West Java
Coffee cultivation in West Java sets itself apart from other regions in Indonesia. State Forest Enterprise of West Java oversees the management of coffee plantations in this area. The government allocates forest lands to farmers for coffee production as a measure to prevent deforestation. Consequently, it is not uncommon to observe coffee flourishing beneath the canopy of Pine and Eucalyptus trees in this unique region.
Wildan Mustofa & Frinsa Estate
Wildan along with his wife Atieq started their first coffee project in Sindangkerta, Weninggalih area back in 2010. Since the first year of production, Wildan has aimed to focus on quality which requires meticulous attention and processes. While the majority of Indonesian producers are doing the wet hulled coffees, even for specialty, Wildan is focusing on the fully washed.
Frinsa Estate has six main growing plots spread out in the area. Apart from those, they buy cherries from a few selected outgrowers in the surroundings
Through a cooperation with the coffee research centre they have been planting a lot of other different unknown cultivars, all separated by blocks at the farm. In addition to their own coffee production they also process coffee for the local smallholders (outgrowers), generally separated by area.
Processing
The coffees are processed directly at Frinsa Estate, their wet mill has a ventilated storage space and a dry mill which means they are in full control of their product from harvest to shipment. Wildan also works with different fermentation techniques. The cherries are usually dry fermented in small tanks for 15-18 hours. Then get pulped and washed followed by adding lactobacillus culture to the beans which are then closed for 2 or 3 days while fermented anaerobically.
Once the fermentation is done, the cherries are dried either on raised beds or concrete patios. Wildan continuously invests in more drying tables for the future. Currently most of the coffees are pre dried on beds for a day or two in green houses and then transferred to the patio. Drying can take 14-20 days, depending on the rain during the drying period.