Not Just Another Coffee Trip @ Kampar

What's life without a good cup of joe? This time, we visited a cafe at Kampar, which serves a good cup of handcraft espresso based beverage. The cafe is using Roslletto Mocha Blend by Santino caffe company (based in Singapore), a mixture of Arabica and Robusta beans. The freshness of the beans is, I would say, above average, which is not bad, compared to other cafes in Kampar. They are pulling shots with a compact espresso machine, Nuova Simonelli Appia Compact 2 group (if not mistaken), which is pretty petite compare to machines in Bean Cafe and Bubblean's. But don't underestimate this beast, it works as good as those big guys.

I ordered a cup of cappuccino, with two reasons:

a. Observe the technique which the barista apply in milk pouring (different techniques result in different milk texture, while the ratio between the milk and espresso affect the taste of coffee).

b. Appreciate the barista's skill in producing latte art (visually pleasant latte art doesn't necessarily result in a cup of cappuccino that taste good).

Well, I would say that the barista did a good job in terms of latte art (in fact, even better than the first time I tried his cappuccino few months back). Moreover, the coffee didn't just look good, it tasted pleasant too. Though it's labelled as a full body blend, the coffee doesn't feel strong. Instead, it gives me a warm and comfortable feeling, leaving an aromatic chocolatey taste on my taste bud, with a hint of caramel. Best of all, the milk didn't really outshine the espresso, which is good enough for me. Yeap, at just RM6.90, this cuppa has indeed become my favourite order in Kampar area!

LOL, I am not going to tell you where it is, go figure yourself ;)

The French Press Tournament

It's Wednesday night, and we haven't get in any new beans yet, so I thought of having some fun with our french press.

The beans we used were still the same Kirrin Peaberry, only this time we changed the brewing method. Both my pal Jing and Pooballan were the contestants. We limited the equipment to the same 4c Bodum french press, using the same coarse grind setting. What they had to control were the water temperature, pouring method and the steeping time.

Well of course, we only care about the winner isn't it? Jing! her cup had a much richer flavour and better aroma. But Pooballan's cup was not bad as well, just a bit more watery ;)

Too bad we don't have enough budget for a prize giving ceremony, LOL

Good cafe that we visited...

This blog is not just about sharing brewing techniques, it is also about sharing the coffee we love.  In this post, we have a list of cafe that we have visited, and would love to recommend to you (if you are serious about your coffee). Some might be wondering, is that all? You guys only visited 11 cafes? No, of course! We have visited more, but frankly speaking, some are not worth mentioning, let alone paying them for their drinks, yuck! So, here goes the list:

1. Espresso Lab e@curve, Mutiara Damansara

If you are expecting a warmth and cozy decorated cafe, this is not really a place for you. In Espresso Lab, everything is designed as simple as possible, so as to maintain the focus of the customers on their coffee. The design of the cafe resembles a lab and besides making good espresso based beverages, they also serve macrons and expensive POTONG (ice-cream stick). And don't forget their awesome Astoria lever operated espresso machines at the bar!

2. RAW (Real and Wholesome) Wisma Equity, Jln Ampang

 If you are a coffee purist like me, seeking for the best beans around Malaysia, then this cafe is certainly is a MUST VISIT for you. It houses the sexiest espresso machine in Malaysia, Kees van der Westen, known as the Rolls Royce of espresso machine (lever operated of course!). Besides the machine, I really can't stop admiring their Diedrich coffee roaster, where they roast their beans fresh right in the cafe. Their organic salad is awesome, beans are fresh from the estates, baristas are great, yeap! That's everything you need for a good cuppa!

3. Coffee Stain by Joseph, Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang

A great place to enjoy good espresso and hand drip coffee, at the heart of KL. I personally love their slow bar, where the knowledgeable and friendly barista share with me the brew and equipments he loves. Their prices are reasonable and service is good.

4. WHISK, Outpost, 1 Utama

If you love to shop at 1 Utama, Damansara Utama, you should really visit this cozy little cafe, located right next to Starbucks. They serve really good home bake cakes, and their coffee has good milk textures. My regular order would be flat white with chocolate cake.

