Spilling the beans on perking up coffee culture

JAKARTA (JP): The mere mention of java is enough to get the juices flowing for coffee lovers around the world.

The export from the central island in the then Dutch East Indies was so coveted by 19th century Europeans that they came to know it by its place of origin.

Trouble was that a cup of the dark stuff was hard to find for the average Indonesian. The problem persists today; while it can be said the beverage is drunk here, it does not mean that it is savored.

"All the best coffee from Indonesia goes outside," said Darma Santoso, director of Coffee Club in Plaza Senayan, South Jakarta.

"We never get to enjoy our best coffee. That's why our appreciation is very low, because we drink the medium to low- quality coffee and all the specialty coffee is gone."

Although venues devoted to coffee are now found across the city, neophyte coffee consumers may find themselves at a loss when it comes to deciphering what means what on the menu.

No need to take a crash course in Italian; there is latte (two parts milk, one part coffee), frappuccino (a touch of vanilla essence) and macchiato, which is four and a half ounces of very strong coffee served with a splash of milk and a bit of foam.

And, of course, the exalted cappuccino, or what passes for it, which is now served around town everywhere from cafes to hotel coffee shops.

"It's hard to get the balance between the coffee and fresh milk," Darma said of the commonly found cappuccino. "The problem with making cappuccino here is obtaining fresh milk. You really haven't had a cappuccino until you've been to a place like New Zealand where the milk is really fresh."

Although he said "coffee culture" is found in some parts of the country, particularly Aceh, most Indonesians are learning sip by sip.

"For about 50 percent of coffee drinkers, the knowledge is not there. They don't know between good coffee and bad coffee, but it's because they haven't had the experience. Like in drinking kopi tobruk (coffee with the grounds). It's not wrong -- it's just a simpler way."

Better brew

Darma and bartender Rivael said brewing a good cup of coffee hinged on many factors, including the freshness of the beans, how they were harvested, how they were stored, the grinding process and the equipment used.

Here are their tips on making the perfect cup:

* Crunch Time: Buy beans, not ground coffee, if possible. Smell the beans and bite them to check their freshness. "It's all right to bite the beans," Darma said. "If they are still crunchy, then they are OK, but they should not be soft." The freshness of the beans is the ultimate factor in a good cup of coffee, he added, regardless of the equipment for brewing or where the coffee is from.

* Fine Line: It's best to grind the beans shortly before making the coffee, the men said. "It should be medium ground," Darma said. "Too fine is not good, and neither is too coarse."

* Made to Order: Coffee Club uses the siphon method for brewing its gourmet coffees. "It's one of the best ways to brew coffee because the aroma, taste and body are all there," Rivael said. "Nothing is lost." He said espresso machines were also good, but the coffee would have a higher acidity than siphon-brewed coffee.

* Hot Stuff: The water should be very hot, but not boiling, to make the best coffee, they said. If possible use filtered water, particularly in Jakarta where the water has a high mineral content.

* Plain and Simple: Coffee is best drunk as it is, Darma said, without the addition of milk, creamer and sugar. "You get to know the real flavor of the coffee, all its differences." However, he said white sugar was better than brown; the latter's molasses- like taste inevitably affects the taste of the coffee. As for flavored coffee, Darma recommended adding fresh cinnamon, vanilla or nutmeg to a regular coffee.

* Drink Up: The "biggest mistake", Darma said, was waiting too long before drinking the coffee. He advises drinking the brew in the first three minutes; by seven minutes the true taste of the coffee is affected because the acidity will have increased.

Despite his golden rules for coffee consumption, Darma acknowledged it was ultimately a matter of individual taste. "Ultimately, it's up to you. Everyone is different. If you like something, go ahead."