The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) of the Republic of Indonesia Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno believes coffee can become Aceh's mainstay commodity in the future. According to Sandiaga, Aceh coffee has a high taste coupled with good processing techniques. Not only being a champion in the country, Aceh coffee is also expected to be global. This was conveyed by Sandiaga Uno when he visited a coffee shop called Solong Coffe Ulee Kareng located at Jalan T Iskandar Muda Number 13-14 Ceurih, Ulee Kareng, Banda Aceh City, Aceh today, Wednesday (20/10/2021). He also believes that Indonesia is capable of becoming the epicenter of the world's coffee which opens the widest possible business and employment opportunities for the entire community. "I've been here several times and the aroma of the coffee is very authentic. I've tried the robusta and arabica," said Sandiaga Uno. "The rise of Indonesia as the epicenter of the world's coffee must start from Aceh to be able to create business opportunities and employment opportunities and restore the nation's economy," he explained.
Meanwhile, Sandiaga chose to sip the sanger milk coffee, a mixture of robusta coffee mixed with fresh milk at the shop. He chose the processed coffee to quench his thirst after jogging for more than seven kilometers. "This has to be stirred 13 counterclockwise. It's delicious, it beats Italiano cappuccino coffee," said Sandiaga Uno, greeted with laughter from the residents. After sipping milk coffee, Sandiaga Uno was invited to tour the kitchen of Solong Coffe production by the owner of the shop, namely Muhammad Saman or Abu Solong - his nickname when he worked for the Chinese. On this occasion, Sandiaga Uno saw a variety of ready-to-consume coffee products that were difficult to pack in modern packaging. Likewise with the coffee roasting process, which now uses modern coffee bean roasting machines. At that location, Sandiaga Uno saw the roasting process of peaberry coffee beans or better known as male coffee. Coffee beans are believed to increase the vitality of men. "This roasting uses modern machines, so you can see the color if it is ripe or not, what is being roasted is peaberry-single-bean coffee," said Sandiaga Uno, showing the condition of the half-baked coffee beans. "In Java it is known as male coffee, one coffee-one bean. This roasting only takes 16 minutes per five kilograms," said Muhammad Saman.
All of the coffee served at the coffee shop, which was founded in 1974, is served fresh. As soon as the coffee is finished roasting, the coffee with a certain maturity is immediately ground using a special machine. The coffee beans, which were originally blackish brown in color, turned into a fine powder. The ready-to-eat coffee is then measured and packaged using aluminum packaging. Meanwhile, other ground coffees are brewed directly using a special technique similar to that of pulling tea, namely by filtering using a tile cloth. Curious, Sandiaga Uno tried out the technique demonstrated by Solong Coffee employees. Even though he looked stiff when he lifted the filter accompanied by a large stainless glass, Sandiaga Uno managed to pour a cup of his own Arabica coffee. "Hmmm delicious," he smiled as he sipped a cup of coffee from his hand.
