Yolan Tirta Sulawesi, Indonesia

Coffee cultivation in Indonesia has a unique history, being one of the first places outside Arabia and Africa to grow coffee at commercial scale. Coffee first arrived in the archipelago under Dutch East India Company rule, with the earliest Java plantings dating to the late 1600s. Typica, a foundational Arabica variety, traces back to seeds carried to Yemen and then transplanted to Java by the Dutch. Sulawesi, then known as Celebes, saw its coffee industry take hold later than Java's, with coffee arriving around 1750.  

The Dutch ran estates in Java and Sumatra, while Sulawesi's coffee stayed smallholder-grown. Production expanded through the 1800s, aided by the island's volcanic soil, highland terrain, and tropical rainfall. In the mid-1800s, a leaf rust epidemic devastated Indonesia's Typica plants which led to the origins of rust-resistant cultivars like S795, developed later in India in the 1940s. These weren't introduced to Indonesia until the mid-20th century, planted alongside the surviving Typica. After independence, the Dutch estates were nationalised, cementing the smallholder-driven model that continues today. 

Yolan Tirta is a third-generation producer from Panaikang Village in Gowa, South Sulawesi, working to revitalise the region's coffee industry. The mill he built in 2016 reflects his broader vision to advance cultivation, processing, and quality. Sitting at 1,250 meters above sea level, the mill takes in cherries from neighbouring farms, primarily Typica and S795 grown with organic practices. Yolan’s mill processes them using both washed and natural methods. To counter the region's high humidity, the mill uses greenhouse drying to control and maintain quality. 

Together with Sulawesi's exporters, Yolan has kept alive a more traditional washed approach even as wet-hulling dominates neighbouring Sumatra. Fermentation still sometimes features in post-harvest processing, though mechanical demucilaging is becoming increasingly common with coffee typically dried on heavy tarps at smaller mills. 

The profile of Sulawesi coffees tends to be lively, with more notably perceived acidity and a creamy body. The cup profile, the additional labour required in production, and the lower availability of the fine lots can make them pricier than other offerings from Indonesia, but it is these remarkable cups that show the expanse of Indonesia’s diverse coffee potential. 

The efforts of Yolan and his team have created a ripple effect in the community. By establishing mini mills and drying stations, he has empowered local farmers to meet the demands of the specialty coffee market. The farm's achievements, including recognition for its washed and natural processes, have inspired renewed enthusiasm for coffee farming among the locals. Yolan's future goals include improving processing facilities with additional drying houses and higher-capacity pulpers.