3 BLEND KOPI ? EMANG PENTING !!

Why Use Multiple Espresso Blends?

Dika of Biji Hitam explains why a coffee shop may use several espresso blends instead of relying on one blend for every drink. Different recipes bring out different qualities: a blend that works well in an Americano may not taste as balanced in a sweet, milk-based drink.

The choice depends on taste and intended use; there is no universally right or wrong blend.

Biji Hitam’s Three Blends

Full Arabica (“Turbo”)

• Made with fully washed Arabica from Tanah Karo.
• Used for drinks where a smoother coffee character is preferred, such as Americanos and plain lattes.
• Dika finds it less bitter and more comfortable in a simple iced latte.

Approximately 70% Arabica / 30% Robusta (“Debar” or similar)

The name is unclear in the subtitles.

• Uses grade-one Arabica from Tanah Karo, with Robusta sourced at times from Gayo or Temanggung.
• Intended for sweet, flavored iced drinks—such as caramel or vanilla lattes—where the coffee needs to remain noticeable alongside syrup and milk.
• The Arabica is roasted around medium, while the Robusta is darker, around medium-dark.

50% Arabica / 50% Robusta

• Uses beans described as below grade one and is roasted darker than the other blends.
• Suited to menu items that need a stronger espresso character, including some street-coffee-style drinks.
• Dika describes this blend as the most robust and assertive of the three.

Practical Lessons

• Match the blend to the drink. A plain latte, a sweetened iced latte, and an Americano have different flavor needs. Syrups and other sweet ingredients can mute coffee, so a blend with some Robusta may help the coffee remain prominent.
• Treat tasting as part of recipe development. Dika compares iced lattes made with different blends and describes the full-Arabica version as smoother and less bitter. He emphasizes that these are his preferences; other cafés may choose differently.
• Calibrate each blend separately. The blends require different grind sizes and doses, so they cannot all be prepared using identical grinder settings. In Dika’s example, the Turbo blend is ground finer than the 70/30 blend.
• Account for equipment. Dialing in multiple blends on one machine can be challenging, particularly with simpler or single-boiler equipment. A grinder with adjustable presets can make the process easier.
• Develop a house style. A café can experiment with blends to create distinctive drinks and a recognizable coffee profile.

Speaker and Source

• Dika, presenting on the Biji Hitam YouTube channel.