Indonesia - Sesongot Winey

Tasting Notes:

Cola, red berries, clove

Why We Like It

A coffee with its own character, for those who enjoy experiences beyond the ordinary. In the cup, you’ll find a cola-like refreshment—recognizable and playful—with a spiced profile and notes of clove. Red fruits bring a juicy acidity and high sweetness that balance the cup beautifully. The body is medium-high, with a dense and pleasant mouthfeel, and the finish lingers with a subtle wine-like touch that invites another sip. Some coffees have a strong personality that surprises and transports you—this is one of them.

Story

Aulia Kahfi was born among coffee trees, in the humid, green hills of Bebesen, Aceh, in northern Sumatra. Rakyat farm, which he now manages with complete dedication, is part of his family heritage—a small place rich in history where coffee has always been more a way of life than just a crop.

As a teenager, however, specialty coffee had not yet found a clear place in his surroundings. Coffee was sold quickly, with little thought, and quality was rarely rewarded. For several years, Aulia worked in small local mines searching for vesuvianite, a semi-precious stone found in volcanic soil—a demanding job that taught him to value manual effort and patience.

But something about coffee kept calling him back. He returned to the farm determined to do things differently, to understand the potential of the beans he had seen growing since childhood. What began as a small return soon became a life project. With a car borrowed from a friend, Aulia started visiting neighboring farmers to buy ripe cherries, always seeking those fruits that shine a deep red at their perfect point of ripeness.

Over time, he built a small network of up to fifteen farming families, gathering cherries from areas as diverse as Lukup Sabun, Pantan Sile, and Ratawali. His talent and sensitivity to processing became evident, and in 2019 his work gained recognition when one of his lots placed 9th in the Sumatra Prestige Cup—a clear sign that his intuition and effort were moving in the right direction.

Today, still young but with remarkable sensory maturity, Aulia continues to experiment and refine every step. In Sumatra, where farmers often combine coffee with small plots of fruit, corn, or vegetables to support their families, this careful and patient work requires real dedication. That blend of humility, intuition, and care for his environment can be felt in every cup.

Variety and Process

Sesongot Winey is a blend of varieties grown in Gayo—Abyssinia, Ateng, Caturra, Gayo, Timtim, and Typica—at altitudes between 1,300 and 1,600 meters. This varietal diversity is common on small Sumatran farms, where coffee trees coexist with crops like corn, vegetables, and fruit, and it contributes to the lot’s aromatic complexity.

The process is anaerobic fermentation, what Sucafina refers to as “Winey Natural”: the cherries are first washed, then fermented for 20 to 25 days in an oxygen-free environment, washed again, and finally dried slowly until reaching optimal moisture content. Aulia frequently rakes the coffee to ensure even drying. This extended anaerobic fermentation is directly responsible for the winey, spiced, and highly sweet profile of the cup: by developing without oxygen, the yeasts produce compounds that amplify fruit characteristics and add layers of depth that are difficult to achieve with conventional processing.

RECIPE

For filter:

We use 20 grams of ground coffee and 320 grams of water at 93 °C. The brew is done in three pours: the first is 54 grams, then we wait 45 seconds, followed by two pours of 133 grams each, for a total brew time of 2:50.