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2013-04-21
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Have thought of myself as a coffee drinker for a long time. After all, I've always enjoyed a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks since Form 3. Like many other people, I thought Starbucks was a 'serious' coffee joint. Only gradually did I discover that apart from giving the jitters, all they had to offer was an intensely bitter taste due to over-roasted low quality beans.I discovered Barista Jam in the summer of 2011. Based on good reviews, I barged in one afternoon and ordered an iced latte. I still
I discovered Barista Jam in the summer of 2011. Based on good reviews, I barged in one afternoon and ordered an iced latte. I still remember the enlightenment the instant the coffee reached my tongue. '!!!!!!' I had never thought coffee had such an intense aroma, and that it could smoothly blend in blissfully with the full cream milk! After this experience I was determined to develop my coffee drinking habit into the pursuit of the finer cups offered in Hong Kong. A few months later I also acquired a French Press and a manual Hario grinder and started discovering the world of gourmet coffee.
As luck would have it, this joint recently opened near my home. I was determined to give a try.
The enironment was very bright, with a long table for customers to spend a nice time chatting with friends. Alternatively you could sit at the bar and watch the baristas do their magic.
I sat down and ordered an espresso. I always think an espresso is the best display of a coffee shop's style. I waited for almost 5 minutes, watching the barista meticulously going through every step, from grinding to extraction. This is in contrast to the one minute fast food coffee served in the major coffee chains around Hong Kong.
I always have had difficulty getting the different notes from an espresso. Perhaps they are too intense. I can only describe the other aspects. This drink had a medium body, with a pronounced, sharp acidity. The notes were generally fruity, maybe a bit floral as well. I asked the barista what blend it was, and he said it contained Sidamo. I admit it took me a while to overcome the new-found 'sourness', but in the world of coffee, acidity is not considered a negative feature but instead something that adds extra dimensions to a drink.The shop also offers a wide selection of Specialty coffee beans from all around the world. The baristas used plenty of time in going through their selection, You could tell them your preferences and they would give suggestions to which one you should try. In fact, they had a chart that summarized all the different characteristics of each bean! I bought a 250g bag of Costa Rica Herbazu Honey coffee beans. The bag had a very refreshing design with its casual font and white foil. It came with a slider that helped seal out the moisture (I re-used this to store my loose leaf teas after finishing the coffee!)
Using a French press, this was really different from the other coffees I had had in the past, such as Mendehling or even some Blue Mountain blends. This one was very fruity, with a strong citrus note, with moderate acidity and low bitterness, likely due to its medium roast. According to the internet, this coffee is processed in a different way in that no water is used in the extraction of the beans from the coffee cherry. At a price of $140 I thought it was a great buy.All in all, this joint opened me up to a whole new world of specialty coffees, hence the title of this review. Thank you!
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