Dutch colonial era.

According to one theory, coffee farmers who were forbidden from picking coffee cherries for their own consumption noticed that civets would digest only the outer skin of coffee beans and excrete the rest, and decided to use these beans.

As shown in the video, Kopi Luwak is made by washing coffee beans found in civet excrement and then roasting them. Even within Kopi Luwak, the taste and quality vary depending on the type of coffee beans the civets eat and their habitat.

In recent years, Kopi Luwak has gained popularity both domestically and internationally, with many producers striving to create unique Kopi Luwak with distinctive characteristics. While originally using coffee beans unintentionally eaten and excreted by wild civets, producers now typically raise civets in captivity for production.

Furthermore, some researchers are studying how to artificially replicate the fermentation process that occurs when civets digest coffee beans, partly due to animal welfare concerns. Nevertheless, connoisseurs claim that coffee made from wild civet droppings tastes different.

Coffee tourism farms or farm/workshop cafés like the one shown in the video can be found throughout Indonesia. Visitors can tour coffee plantations, observe civet breeding, and watch coffee roasting for free or a small entrance fee.

Traditional Kopi Tubruk

When discussing Indonesian coffee, Kopi Tubruk cannot be overlooked.

The name “Tubruk,” meaning “to collide” in Javanese, symbolizes how coffee, hot water, and sugar come together in this beverage. Its characteristic is a simple yet powerful aroma and taste.

While it can certainly be enjoyed black, many Indonesians drink it with generous amounts of sugar, as shown in the video. Kopi Tubruk, which allows the grounds to settle, resembles Turkish or Greek coffee and is believed to have been introduced by Middle Eastern merchants.

Most instant coffees sold in convenience stores and supermarkets, souvenir coffees sold in tourist areas, and coffees served in traditional cafés and restaurants are this Kopi Tubruk. Even as Western brewing methods like espresso and cold brew become popular and modern cafés increase, Kopi Tubruk remains beloved by Indonesians, with many businesses and enthusiasts working to preserve this tradition.

In the video, after pouring hot water and letting the grounds settle, the upper layer is transferred to a saucer. This is done to avoid drinking the grounds. Not everyone drinks it this way daily, but it is a common practice nationwide.

When drinking Kopi Tubruk, the key is to patiently wait until the grounds have fully settled. In addition to sugar, milk is sometimes mixed in.

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Indonesian Coffee and Sugar

Watching the Kopi Tubruk video above, some might be surprised by the amount of sugar added. Indonesian coffee beans are predominantly of the Robusta variety, which has a stronger bitterness, and even coffee enthusiasts often add generous amounts of sugar. Most commercially available instant Kopi Tubruk typically contains sugar.

While white sugar was used in the video, some prefer brown palm sugar. Palm sugar has a unique, rich sweetness that differs from typical brown sugar. The “gula aren” or “gula merah” that appears on instant coffee packages or café menus are types of palm sugar. If you have the opportunity, please give it a try.