Expat. Roasters’s branding is on point. From their bespoke milk pitchers and customized La Marzocco espresso machine to the embroidered logos on their restroom hand towels. Everything is black, white, yellow, or grey on materials like glass, concrete, marble, and wood (plus a nice touch of plants thrown in for good measure). It even carries over to their packaging and baristas’ uniforms. Our favorite part about their shop is the beautiful retail section by the window that lures you in from across the street. It’s a good indication of their vibe and culture: modern, cool, and subtle. It’s so tempting to purchase a matte black steaming pitcher, which is a collaboration with Pesado. It’s becoming a trend to veer away from the typical minimalist coffee shop vibe, and Expat Roasters creating a clear identity is a move we’d like to see more of from up and coming cafes.
We tried a couple of coffees served at Expat Roasters in Bali, one with milk and one pour over. This pour over, which was a honey process coffee originating from the highlands of Bali Kintamani had a cupping score from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) of 83.5. Honey processing involves drying the coffee cherries together with the outer skin of the fruit before removing it for roasting resulting in a more full bodied and fruity taste which often times has mild acidity and makes for complex flavors. The Bali Kintamani produced a very unconventional flavor; with notes of molasses, dried fruit acidity, and very intense floral notes. Our verdict: It’s a good way to cap off your bali experience, and it speaks to some of the best agricultural produce and excellent craft workmanship on the island.
We brought home a take-home bag of these beans and the experience when we brewed it in our studio was completely different from back in Bali. The coffee, this time brewed by us, smelled light and tasted floral and had more of a tea-like flavor but it didn’t have the same full bodied weight in your mouth. It was almost like drinking rose water with only a little more body. Nonetheless, it was still refreshing! This may certainly be a challenging coffee to enjoy every day, but on both occasions that we had it, we found it to be a great treat.
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