How to brew Sumatran coffee: French press, moka pot and espresso

Brew Sumatran coffee in a French press with a coarse grind, about 65 grams of coffee per liter of water just off the boil, around 200 F (93 C), and a 4 minute steep before a slow press. Our No. 3 Position is a wet-hulled coffee with a heavier body than most, and a French press's full immersion suits that weight, carrying its dark chocolate and earthy notes without thinning them out.

Why Sumatran coffee suits a French press

Position comes from Aceh, Takengon, in Indonesia, grown between 1,100 and 1,600 meters and processed wet-hulled, known locally as giling basah, a method that tends to produce a heavier, lower-acid coffee with a fuller body than a washed process gives. A French press does not filter out the fine oils and small particles the way a paper filter does, which lets that fuller body come through instead of being stripped out. For a coffee built around dark chocolate and dried fruit rather than brightness, that fuller cup is the point.

The recipe

1. Heat water to just off the boil and let it rest about 30 seconds.
2. Grind the coffee coarse, close to the texture of breadcrumbs.
3. Add the grounds to the empty press, then pour in the water, making sure all of it is saturated.
4. Stir once and put the lid on with the plunger up.
5. Steep for 4 minutes.
6. Press slowly and pour right away rather than leaving the coffee resting on the grounds under the mesh.

Common mistakes with this origin

Using too light a ratio is the most common mistake with this coffee. Position's body and earthy notes hold up well against a slightly stronger brew than a lighter, washed coffee would need, so a ratio on the lean side can leave the cup tasting thin instead of showing the dark chocolate notes on the label. The second mistake is grinding too fine, which in a French press means more sediment through the mesh and a cup that turns muddy rather than clean, even though this is already a heavier-bodied coffee to begin with.

Milk and other additions

Position holds its shape under milk better than most of our coffees, which is one reason it also works well as espresso for those who have that equipment. In a French press, the same heavier body means it stays distinct rather than disappearing if you add cream or milk, unlike a lighter, more delicate coffee that can get lost the moment dairy is added.

Steep time for a stronger or lighter cup

The 4 minute steep in the recipe above is a starting point, not a fixed rule. If you prefer this coffee stronger, an extra 30 seconds brings out more of its body without much added bitterness, since a fuller-bodied coffee like this one tolerates a longer steep better than a delicate, high-acid one would. Going shorter than 4 minutes tends to leave the cup thin and misses much of what makes Position distinct in the first place.

Why the grind matters more with wet-hulled coffee

Wet-hulled beans are milled while the coffee still carries more moisture than a fully dried, washed bean, which can make them slightly more uneven in size after grinding. A quality burr grinder set coarse handles that unevenness better than a blade grinder, which tends to produce a mix of fine dust and large chunks. If your cup tastes inconsistent from one batch to the next, an uneven grind is often the reason, more so with this origin than with a washed coffee.

Storing this coffee between brews

A heavier, earthy coffee like Position holds up well in an airtight container away from light and heat, and its bold notes are more forgiving of a few extra days past the ideal freshness window than a delicate, floral coffee would be. That said, buying only what you will brew in the next few weeks and keeping the bag sealed still gives the fullest version of its dark chocolate and dried fruit notes.

Moka pot

1. Fill the bottom chamber with hot water up to, but not above, the safety valve.
2. Fill the metal filter basket with the fine grounds and level the top without pressing down.
3. Assemble the pot and set it on medium heat with the lid open so you can watch the flow.
4. When coffee starts flowing steadily, lower the heat slightly to keep it from rushing.
5. Remove from heat as soon as the flow turns to sputtering, which signals the water is gone.

Espresso

1. Grind fresh, right before pulling the shot, at a fine espresso setting.
2. Dose 18 grams into the portafilter basket and distribute the grounds evenly.
3. Tamp level and firm, straight down, with no rocking.
4. Lock the portafilter in and start the shot immediately.
5. Stop at 36 grams out, checking that it took 25 to 30 seconds, and taste.

If you want to see how this coffee compares across brewers, our guide to the best coffee for Sumatra fans and what No. 3 Position tastes like, cup by cup both cover more ground. Browse the full lineup of all ten coffees, or read how the subscription works on the subscription page.

A coarse grind, a full 4 minutes and a slightly stronger ratio, and Position brews the way it is meant to.