Kala Patra/I Gede Surya Airlangga

"I Gede Surya Airlangga manages coffee cultivation at Kala Patra farm in Banjar Village, Buleleng Regency, Bali, and processes coffee along with PT. Bumi Adena Lestari. In Buleleng, coffee historically served a critical environmental purpose as a natural water-retention canopy before land was converted over time into short-term annual crops. Since 2024, Kala Patra has gradually implemented regenerative farming practices, working step-by-step to restore the coffee orchard back into a natural forest ecosystem. Serving a critical environmental role as a watershed protection canopy for Buleleng, the farm's transition to a biodiverse forest structure protects local soil hydrology while leveraging the cooling microclimate surrounding Lake Tamblingan.
For Cup of Excellence 2026, Surya selected a lot combining varietals and a signature heirloom variety of Bali. Applying an Experimental Washed Dry-Hulled (Hybrid) process, the processing relies on practical experimentation developed by Adena in previous seasons.
Working with modest infrastructure, fermentation tanks, a pulper, and tarps for sun drying on limited bed space, Surya proves that disciplined timing and careful fermentation control can unlock remarkable flavor clarity even from straightforward facilities. Surya's environmental initiative is making a broader impact across his village. While guiding his field crew to focus on coffee care was initially challenging, seeing the trees thrive has inspired neighboring farmers in Buleleng to rehabilitate their own coffee plots.
Participating in Cup of Excellence 2026 validates this ecological restoration, showing that caring for coffee as an environmental shield creates lasting agricultural value for the entire community."

“Restoring coffee trees into a living forest is our way of protecting water and soil for future generations.”