Bali coffee uses a unique wet-hulling process that creates its distinctive earthy, full-bodied flavor.
The traditional preparation involves fine grinding and direct brewing without filtration. We walk through the authentic method step by step.
What is Bali Coffee?
Simply put, Bali coffee is merely a beverage made from coffee beans grown on the island. Since Bali has volcanos, its soil is nutrient-rich, making for high-quality beans. To add to the flavor, farmers often grow coffee beans next to citrus plants, which help imbue each roast with a slightly sweet and tangy flavor.
Balinese coffee comes in two primary varieties: roasted and Kopi Luwak. Both types are tasty, but one is far more unique than the other, as we’ll illustrate later.
Roasted vs. Kopi Luwak Bali Coffee
The island has multiple coffee plantations, as you would find anywhere else in the world. As we mentioned, volcanic ash helps add nutrients to the soil.
Roasted Balinese coffee is made the same way as regular coffee. Local farmers grow the beans, roast them, and turn them into coffee grounds.
Alternatively, if you want a specialty coffee from Bali, you can go with Kopi Luwak. However, you’ll notice that it is a highly expensive coffee, and here’s why: it’s made from animal poop.
Technically, the coffee itself isn’t made from poop. Instead, it’s made from partially digested coffee cherries. There’s a small cat-like creature on the island called the Asian palm civet (aka Luwak), which eats the cherries and then poops them out.
While this production method is highly unorthodox (we don’t want to know how someone discovered this process), it results in some of the best coffee you’ve ever tasted.
The wild civet’s digestive system removes a lot of the acidity and bitterness from the beans, making it a much smoother, richer beverage.
How to Make Balinese Coffee
Fortunately, you can use the same methods to brew Bali coffee as you would any other coffee beans. However, let’s look at the traditional Indonesian way.
Step One: Pour Coffee Grounds Into a Beer Mug
Indonesians like to drink coffee out of a beer mug instead of a regular ceramic coffee cup. That said, feel free to use a mug of your choice. One spoonful of roasted or Kopi Luwak coffee should suffice, but you can adjust the amount as you see fit.
Step Two: Boil Water
The key to making Indonesian coffee is to pull the hot water off as soon as it starts boiling. Letting it boil for a while will make the beverage taste flatter.
Step Three: Stir
If you want to remove the coffee grounds from the bottom, you can pour the beverage through a French press. However, Indonesians typically drink their coffee with the dregs, which is why they call this “mud” coffee.
Step Four: Let Steep
Don’t drink your Balinese coffee right away. Instead, let it sit for a few minutes so that the grounds have a chance to mix with the hot water. Then, if you like, you can add other ingredients like sugar or cream.
Step Five: Enjoy!
You’ll notice that Bali coffees are much smoother and more flavorful than other varieties. So whether you prefer espresso, latte, or just regular instant coffee, following these steps will deliver a high-quality cup.
The Final Word on How to Make Bali Coffee
The trickiest part about making Balinese coffee is finding the beans. Since the island doesn’t produce as much coffee as other countries (i.e., Costa Rica or Ecuador), they’re hard to find and expensive. The further away you live from Indonesia, the pricier the coffee.
That said, Bali coffee is some of the best in the world, so if you can get your hands on a bag of whole or ground beans, it’s worth the trouble.
If you like this article, learn how to stop coffee making you poop.
FAQs About How to Make Bali Coffee
Can you buy ethically sourced Kopi Luwak coffee?
Which beans are better, robusta or arabica?
That said, robusta beans have more antioxidants, making them a bit healthier for your body. They have an earthier, nuttier flavor that’s a bit stronger than arabica.
What We Actually Do Differently
Full disclosure: we’ve made this recipe dozens of times, and here’s how we’ve tweaked it for our taste:
The measurements above are a solid starting point, but coffee strength is deeply personal. We usually bump up the coffee by about 15% because we like it punchy. If you’re sensitive to bitterness, scale back slightly and compensate with a longer steep time.
Fresh beans make a noticeable difference here. Anything roasted within the last 3 weeks works great. Supermarket beans that have been sitting for months? You’ll taste the staleness. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.