In the Land of the Gods, Do the Gods Drink Coffee?

The word 'Bali' is most likely to bring to mind an image of beautifully undulating rice terraces set in a tropical paradise.

Not surprising, since the island's predominant form of agriculture is wet rice cultivation.

But rice isn't the island's sole agricultural product. In the east and north most hills are carpeted not with paddies, but with trees. Fruits like mangosteens, rambutan, mangoes, and durian thrive in these cooler, higher altitudes, inland and away from the humid coasts. It's a climate that's also perfect for growing cloves, nutmeg, cacao, and, especially, coffee.

Until recently most coffee grown in Bali was the high-yield, low quality Robusta variety. More recently Balinese coffee growers - some large plantation owners, but mostly independent smallholders - have been planting Arabica trees and refining their processing methods in the hopes of producing a superior bean that will command higher prices.

We visited the coffee farm of just such a smallholder, in an idyllic spot about an hour's drive inland from Lovina beach, on the north coast.

Like many smaller Balinese producers, he grows organically by default; when weighed against the price per bag he's able to get for his coffee, the use of expensive pesticides just can't be justified. His farm is relatively small, so coffee cherries (the fresh fruits are referred to as 'cherries'; they're 'beans' after they've been dried) are harvested by hand.

 

After they're picked over and poorer quality fruit discarded, the cherries are processed by the 'dry method' - laid out under the sun on a large, flat area of concrete. To ensure even drying the coffee is raked several times a day.

The dried beans are picked over again, and then given a bath.

Dry again, they're ready to be shipped. For this grower, the hope is that the quality of his beans will attract the interest of an overseas specialty buyer, preferably one willing to work with him over the course of a few years to improve his product's quality. If not, he'll either sell them to a middleman or transport them to the town of Munduk, a half hour's drive away, to be finished off at the local roaster's facility.

Balinese like their coffee ground extra fine, to a talcum-like powder. It's prepared as coffee is on other Indonesian islands: without a filter, simply a spoonful or two stirred into a cup (or more spoonfuls, into a pot) of boiled water. After three or four minutes, when the grounds have settled to the bottom of the vessel, the coffee's ready. Sugar is common, milk (canned, sweetened condensed) less so.

So, do the Balinese gods drink coffee? If they don't, they should. The coffee gifted to us by this grower's family was superb. Balinese coffee, if grown and processed with care and a lot of skill, is mellow and fruity, with a good amount of body. Though they produce a brew nowhere near as robust as that of other Indonesian beans (eg. Sumatra and Sulawesi), Balinese beans hold their own.

If you happen to find yourself in the one-street town of Munduk - well worth a visit whether or not you're a coffee fan - ask around, and you'll be directed to the roaster's hole-in-the-wall shop, where you can pick up 500-gram bags of local coffee, whole-bean or freshly ground.

Comments

[kalyn]

Very interesting. I learned a lot about coffee, which I consider to be a staple.

[foodcrazee]

nice pic and great post.....would like a blend of robusta and arabica.....great morning drink...cant live without them

[Vincent]

Coffee is wicked good... Since I haven't ventured out past my job site and the hotel yet, I am stuck pretty much with instant coffee - for now.

Happen to know of any coffee varieties inherent to Borneo/Kota Kinabalu, by any chance?

[Robyn]

Hi Vincent, are you in KK? Gonna make it out to one of the tamu outside of town? We may be heading that way next month. Sorry, no recs for local coffee. Though I would expect some is grown in the highlands of Sarawak (just a hunch, bec of the climate).

[Sticky]

Love the photos of the beans. It's a really attractive, evocative fruit, don't you think?

[Jill]

Want to say I think your photos are just great -I aspire to be as good. Would you divulge the type of camera you are using? We're American expats living in Asia as well, so many photo ops, so little time.

[Evil Jonny]

Amazing photos, thanks! For a coffee fan, this was just great.

[Walter Manning]

Excellent photos and you captured the look, feel & understanding of Indonesia, I loved it ! I am american but traveled to & thru Indonesia numerous times in the late 1960's and 70's> I later lived permanently and worked in Java Barat & Sumatra Tengah for 19 years 1982 - 2000 and will always miss her. But for me Indonesia is not the same anymore. So I have upstaked and now live in the highlands of Panama near Boquete. Wilujung Sonten, Walter