Kopi Gayo is one of the finest Indonesian Arabica coffee beans. As the name implies, this type of coffee has in fact been developed on a Gayo plantation, Central Aceh, which is at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,200 meters above sea level. The location is around the city of Takengon and near Lake Tawar. Most of the tribe living in this area are Gayo people. Hence, the name.
Although very strong in taste, Kopi Gayo has a low acidity, and it doesn’t taste too bitter. What makes it even more unique is the hint of spice that you will taste in every sip. This heavenly flavor has made Kopi Gayo very popular among coffee connoisseurs all over the world, especially Americans and Europeans.
But how to brew a really good Kopi Gayo? The easiest and simplest way is using manual brew. There are many manual brew techniques that you can apply, and each technique can give you a different taste. Thus, you can use any manual brew technique you like according to your preferences. The good thing about manual brew is that it’s so simple you can do it at home. For example, by brewing Kopi Gayo using the V60 technique or also known as “Pour Over” to get a smoother Kopi Gayo taste.
To taste the pleasures of Kopi Gayo using V60 technique, the first thing to do is to get the right measurement. Usually, a 17-gram measure of coffee can be mixed with 100 ml of water. You also need to pay attention to the water temperature, make sure it is in the range of 80-90 degrees Celsius so that the original taste of the coffee is maintained and the coffee aroma comes out nicely. Don’t forget to also prepare the right V60 equipment, namely a V-shaped funnel glass, filter paper, a gooseneck kettle, scales, and coffee cups or mugs.
When everything is ready, start by pouring the coffee into a V-shaped glass that has been covered with a filter paper. Then use the gooseneck kettle to pour water over the coffee. The brewing time is around 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes 15 seconds. Pour the water slowly in a circular motion and make sure all the coffee grounds are submerged in the water. After the amount of water has reached 100 ml, pour it into a cup or mug and enjoy the heavenly taste!
Other manual brew techniques you can try are French Press and Vietnam Drip. French Press is a technique for brewing coffee by letting it sit for about four minutes, then pressing the top of the French press so that the coffee grounds are pressed to the bottom. While Vietnam drip is usually suitable for those of you who like sweet coffee because it uses sweetened condensed milk in its presentation.
If you are still curious about using manual brew to make Kopi Gayo, you can try other manual brew techniques, such as aeropress, siphon, cold brew, clever dripper, and many more. Give it a try and let the unique taste of Kopi Gayo come out differently through each brewing and captivate you every time!
