While Indonesia’s famous kopi luwak is certainly an acquired taste, locally-grown Robusta and Arabica beans are of excellent quality and have a more mainstream appeal. We asked Kevin James, a co-founder of 20mL, a Bali-based coffee lab with roasting facilities, a slow bar, and co-working space, for coffee-making tips.
Q: Can you tell us about 20mL?
Kevin: Our name comes from our philosophy and passion for coffee; throughout our journey, we’ve learned that coffee is art, yet it is also very precise, from the roasting process to the time the coffee takes to bloom and brew. No detail is too small. We aim to work with Indonesian coffee farmers to develop their coffee beans, taking them to the next level.
20mL coffee is a joint passion project between Wiliam Edison, a well-known roaster equipment manufacturer and roasting expert, and me. My background is in hospitality as well as business, and I first got interested in the art of coffee-making when I joined Wiliam’s Coffee Academy.
Q: What are your tips for people that are just starting to learn about home brewing?
Kevin: Start with investing in a good grinder, which is the key to unlocking coffee flavours since coffee is best kept in a bean stage and only ground when it’s ready to drink to preserve the flavours.
Next, I would recommend determining what type of coffee you love, whether it is espresso or non-espresso-based. For the latter, the drip of the French press is a good place to start. For the manual brew, I’d recommend a V60. For delicious clear and clean flavours with remarkably low acidity, try AeroPress. You can also explore the cold drip, which is less bitter, more delicate, and has a smoother taste.
Now you are ready to choose your coffee beans: single-origin or a blend that mixes together various aromas and tastes. I would personally recommend starting from a single origin and trying Kintamani beans known for its balanced acidity and clean aftertaste. Kintamani Arabica is cultivated in the vast highland of Kintamani, Northern Bali.
.png)