5. Plan B Roaster, Publika, Solaris Dutamas

 I believe this cafe needs no introduction. Mentioned in the previous post, this cafe is another fine cafe with a German made Probat roaster in it. Their beans are fresh and espresso is good. Too bad their drip brew and french press coffee are overpriced.

 6. Burps & Giggles, Jalan Panglima, Ipoh

Not living in KL? Never mind, we also found some good ones in Ipoh. Burps & Giggles would be a good place to start. They are using espresso blend from Bristot, UK (nothing worth to be bragged about, not really that fresh), good thing is that their baristas are experienced and passionate, resulting in a fine cup of cappucino with good milk texture. Try not to order their espresso though, as the beans doesn't really worth tasting. BTW, we love their decoration and ambience!

7. Indulgence, Ipoh

If you are not a fan of old school deco, and instead yearn for a fine dining place with good coffee, Indulgence is the right place for you. It is located in an old bungalow, elegantly decorated with nice lighting. Surprisingly, their gourmet coffee is not pricey, as compared to their food. Since Indulgence and Burps & Giggles are under the same owner, they are using the same blend from Bristot, UK. So, forget about studying the taste of the coffee, just enjoy the skills of the baristas :)

8. Plan B, Ipoh


Another new dining spot for good coffee in Ipoh, this cafe is conveniently located right behind Burps & Giggles, brewing good espresso, using their company's house blend. In fact, this is one of the places in Ipoh that you should visit if you really want to taste espresso made out of fresh beans. Plan B has its own roaster in Malaysia, and their beans are worth trying. Food is expensive but large enough.

9. Bubblean's, Kampar
 
Now, back to our beloved Kampar town. Bubblean's is the only cafe here with drinkable specialty coffee. The cafe proudly houses several high quality Hario Syphon coffee makers, a Nuova Simonelli espresso machine and roasted beans from Lighthouse roaster, Penang. Beans are not really the freshest, considering the fact that Kampar population are still new to specialty beans, and the way they store their beans still needs improvement.

10. Alley Johns, Kampar

This little cafe situated right beside Old Town White Coffee, Kampar, is in our list for a reason--they are really serious about their coffee. Though they are using robusta beans instead of Arabica (which is a bit disappointing),  they care about every detail of their coffee. First, they import fresh beans from plantation at Vietnam, use good grinders (Mazzer & Rancilio), proper method (Vietnam Dripper), make good food (Japanese crepe, cakes, cocktail and coffee jelly). And best of all, everything is homemade, by the owners themselves.

 

11. Full of Bean, Straits Quay, Penang

This amazing cafe in Straits Quay, Penang, is one of the best cafe that I have ever visited. It has a vast collection of manual coffee equipments, a great variety of coffee beans and beverages, and they serve expensive beans like Luwak and Jamaican Blue Mountain. I love the way they serve ice drip coffee and presso. They are also using lever operated espresso machine :)

 

Coffee Tasting with friends

Today, me and my pal, Pooballan and Ah Lian sat down for some coffee, brewing using Hario V60 dripper (Kirrin Peaberry), COE Burundi (Moka Pot), and Starbucks Dark Roast Sumatra (Dr.Cafe single serving french press, Pooballan's new toy). Well, our focus today is actually on the Starbucks beans.

Of course, the bean doesn't come for free (not that I like Starbucks, just wanna prove to my friends that Starbucks is not really that good), and at RM35 per bag, it is supposed to taste good at this price. BUT...We used coarse grind setting of course, and follow all the standard steeping procedure. Finally, plunger down, and we each have a sip. Hmmm...eyebrows frowning, serious facial espression...the taste is errr...bitter...beans over roasted, errr...slight herbal note...more bitterness...

That's extremely disappointing, since I remember picking the freshest bag of beans that I can possibly find from the shelves at Starbucks, Ipoh Parade (by checking the "Best Before" date of course, LOL). So, conclusion is, Starbucks ain't god of coffee, their beans ain't fresh, their roasting ain't good, and yeah, their are overrated. End of story :)

Coffee Hunt 1: Plan B Roaster, Publika, Solaris Dutamas

In this week's coffee, we visited a special cafe, located at the heart of KL. This cafe, which is situated in a grocer, within the shopping mall, is called Plan B Roaster. Remember I mentioned that this cafe is special? I will tell you why. It is very rare for a cafe inside a shopping mall to have its own roaster. They are using Probat roaster, German built. And that damn roaster actually cost around RM100k!

