Does potent Aceh-style brew contain something ‘extra’?
Hotli Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh | Tue, 07/13/2010 8:57 AM | Feature
Conflict, peace, the tsunami and Islamic sharia law are the main “icons” of Aceh that most outsiders are familiar with. But coffee and coffee shops constitute yet another icon some visitors to the region won’t want to miss.
In the flow: A man dispenses hot coffee into glasses from above to produce froth and enhance its aroma in a coffee shop in Banda Aceh. Rumor has it that the strong taste and aroma of Aceh coffee is because it is blended with marijuana leaves.
“Relaxing in coffee shops and surfing the Internet have set a new trend among Aceh youths. Drinking coffee is not complete without being accompanied by a laptop,” said Andi Madusila, an Acehnese man.
The difference between Starbucks franchises and Aceh-style coffee shops lies in the taste and price of coffee per glass. Aceh coffee costs only Rp 4,000 (about US50 cents) a glass. “Its taste is competitive with hotel-made or Starbucks coffee.
“Only the kinds and variations offered may not be the same. Aceh shops have no caffe latte or mocha,” Andi said.
Aceh coffee indeed has a different flavor compared with coffee from other regions in Indonesia , with its moderate bitterness and strong aroma. The way Aceh coffee is prepared is not the same as that commonly found in other parts of the country.
Coffee is first sieved through tight cloth with boiled water to produce its typical aroma. Water is poured several times into the cloth sieve and the filtered coffee is contained in a bowl. When the quantity is enough, it is dispensed into glasses from a high level to produce froth and enhance its aroma.
“Apart from the strong aroma, Aceh coffee is not too black as it’s tightly sieved to separate its residue,” said Andi. The cafe business is now being eyed by local entrepreneurs for promising big profits. This is supported by Aceh people’s coffee drinking habit.
Rumors say that the strong taste and aroma of Aceh coffee is because it is blended with marijuana leaves, and the province is widely known for the illegal drug, which is also used as a flavor enhancer in local cuisine. While some shop owners said the special blend was made based on an individual customer’s request, others rejected the rumors.
Coffee beans for the shops are derived from several areas in Aceh, such as Takengon, Central Aceh , and Lamno, Aceh Jaya. Aceh also export its coffee products among others to European countries. One of its famous products is Gayo coffee from Central Aceh ’s highlands.
— JP/Hotli Simanjuntak
