Postcard from Bali: What Wet-Hulling (Giling Basah) Does to Flavor

(Check out Our Bali Blue )

Picture the Kintamani Highlands in central Bali: tidy farm plots on volcanic slopes, morning mist, and coffee cherries drying in the sun. Many producers here finish their harvest with giling basah—Indonesia’s distinctive wet-hulling method—one big reason Bali cups read dark-chocolatey, brown-sugary, and plush.

What is giling basah, exactly?

Unlike most origins—where beans dry inside their parchment to ~10–12% moisture before hulling—Indonesian farmers remove the parchment early, while the beans are still semi-wet (≈30–50% moisture). After that, the bare green seeds finish drying to export level. This step, done with specialized hullers, is what “wet-hulling” means.

Why do it? It suits a humid, rainy climate: drying speeds up, coffee moves to market faster, and risk of weather damage drops. (Many mills use modified Kemajuan hullers designed to process high-moisture parchment.)

How wet-hulling shapes flavor

Because the seeds dry without parchment protection, they pick up a very different signature than washed or natural coffees:

  • Body up, acidity down. Expect heavier mouthfeel with lower perceived acidity, a hallmark across Indonesian wet-hulled lots.
  • Earthy–chocolate spectrum. Common descriptors include earth, cedar/herb, tobacco-cocoa, dark chocolate—though careful selection can taste very clean. (That bluish-green color you see on Indonesian greens)
  • Range, not a rule. Modern mills (and co-ferments) sometimes yield surprisingly bright, clean wet-hulled profiles—proof that technique and milling discipline matter.

Bali’s spin: volcanic loam + altitude

Kintamani farms sit around 1,200–1,600 meters on volcanic loam—deep, young soils that help trees through dry spells and support slow, sweet ripening. Many smallholders hand-pick, then wet-hull and sun-dry on raised beds. In the cup, that combo often reads dark chocolate, molasses, brown sugar with gentle spice.

Brew & roast notes (to taste Bali at its best)

  • Pour-over / drip: Try 1:16 at ~198–200°F (92–93°C). Paper filters keep the profile clean-sweet; coarser grind tames the syrupy weight if you want more clarity.
  • French press: Start ratio 1:15, steep 4:00 minutes before you press the plunger. Metal mesh boosts body—great for wet-hulled depth.
  • Espresso: Begin 18 g in → 36 g out, 25–30 s at ~200°F. Nudge a touch finer/longer for extra caramelized sweetness.
  • Roasting context: Wet-hulled coffees can be lower density; many roasters prefer gentler, “low-and-slow” Maillard to preserve sweetness and avoid rough edges. Royal Coffee

Why we love Bali Blue (and the Pods)

Our Bali offerings lean into what the island does so well: chocolate-forward sweetness, smooth body, and a calm finish—a friendly everyday mug that still feels distinct from Central- or South-American profiles. If you’re curious where those notes come from, now you know: place (volcanic Kintamani) plus process (giling basah).

Further reading:

Browse our Bali Blue bags to taste giling basah in action.

 

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