I wasn't a coffee lover until our trip to Melbourne in 2012. I remember it was spring. Although the temperature was generally pleasant during the day, it often dropped to a single digit in the morning and late evening. So, in the morning I made it a habit to drop by at whichever 7e that I came across to grab a cup of the AUD1 coffee to warm myself up before I start driving. It was then that I realized how good coffee could actually be. And if I paid attention, I could taste the different notes in them.
My aging gut decided it could no longer take latte or cappuccino. Therefore, I've been only drinking Americano for over a year now. This lets me taste and appreciate the true flavour of the coffee, without it being masked by milk or other additives. So, nowadays, I go coffee hunting whenever I'm solo travelling.
I watched this yesterday. I really love the way he explained the essentials of coffee. It was clear, simple and interesting. Here I'm going to put a quick summary of the things that determine a coffee's flavour.
Processing
Washed : Cleaner, brighter flavours with pronounced acidity. Floral, citrus and fruity notes
Dry (Natural) : Intense fruitiness and pronounced sweetness. Lower acidity
Altitude
High: Less oxygen, more anaerobic respiration, more acid build up. More complex beans with high acidity and floral or fruity notes
Low: Warmer temperature, more oxygen. Milder and less acidic coffee. Nutty or chocolatey flavours
Brewing method
French press: Immersion brewing method. Oils and fine particles are not filtered. Rich and heavier flavour profile
Pour over: Infusion method. Precise control of water temperature and pouring technique. Clean, light and delicate flavour profile
The above are pictures of coffees that I tried in Seoul during my trip in October 2025 and February 2026. Honestly, Seoul does feel closer to KK now since there are lots of direct flights daily.
It's just a few minutes walk from Chungmuro station. A very small cafe tucked away on a street frequented by locals. A steady stream of local customers kept on coming when I was there. I also noticed a few Japanese coffee magazines in the cafe. The vibe did felt more Japanese than Korean.
2.Maxim Plant
This is a huge cafe on the main street of Itaewon. It has 5 full floors for guests which offer a variety of spaces for socializing and working. There's also a spot where you can just sit by the glass window and watch the street below. As for the coffee, I didn't know that Maxim is the sister brand of my favourite Kanu coffee. I loved the coffee from the very first sip! The only drawback is the cafe is quite a walk from the nearest subway station.
I was rushing that afternoon, but I needed my coffee to avoid getting a headache from lack of caffeine in my system. The cafe has the highest rating on Google and it was just 3 minutes walk from where I as staying. How I wish I had more time to spend in this cafe because it's not an ordinary one. The owner is a seasoned barista and many young baristas come to his cafe as his apprentices. His impressive range of coffee brewing equipment is displayed as decor and this added a sophisticated touch to the cafe. Best of all, he takes time to explain about the beans and brewing process. You don't just drink the coffee, you truly experience it in this cafe.
I think my blog's content will be very different from what it used to be (^^)
0 comments:
Post a Comment