Semendo coffee is one of the superior types of coffee beans in the archipelago. This coffee from South Sumatra has its own characteristics. The combination of coffee and spices typical of the land of Sumatra further adds to the specialty of Semendo for coffee lovers in the archipelago.

In this article we will discuss more about Semendo, from its origin, development, to its characteristics and interesting flavors. Let’s start our coffee adventure!

The Origin of Semendo Coffee

South Sumatra Province is one of the national coffee production centers. Muara Enim Regency is one of the largest coffee producing areas in South Sumatra as well as a place where Semendo Coffee grows and develops.

Semendo coffee comes from Semende village, Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra. The area is one of the areas in the Bukit Barisan Mountains which stretches for 1,650 km, and is at an altitude level of 1200 – 1500 meters above sea level. In this area there is a large expanse of coffee plantations and has been the livelihood of the community for many years.

Semendo coffee grows and develops on the ancestral land of the Semende village community, therefore the land that is planted with coffee is maintained for generations so that the taste of the coffee is maintained.

Semendo Production Development

The development of Semendo Coffee production has not been easy. At first the farmers in Semende village only produced Robusta type coffee. In addition, the problems of farmer’s coffee cultivation and distribution are not well-systemized. But as time went by and the experience of the farmers grew, Arabica coffee was developed.

Because all the processes carried out during production are not playful, starting from planting to post-harvest processes carried out according to quality standards. All of these processes are carried out using the principles of Good Manufacturing Process so that the coffee produced will get positive value and response from the market.

Semendo Production Process

Semendo’s production process is no joke. Starting from the harvesting process with the “selective harvesting of red plucking” technique, namely by picking perfectly ripe coffee beans with the condition that 85% of the coffee beans are red, 15% are reddish yellow without green coffee beans.

After that, there is also the post-harvest process. Where coffee farmers in Semende use the Solar Dryer technique (drying coffee beans that have been picked using direct sunlight) until the coffee beans have a moisture content of 12%. It takes 7 kg of wet coffee beans to produce dry coffee beans with 12% content.

With such complex processes, it’s no wonder that the results of the Semendo Coffee taste test through the Cupping Test technique are in the range of 84 – 86 with speciality and excellent categories .

And also currently the farmer group has succeeded in selling Semendo to several cafes located in Jakarta and also successfully exported through exporters in Medan with the price of dry bean coffee in the range of Rp. 80,000 – Rp. 120,000/Kg.

Characteristics and Taste of Semendo

The characteristics of Semendo are that it has a chocolaty flavor profile with a score of 80.25 and slightly greeny and lemony flavor accents with a score of 83.5. In addition, Semendo Coffee also has a special flavor that has a similar taste between caramel and brown sugar.

In general, the taste of Robusta Semendo Coffee has a thick texture and tastes like chocolate flavor and there is a hint of Sumatran spices. Arabica Semendo Coffee has a more sour taste, like lemon or orange and has an aroma like brown sugar.

Nominated for the 2020 Pesona Indonesia Award

The efforts made by the farmers and the local government have finally paid off. Because Semendo Coffee has become one of the nominees for “Most Popular Traditional Drink” in the 2020 Anugerah Pesona Indonesia (API) Award organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Economy.

At the award ceremony, Semendo won second place in the most popular traditional drink category. With this achievement, Semendo’s existence in the national and international arena will be further enhanced. And further adds to the lineup of Coffee – Superior Coffee of the archipelago.

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