roastery

Jul 12, 2021 Coffee Singapore

SG’s Alchemist is a MUST Visit

There’s an underlying appreciation for the fine things here in the Alchemist cafe. It seems like there’s a concerted effort to have all the best stuff on deck. Fine Hasami porcelain Kalita Cups and the under-counter Modbar espresso machines provide hot water, steam, and pressure profiled espresso are two of the key indicators of this. The setup is completed by what can be described as “possibly too many Malkhonig EK-43s grinders,” two of which are upgraded with aftermarket volumetric bean slide dosers to support the needs of a fast moving bar.

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Mar 06, 2020 Taiwan

Aura Packaging

If there was an award for The Most Overproduced Coffee Packaging, Taipei’s Aura would take the tape by a country mile. On first glance, the packaging seems pretty straightforward: a white vented bag with a sticker. But the devil’s in the details. Enter the cafe, and the first thing that you will see is what is essentially a museum exhibit explaining the science and computer programming and visualization models that the roaster has developed over a four-year period in order to generate the little image on each coffee packaging sticker.

It’s something that we get to discuss in detail on this week’s upcoming episode of Let’s Coffee, our YouTube show together with Yardstick Coffee. We sit down with Philippine Tasters Cup Champion Mich Sy in anticipation of the upcoming Philippine Coffee Competition and discuss preparation for competing. And it was during this dialogue that we discuss different tasting notes and tasting charts. How should we use them and how does life experience affect how one experiences and describes flavors?

Kayo Cosio uses Aura as one of the examples in the episode of how dedicated and extreme an approach to understanding local flavor can really be. If you’re not yet subscribed to HoneycombManila on YouTube and Yardstick on IGTV, be sure to do that so that you do not miss one of our best episodes so far!

UPDATE. Watch the episode here:

Feb 19, 2020 Taiwan

Moonshine Coffee Atelier’s S7 Nighthawk

“It’s the first one in the world. Look at the serial number,” said Zenki Ho. He’s the founder and proprietor over at Taipei’s Moonshine Coffee Atelier, a small-street gem jammed right into the middle of Taipei’s tile-clad apartment buildings. It’s exceptionally Australian in a location that is quintessentially Taipei.

He’s referring to his S7 Nighthawk, a 7 kilo Loring Smart-Roaster that’s designed and built in the USA. Let’s put that in context: Moonshine is a one-room cafe in the capital of Taiwan, a country that already manufactures some of the world’s best roasters (including the official machine of the World Roasting Championship), and in spite of that, Moonshine has opted to bring in a machine that is smokeless, smart, highly programmable, and highly efficient. And it’s the first of its kind in the world. Talk about a flex.

But of course, machinery can only get you so far. The true flex will always be in the coffee itself, an area where Moonshine does not disappoint. Order a “combo” from the menu, and they’ll serve a duet of espresso, one with milk and one without. Sweet, intense, and balanced in both cups. This is a place where they know exactly what they’re doing.

Moonshine Coffee Atelier stands out proudly in a city already covered with stand-out cafes.

Nov 10, 2019 Taiwan

Mountain Kids Coffee Roaster

It’s quite impossible to run out of cool cafes to visit when in Taipei. Here’s one that’s easy to love because of its awesome location: it’s called Mountain Kids Coffee Roaster. Located in the Zhongsheng district this space offers a cozy vibe despite its slick, modern interiors. Make your way up the white steps in the back corner and you’ll find a seating area giving you an unobstructed view of Beiman. That’s the North Gate of Taipei, a significant city landmark. It’s obvious that guests who frequent that cafe also prefer to sit by the window, you’ll find them sipping their coffees while enjoying the scenery and we totally get why!

Mountain Kids Coffee Roaster, also known by its abbreviated moniker, “MCKR,” seems like a pretty ideal chillout spot. It’s also a good place to visit if you’re exploring Taipei for the first time. Not only do you get to enjoy their locally roasted coffees, you also get to appreciate a beautiful historical site.

It’s not only the view that makes Mountain Kids Coffee Roaster worth visiting. The coffees served here are pretty stellar too! As a micro-roaster, they have a wide range of flavors to choose from but we decided to have their offering from Colombia. Lightly roasted and brewed using a pour-over filter method, it was mildly sweet and tangy. Just the right drink to enjoy after having been on a salty and spicy street food spree around the city. They also offer a variety of beautifully decorated pastries and decadent desserts which you can enjoy with your cup of coffee.

Coffee geeks can also geek out on the all-white KB90, the latest model from Italian espresso machine giant, LaMarzocco. The machine features a fresh take on barista workflow ergonomics and integrated scales that take espresso brew consistency to a whole new level.

Follow @mkctrw on Instagram.

Oct 25, 2019 Hongkong

%Arabica Hong Kong

% Arabica has many stores across Hong Kong, but our favorite would have to be the Sheung Wan shop, which can be found across the gate from the PMQ art center. The brand did a solid job of matching their exterior design with the area and surroundings without having to sacrifice a very well known brand identity.

