Buzz
Travelers can only find the unique taste of coffee with a glowing red charcoal inside in the archipelago nation.
Indulge in Indonesia's Distinctive Charcoal-Infused Coffee Experience
Over 30 years have passed, from an obscure beverage, kopi joss or charcoal coffee has become a specialty of Yogyakarta (Jogja) city, located on the island of Java, Indonesia. From word of mouth to travel articles, charcoal coffee emerges as an experience that travelers cannot miss when visiting Indonesia.
Although sold on mobile stalls called “angkringan”, the coffee used is the finest traditional type sourced from Klaten region, Jogja. The coffee beans, after being harvested, are manually roasted and ground to preserve their flavor and aroma.
Unlike the Vietnamese, Indonesians do not use a filter or any other utensil to brew coffee; they simply pour the coffee powder directly into a cup. The water for brewing coffee must be boiled in a large tin pot. It is believed that brewing with charcoal creates a different taste compared to using a regular gas stove.
Boiling water is poured directly into a cup with coffee powder and a moderate amount of sugar. Then, it is stirred evenly to dissolve the coffee with sugar. If observed closely, you will notice that this process is not much different from a regular cup of coffee except for the moment when the seller grabs and puts the charcoal into it.
A glowing red charcoal is directly added into the coffee cup, emitting a 'josssssssssss' sound. This type of sound can only be felt when you are near. This also explains the name 'kopi joss' in Indonesian.
After adding the charcoal, the seller uses a small spoon to submerge the charcoal into the cup. The charcoal in the coffee cup is only used once during the burning process. However, many customers still hesitate when trying this 'unique' coffee for the first time.
Kopi joss has been around for over 30 years. To explain the origin of this special coffee cup, it is said that an old man was boiling water but accidentally dropped a charcoal into the unfinished coffee cup. After tasting and feeling the distinct flavor of coffee with charcoal inside, he decided to start a business.
If Margo Utomo alley north of Tugu Yogyakarta train station used to have only a small cart, now it has become more lively every evening, especially on weekends. Not only locals but also Indonesian tourists come here to enjoy this unique taste. Each cup of kopi joss costs 5,000 rupiahs (about 8,000 dong).
Here, you can also find various snacks such as grilled skewers displayed on carts. The average price for a skewer is 3,000 ruiahs (about 5,000 dong).
As per Phong Vinh/Vnexpress
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Refer to: Travel Guide Mytour
MytourMarch 23, 2018
