
What to Expect
This is what the roaster calls a 'coffee coffee' — and they're right. The Cristo Liurai from Timor-Leste delivers clean, approachable sweetness without trying to be something it isn't. Grown at 1500-1600 metres by a 15-farmer cooperative in Letefoho, this washed Typica and Timor Hybrid blend sits comfortably in the medium-roast sweet spot.
The Cup
You'll get a medium body with a round, balanced mouthfeel — nothing heavy, nothing skeletal. The acidity is moderate and well-behaved, leaning more towards the sweetness of dried apricot and raisin than any sharp citric bite. It's clean in the way washed coffees should be, with brown sugar sweetness running through the cup and a subtle black pepper note that adds just enough interest without demanding attention. This is the kind of coffee that doesn't shout.
Who This Is For
If you want something reliable, sweet, and easy to dial in across multiple brew methods, this will serve you well. It's a daily drinker with enough character to stay interesting.
If you're chasing bright, fruit-forward acidity or experimental funk, this won't scratch that itch.
Best for: Anyone looking for a dependable, clean cup with gentle sweetness and no drama.
How to Brew This Coffee
This medium roast works beautifully in a filter setup, where the clean washed process and balanced sweetness come through with clarity. An Aeropress gives you flexibility to pull out either the brown sugar sweetness or the subtle spice, depending on your recipe. If you prefer more body and a rounder cup, French press will emphasise the dried fruit character and give you a comforting, full mouthfeel.
Timor - Leste
Timor-Leste (East Timor), Cristo Liurai
We enhance these descriptions ourselves and check them by hand, but mistakes can happen. The roaster's own wording is shown below. If anything arrives not as described, contact us and we'll put it right.
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Description from Roaster
It’s great to have this coffee from Timor-Leste and Karst organics for the 3rd year and featuring as a staple “coffee coffee” for the year ahead. Roasted as a firm medium this gives you a great all rounder with potential flavours of brown sugar, apricot, raisin and black peppe...Description from Roaster
It’s great to have this coffee from Timor-Leste and Karst organics for the 3rd year and featuring as a staple “coffee coffee” for the year ahead.
Roasted as a firm medium this gives you a great all rounder with potential flavours of brown sugar, apricot, raisin and black pepper. For me this sits as a great clean “coffee coffee”
I’ve managed to secure 20 half sacks of Cristo Liurai with the aim of it staying in the line up all year.
This description comes from Bell's Beans, who roasts this coffee. For the fullest product detail, you can also see their own listing at Bell's Beans
Ways to Brew
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Filter
A filter coffee machine (or drip coffee maker) is an often electric kitchen appliance that brews coffee by heating water, passing it through ground coffee and a filter, and dripping the finished brew into a carafe.
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Aeropress
An innovative, portable brewing device that uses air pressure to extract coffee quickly and efficiently. This versatile method allows for experimentation with brewing times and techniques, producing anything from espresso-style concentrates to smooth, full-flavored cups with remarkable consistency.
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French Press
A French Press (or Cafetiere) is a simple, manual coffee maker that brews rich, full-bodied coffee by steeping coarse grounds in hot water, then separating them by pressing a mesh filter down with a plunger, allowing the coffee's natural oils and sediment to remain for a bolder flavour.
Bell's Beans
Bell’s Beans is a family-run speciality coffee roastery based in Surrey, founded by Chris after leaving a career in engineering to pursue his passion for coffee. What began as home-roasting experiments on a small Gene Cafe machine soon evolved into a micro-roastery built alongside his home, where he combines an engineering mindset with a deep curiosity for the science and variability of coffee roasting. Bell’s Beans focuses exclusively on speciality-grade coffees sourced through ethical importers and producers who support farmers and their communities, with a preference for quality and transparency over scale. Intentionally remaining small and independent, the roastery prioritises craftsmanship, seasonal coffees, and selective partnerships, reflecting a philosophy of modesty while consistently refining its pursuit of excellent coffee.
Shop Bell's Beans