BALI BEANS COFFEE: FROM THE FARM TO YOUR CUP
I would do anything for a cup of coffee. When I looked at the map of North Bali to find the location of Bali Beans Roastery, I saw that Plaga was near Bedugul. Not too far on the map, so I thought it would make a nice side trip while exploring Bedugul.
I wound my way down the mountain toward Ubud before returning to Kintamani. How foolish of me not to realize that the trip would actually take quite a while. But still, a three-hour round trip is no big deal if it means ending up with a really good cup of coffee!
Bali Beans Coffee Roastery
I had seen their fresh and appealing Instagram presence and became curious about their Crop to Cup philosophy. I messaged Ayu about my visit, and when I arrived at the building, she welcomed me with a big smile. The roastery sits by the roadside, standing out from its simple surroundings. The clever brick building reminded me of a trendy Shoreditch coffee shop. Even without a logo—which Ayu hadn’t yet installed—it was easy to recognize.
Ayu led me to the café and immediately prepared coffee for me (no kidding! Such a lovely person!). She apologized that the barista hadn’t arrived yet, so the coffee might not be perfect (and indeed, it wasn’t), while she shared the story of Bali Beans. Ayu, the owner, made coffee for me using a V60 filter. Absolutely delicious!
Bali Beans, A Family Business
On the wall hung photos of her parents on the plantation; they had been growing coffee since 1985. Ayu explained that, as a child, she would go straight to the plantation after school to spend time with them, and that between chores, she and her younger brother would crawl under the coffee plants to collect Kopi Luwak.
Ayu and her brother, the Bali Beans team…
I asked again about the supposed “magic” of this famous coffee fruit. She explained how the civet (luwak) naturally selects the best fruit. They are world-class coffee connoisseurs and discard any beans that don’t meet their standards. The digestive process naturally ferments the coffee fruit. She also mentioned that although keeping caged civets is prohibited, it still happens. Of course, unless the civets are wild, they cannot choose the beans themselves, so one of the main benefits of Kopi Luwak is lost.
Ayu gave me some Bali Beans Kopi Luwak to take home. I plan to save it for a special occasion; anything that goes through such a painstaking process—selected by the civet and then gathered by tiny hands—deserves my utmost respect!