Bali Blue Moon
ROASTING IN NOVEMBER
A Peet’s favorite—and this fall, a favorite for you. This dark roast brings the same spicy, complex notes of a Sumatra, just a bit finer. It’s weighty in the cup and silky on the palate, with tasting notes of cedar, maple syrup, and peat moss. And for a limited time, you can indulge in this exclusive coffee that’s usually reserved for the Small Batch Subscription Series.
TALK OF THE TASTING ROOM
When we sampled Bali Blue Moon in our cupping room, words like pipe tobacco, whiskey, fennel pollen, and black garlic floated around—a testament to its complexity. There was much discussion, but eventually all agreed on notes of cedarwood and peat moss, with a sweetness like maple syrup. It’s smooth and tempting. A complement to cool autumnal days. (Love to switch up your coffee with the seasons? Our Seasonal Essentials Series is made for Peetniks like you.)
TAKE A TRIP TO BALI
Usually when we think of Bali, we picture splashy beach resorts and crystalline waters. But take a sip of this single origin dark roast, and find yourself transported to the Kintamani region, where the coffee grows amongst the lush highlands of Mount Batur. Up around 5,000 feet, the coffee cherries are harvested by a network of Balinese farmers called a Subak Abian—a traditional farmer organization in upland Bali—between May and November.
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
Due to the humid, rainy climate, coffee is processed differently in Indonesia than elsewhere, hulled and dried in a series of steps that expose the bean to unique tropical influences. It’s a risky, less consistent practice called Giling Basah, but it’s what gives Indonesian coffees their weighty spice and satisfaction. And it’s what gives these beans the striking dark blue-green color for which they’re named.
NOTES FROM THE PEET’S ROASTERY
When the beans first arrived at The Roastery, they were a very dark green, some with a tinge of blue, and had a rough matte surface. The chaff line was white like paper, and the general appearance like a Sulawesi (hi, neighbor). We found only one black bean and no other defects—a good sign. The aroma was fresh and earthy, like grass and mossy bark.
The roasts went well but trended fast; it took a couple of batches to pin down a burner setting the Bali beans liked. The coffee responded slowly to changes in heat during the roast, but it wasn’t hard to anticipate where the burner cuts needed to be. First crack was strong and audible outside of the roaster, and the increase in popping was a reliable cue to reduce heat. At second crack, the first one or two pops were also a good sign that we could reduce heat and prepare to finish. Sweet, herby smells were present throughout the roasting process.
After roasting, we evaluated 4 profiles with 6 tasters, blind and randomized. Unanimously, we agreed that the second profile—the same one you’ll try at home—had the best consistency of character across pre-shipment, arrival, and roasted cuppings. It showcased great origin character, complexity, and excellent depth of roast. Super sweet and very herbaceous, with a syrupy body, and notes of dried orange, sage, dark chocolate, and aromatic wood. Super juicy with a lingering finish. When brewed on the Chemex and V60 dripper, we found it to be even more complex.
-John Nicolini and Michael Madden, Roasters; Jamie Smith, R&D
PEET’S LIMITED RELEASE COFFEES
You might think that a monthly coffee subscription sounds amazing in and of itself, but Peet’s coffee-of-the-month takes it a step further than most. Good things come in small packages, and we only get these coffees in small batches, which is why you can only find them at peets.com and only for a month at a time. They’re special. And while you don’t have to be a Small Batch Coffee subscriber to experience these amazing coffees, their fleeting nature means they can sell out—fast. So subscribing guarantees you get to taste each one of these incredibly special lots.