Why we chose this coffee
We selected this coffee to showcase Indonesia’s innovative processing methods. Using a hybrid washed process guided by selected yeast cultures, it highlights the country’s creativity and precision, delivering a clean, uniform, and fruit-forward cup that’s as remarkable as its origin.
Story
Yolan Tirta
Yolan Tirta, a third-generation coffee producer from South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Building on his family’s long-standing coffee heritage, Yolan founded Yolan Coffee to elevate the quality of Indonesian coffee and empower smallholder farmers in the Topidi-Malino region.
Nestled in the highlands of Gowa, Topidi-Malino offers the perfect conditions for exceptional coffee: cool mountain air, volcanic soil, and abundant rainfall. Yolan works closely with local farmers, providing access to better infrastructure, post-harvest training, and modern processing facilities to ensure consistent, traceable, and high-quality lots.
A key innovation in Yolan’s approach is the hybrid washed process, a refined technique that blends elements of traditional washed and experimental fermentations. By integrating inoculated fermentation, specific strains of yeast are intentionally introduced during processing to guide flavour development. Much like using a chosen yeast in breadmaking, this method allows greater control over fermentation, resulting in a cleaner, more balanced cup with enhanced fruit sweetness and refined structure.
Yolan’s commitment to experimentation and excellence has earned him recognition in Indonesia’s Cup of Excellence competitions, where his coffees from Topidi have ranked among the nation’s best. Through Yolan Coffee, he continues to inspire and mentor local farmers, merging innovation with tradition to redefine the potential of Indonesian specialty coffee.
Sulawesi
Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes, is one of Indonesia’s most strikingly unique and geographically dramatic islands. Defined by its rugged volcanic mountains, lush highlands, and deeply indented coastlines, Sulawesi is also home to some of the world’s most spectacular dive sites teeming with marine life and vibrant coral reefs. Its forests shelter rare and endemic species such as the Sulawesi hornbill and the tiny, elusive tarsius, the smallest primates in the world.
This extraordinary biodiversity extends beyond its ecosystems into its agriculture, especially coffee. Introduced by the Dutch in the mid-18th century, with the first Typica plants planted around 1750, coffee quickly took root in Sulawesi’s fertile volcanic soils and cool highland climate. Today, regions like Toraja, Enrekang, and Gowa are celebrated for producing coffees of remarkable depth, balance, and character.
Known for their clean sweetness, syrupy body, and elegant complexity, Sulawesi coffees reflect both the island’s rich natural heritage and the dedication of the smallholder farmers who cultivate its slopes. In every cup lies the story of an island where nature, culture, and craft come together in perfect harmony.