“HOW do you like your coffee? Black? Hot? Cold?” These are some of the frequently asked questions whenever one is in a coffee shop. But how well do you know your coffee?
Get to know your coffee at PicaBean Coffee House at the Food Central of J Centre Mall as it not only serves its customers freshly brewed coffee prepared right in front of you, but also allows its customers to choose their type of coffee beans. The shop showcases 20 varieties of coffee beans including Benguet, Barako, Excelsa, Civet and flavored beans like butterscotch, mocha, caramel, hazelnut vanilla, macadamia and Bailey’s Irish Cream. These are roasted fresh from the highlands of Cordillera.
Arabica
It is one of the best-known and widely consumed coffees in the world. Arabica is mainly cultivated in high-altitude areas of about 1,600 meters above sea level, thus, gets enough moisture and cloud cover to produce richly flavored beans that are generally acidic and sweet to the taste with tones of sugar, berries and fruits. Some of the best local Arabica coffees come from the provinces of Benguet, Sagada and Ifugao.
Robusta
This is the most commercialized type of coffee. It is often used to make instant coffee as it comprises 90 percent of the Philippines’ coffee production. Contrary to Arabica, Robusta coffee prospers in the lowlands. With its high-caffeine content, twice as much as Arabica, Robusta has a harsher and stronger taste with a burnt and “peanutty” aftertaste.
Liberica
Most Filipino breakfast food, most especially in the province, includes Barako coffee, which is the most famous variation of Liberica in the country. It is called barako (male stud) because of its strong woody taste with nutty, dark chocolate notes when roasted and brewed, as well as its pungent aroma and high natural acidity.
Excelsa
This grows mainly in Southeast Asia. This type of coffee bean, often confused as Liberica or Robusta because of its similarity in taste, is used as a blending coffee, especially in house blends as it adds complexity, depth and lingering finish of the coffee that gives the cup more substance. It has distinct sweet, fruity and mysterious taste and its aroma is more prominent than its taste.
How to check if the beans are fresh:
1. Smell the beans.
Freshly roasted beans are known for its aroma so by just smelling it, you can identify if it is fresh or not.
2. Touch the beans.
Fresh beans are naturally oily so when you touch or pick up a handful of coffee beans, they should leave some oily residue in your hands.
3. Use a Ziploc bag.
Place a handful of whole coffee beans in a Ziploc bag. Press out the remaining air before sealing and let it sit overnight. If the bag appears to be inflated, then your beans are fresh. If the bag remains flat, then your beans are no longer fresh.
Steps in buying coffee at PicaBean Coffee:
1. Pick your own bean
2. Barista will brew it for you.
3. Add cream or sugar if you wish
4. Enjoy!