The Tradition of Drinking Coffee That Becomes a Lifestyle in Aceh

Acehnese society cannot be separated from coffee. For this reason, we will find many coffee shops in various parts of the country nicknamed the Veranda of Mecca. Both day and night, various layers of society in Aceh fill coffee shops to relax drinking coffee.

Not limited to young to old, male and female, poor and rich, all mingling without boundaries. You could say, coffee is like a breath for Acehnese people who are difficult to separate from their daily lives since the days of the Aceh sultanate.

The tradition of drinking coffee has evolved from generation to generation as the development of Aceh as one of the world-class coffee producers. Since the Dutch colonial era until now, there are at least two coffee production centers in Aceh, namely Ulee Kareng and Gayo. Ulee Kareng coffee, which is a type of Robusta coffee, is produced from Ulee Kareng District.

Meanwhile, Gayo coffee, which is a type of Arabica Coffee on the world market, includes premium coffee classes. These two types of coffee are what make Aceh famous as one of the best coffee producers in the country which dominates 40% of the domestic market.

Especially for Ulee Kareng Coffee, it can be said that almost all coffee shops in Banda Aceh serve coffee produced in this area. The processing of coffee powder in these coffee shops holds its own uniqueness.

Coffee powder is not only brewed with hot but cooked water, so the aroma and flavor of the coffee that comes out is really strong. The cooked coffee then undergoes several filtration processes using a cone shaped filter.

In these coffee shops, coffee is generally offered in three variations, namely black coffee, milk coffee and sanger. Black coffee and milk coffee have often been encountered in other parts of Indonesia, but Sanger is a unique and original concoction of Aceh.

At first glance, it looks like coffee is like milk coffee. But what is typical of Sanger is the composition of milk and sugar which is not dominant, making the coffee's fragrance and flavor more pronounced. This mixture of filter coffee, condensed milk and sugar is then shaken until foamy.

Even though times have changed, the culture of drinking coffee in the midst of Acehnese is maintained. This tradition continues to decline to their current generation. What makes it different, at this time the convenience and facilities offered by managers determine whether or not a coffee shop is crowded in Banda Aceh. Now, a comfortable layout and free internet hotspot (wifi) facilities generally attract more young people to stay at the coffee shop for a long time.