Gathering Blue Seas

Roast: Medium Origin: Sumatra Varietal:  Timor, Catimor Process: Semi-washed Tasting: bold, earthy, molasses Recommended for: autumn Behind the Beans Sumatra is an island surrounded by many seas: to the southeast is Sunda Strait, to the north is the Strait of Malacca, to the east is the Karimata Strait, and to the west lies the Indian Ocean. Arisarina Cooperative is a coffee producers' cooperative established in 2013, with a membership that has reached 2,494 farmers. The farmers share common goals to improve the quality of coffee grown in the Gayo highlands and to maintain and preserve the ecosystem.  These goals are evident in the cooperative’s use of the shade tree method. When using this method, farms plant different kinds/heights of trees alongside the coffee plants. Not only does this decrease pests and disease (and therefore the use of chemical pesticides), it also creates an ecologically diverse environment and reduces stress on the area. This method isn’t commonly used in Indon