Bali Blue Moon isn’t your usual coffee. It’s more than that. Starting from the name, “blue moon”, which is not the usual marketing term but the actual color the beans take before roasting, with a dark purple/bluish hue that is unique. Inherent characteristics and the processing it goes under are the causes of this rare color.
Bali Blue Moon grows under the slopes of Mount Agung, a volcano in the north-eastern region of the island. Rising among the Kintamani Highlands, at heights between 3200 and 3900ft, the volcanic soil and high altitude produce the perfect environment for a flavorful coffee. Coffee cultivation in Bali has a history that goes back to pre-colonial times, and the Bali Blue Moon is the more recent development of the Arabica breed on the island.
The Bali Blue Moon plants are sheltered by the tropical sun by the tangerine and orange trees that also grow on the Kintamani Highlands. In perfect harmony with the local environment, the little plants are carefully taken care of by the Bali farmers since centuries. Local cooperatives, called Subak Abian, are organized following the philosophy of Hindu origin called Tri Hita Karana. Perfect harmony between God and the humans, humans and the environment and among all humans. That translates in respecting nature, the human necessities in appreciating a superb coffee and not causing any distress to any form of life for its cultivation.
In more practical terms, Bali Blue Moon is farmed without the use of fertilizers, pesticides and making sure of harvesting the coffee cherries only when they’re perfectly ripe, with all the right flavors well developed. An appropriate time is given to the coffee to express all its qualities. Bali Blue Moon coffee is the end result of this utmost care that Bali farmers have nearly religiously followed for centuries, a 100% organic coffee with a spectacular tasting profile.
Its processing, first wet as the cherries are soaked in water and then left to dry until ready to be hulled, makes the Bali Blue Moon an exception among Indonesian coffee. Most others, on Bali and Indonesia as a whole, are simply left to dry, not the Bali Blue Moon. Its qualities result from the rich volcanic soil in which it’s grown and the nearby forests: a sweet coffee, with a dominating dark chocolate flavor, developed by the medium roasting into hints of molasses, brown sugar and vanilla. A delicious undertone of various spices is present, the result of the environment of Bali. The tangerine/orange subtle taste that can be also noticed is the fruit of the nearby cultivations. Bali Blue Moon is an exceptional mix of flavors, low in acidity, smooth and creamy in the mouth, for a remarkable cup of coffee.