Probat roaster

I ordered a single origin ristretto shot, made with their bean of the week, Hoduras Wilmer Montolla Marcala, from Marcala region, Honduras. Okay, I did a brief profiling on the espresso, without actually referring their tasting description on the board. 

Overall, the coffee tastes sweet, with considerable acidity (slightly fruity). The aroma is syrup-like, with a hint of molasses (I am trying my best here, lol). Generally, the body of the coffee is light, with great bright taste, and quite short aftertaste, quite a refreshing cup. The crema looks good too. With RM8 a shot, that's the best price you can get for a cup of freshly roasted beans. But well, we personally think that the hand crafted brew coffee (french press & dripper) is a bit overpriced, costing RM20 per cup.

Good crema

Expensive accessories

Baristas at work with La Cimbali espresso machine

Victims: forced to join me for the coffee trip

Kopi-O, White Coffee & Specialty Coffee. What makes them different?

Many are still confused about the differences between Kopi-O (also known as Nanyang coffee), White coffee, and specialty coffee.And many more don't really understand why we actually encourage coffee drinkers to drink specialty coffee instead of Kopi-O and white coffee.

Kopi-O roasting

Basically, Malaysian Kopi-O (also done in some other South East Asia countries such as Vietnam) refers to coffee beans roasted with sugar, thick margarine, barley, wheat, and corns, resulting in a charcoal like coloured beans.

White coffee (famous in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia) is another variation of beans roasted in similar way as Kopi-O, only that it is roasted with merely margarine, without adding any sugar, which results in a slightly caramelized beans, and not as dark and oily as Kopi-O.

Specialty coffee roasting

Specialty coffee, on the other hand, refers to premium coffee beans from different regions around the world, usually Arabica, that are roasted without any foreign particles, which helps in preserving the original taste, aroma and characteristics of the beans. It is beneficial because it is low in calories and sugar, helps in increasing metabolism rate (good in fat burning), and also keep the drinker alert, unlike Kopi-O and White coffee.

Verdict: It is not to say that Kopi-O and White coffee are not drinkable and bad. For us, all coffee has its own distinctive features, so it is good to try all of them :)

Coffee Flavour Wheel

Have you ever wondered how we taste and profile coffee from different regions? Here is a brief guide by SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), labelled with different colours, quite helpful for coffee enthusiasts with picky tastebuds like us :)

Experimenting with Hario V60 Dripper

Grinding in process

Brief Introduction:

Method: Dripper

Equipment: Hario V60 (1-2 cups) White ceramic dripper, Gater ceramic burr grinder,  electronic scale, coffee server, Kenwood Stainless steel kettle

Beans: Golden Kirrin Coffee's peaberry, a gift from my family, bought from Bali, Indonesia

Roast: City roast

Grind: Medium fine

Technique: Middle pour extraction method

Getting set

Golden Kirrin Coffee's peaberry

Extraction begins

Tasting Experience: 

Serving

Tasting and evaluating

First extraction

1. Aroma: herbal

2. Bitterness: Slightly bitter

3. Body: High body

4. Acidity: Low acidity

5. Aftertaste: Slightly sweet and earthy aftertaste. Long aftertaste

Second extraction

We extract the coffee ground for the second time to observe the difference between the taste.

1. Bitterness: More bitter

2. Aftertaste: Less herbal note, shorter aftertaste (only last for few seconds)

We are brewing!

Hey guys! We are a bunch of serious coffee enthusiasts (so far it's only three of us) from Perak, Malaysia, who are really serious about beans, brewing techniques, and brewing methods. This blog is considered as a lab for us to test and train our brewing skills, and also a platform for us to share our learning experience with all coffee lovers (serious ones especially :P). Besides, we will also travel around Malaysia (and probably around the world in the future) to discover the best coffee beans and cafes! So come join us in this exciting coffee journey :)