There’s an aesthetic across all the % Arabica stores around the world, and it’s strongly echoed with their brand concept. The visual experience highlights cleanliness, simplicity, and uniformity. They play with wood, concrete, and light to create a very open environment and a minimalist vibe. All these different aspects set a clear standard for what your experience should be.

The café is beautiful, with giant windows and a terrace facing towards the art center’s courtyard across the small, two lane street. A vertical garden covers much of the rest of the façade which seems to converse with the other greenery in the area. This is a good example of a global chain brand having some sense of localization and having an awareness of their position in a greater space. But there is no doubt that this is still a % Arabica coffee shop, design wise and concept wise. It’s a place where people flock to because of the aesthetics and the kind of coffee they’ve grown to be accustomed to drinking at any of the brand’s chain of shops and take out counters. Even with their global branding standards on hand they’ve managed to incorporate and match their design with this very artistic street in Hong Kong and they’ve successfully found a way to compliment the vibe of the location. Doesn’t it seem like a great place to sketch in your journal or write a little bit of poetry?

Follow @arabica.hk on Instagram.

Oct 23, 2019 Bali

Expat. Roasters, Bali

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.

Follow @expatroasters on Instagram.

Oct 20, 2019 Hongkong

Filters Lane

Aside from roasting their own coffee beans, Filters Lane in Hong Kong is also a multi-roaster cafe, providing a wide selection of coffee beans from different roasters and coffee shops around the world.

During our visit in their cafe, they had about 14 different types of beans and roasts that we were offered to choose from. Sometimes they may have less options depending on the season. But as luck would have it, we caught them on a great day for variety. It was definitely a wonderful morning and it was the perfect time to have coffee with our friends. It’s quite a unique experience to have a roaster be willing to serve other beans that are not just their own. It’s a selfless act, one that seems to be out of their care for the customer’s experience. They’re more interested in serving the customer great coffee and having them try new flavors rather than just having their customers get used to their own roasts. It’s something we hope to see more of as the coffee community grows bigger.

Great job, Filters Lane. Its always a pleasure!

Follow @filterslane on Instagram.

Sep 23, 2019 Manila Philippines

El Kapitan

El Kapitan is a company that offers support to those of us in the coffee business with the reliable cafe equipment and accessories. They’re also true coffee aficionados. With that wealth of knowledge they recently made the jump and opened their own cafe inside the Sekai Center along Ortigas Avenue.

The outpost serves as a showroom and sampling venue for all the different coffees they’ve acquired from around the world. Clients come to the spacious, serene, and brightly lit space to talk shop and seek professional advice while enjoying some excellent brews. It faintly resembles a laboratory filled with all their different coffee machinery and tools, but is still a nice place to chill and unwind. They’re also very knowledgeable about the coffees they serve, so if you’re eager to learn, you can have quite the educational experience.

Follow @elkapitan.coffee on Instagram.

Aug 27, 2019 Manila Philippines

Chapter Coffee

Maginhawa Street in the Philippines is a crowded foodie destination, but Chapter Coffee is a serene oasis amidst the hustle and bustle.

On a Saturday morning most people are on their laptops studying and the loft upstairs is even more quiet. Their latte has a very silky texture to it and a mild coffee taste. It’s a nice change of pace for die hard black coffee drinkers and a good starting point for specialty coffee newbies. Chapter Coffee is also a roastery, so they’re very particular about the quality of the coffee. As part of their dedication to spreading the love of coffee culture, they have a retail shelf for people who want to try brewing coffee at home. The baristas will gladly help you find the perfect brewing device to match your flavor of choice.

If you’re in the market for a truly comfortable and educational café experience, this is your spot.

Follow @chaptercoffeeph on Instagram.

Aug 16, 2019 Philippines

Jack Meets Kaldi

Jack Meets Kaldi is more than just your typical neighborhood cafe. It’s a community of coffee lovers heavily involved in the entire process of their coffee production, from farm to cup. They aim to serve premium quality beans and put great importance in training their staff to be excellent at what they do. Seems like they have all the ingredients necessary to make the best cafe, don’t you think?

On our visit to their newly opened shop in San Juan, we caught a glimpse into the impressive (and delicious) work they’re doing by trying two filtered coffees. First is the Typica Finca Nancy, which they farm themselves in Benguet. It has a really unusual but pleasantly surprising flavor resembling the toastiness of Japanese rice crackers with a hint of Lanka fruit in the end. Then there’s the Ethiopia Demerso, an imported bean which they’ve thoughtfully sourced and selected for its quality and flavor. It has subtle floral and fruity tasting notes that pair exceptionally well with their blueberry cheesecake. (Yes, their cakes and pastries deserve some attention, too. Two very different types of coffees from two different regions—both rich in flavor.

What a thrill to be able to try such variety in one shop!

Follow @jackmeetskaldi on Instagram.