ARKIB PROTOKOL #0034 POINTU

Breaking down coffee quality to its very core has always been part of Arkib’s pursuit. Since 2021, we have worked closely at the farm level, studying cultivation practices, fermentation environments, and the relationship between processing and flavour. These explorations gradually shaped our collaboration with small coffee producers, leading to the creation of the Protokol series, a collection of custom processed coffees designed together with producers to express experimental processing while preserving the identity of origin. Protokol #0034 Pointu first emerged in 2025 as one of the defining works within the series, and with the arrival of the new harvest, we are grateful to revisit it once again.

Pointu is built around extended anaerobic fermentation. By fermenting the coffee inside sealed barrels under controlled conditions, the process refines cup clarity while intensifying sweetness and structure. The journey begins with carefully selected ripe red cherries, washed and sorted in water to remove floaters before undergoing 168 hours of natural anaerobic fermentation. This prolonged stage deepens the natural sweetness of Sumatra coffee while preserving its vivid fruit character. After fermentation, the coffee is slowly dried inside a greenhouse on multi tier drying racks over the course of two to three weeks. The cherries are first placed on the upper racks for faster moisture reduction before being transferred to lower shelves for a gentler drying phase. This gradual transition allows the coffee to develop layered complexity and a refined natural profile without overwhelming fermented tones.

The Protokol series represents some of the most personal work we have pursued in specialty coffee, not merely roasting coffee, but stepping into the role of curator alongside producers to bring a shared vision to life. Pointu delivers a polished profile with deep tropical fruit character and refined sweetness. As a hand brew, it reveals notes of mangosteen, prune, dried plum, Ribena, and blackcurrant, while a lingering mango sweetness begins to emerge as the cup cools, followed by a subtle fruit leather finish. Brewed as espresso, the coffee leans into a richer and more umami driven expression, layered with sweet dried plum and prune. With milk, the profile softens into a more rounded cup, carrying notes reminiscent of purple grape, strawberry milk, and a delicate touch of Lady apple on the palate. Protokol #0034 Pointu remains one of the defining releases within the Protokol series, and we feel fortunate to offer it once again this year.