I WAS in Davao for almost a week to celebrate our Coffee Origins at Abreeza Mall. We offered many kinds of roasted coffees to be sampled by the general public (16 and above), so Davao consumers can have a taste of coffee from Cordillera, Sulu, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao itself. The event attracted many people and was featured in all major newspapers also because no less than the popular Mayor Duterte opened the annual celebration.
But, when in Davao, where can you find good Philippine coffee? Outside of Coffee Origins, where do you find a local cup that is good to drink? We were challenged to discover new places as the hotel offered us Benguet coffee at our summit, and at breakfast we did not know what coffee they served us. Was it from Benguet, too? Or was it a mélange of coffees from other places? Why not from Davao? Or at least from Mindanao? So our search continues….
Majority of our local coffee production comes from Mindanao. So why are we hard-pressed to find good local coffee beans to brew or a good local cup to savor? Why are restaurateurs not proudly serving us Mt. Apo or Kitanglad coffee? This made us come up with yet another activity to drive home the point. We organized a COFFEE CUPPING session with US-based Q grader Kat Mulingtapang.
ECHOstore Davao hosted our event in their spanking new function place, the ECHOstudio. Sarah Claudio and Elle Claudio prepared the venue, which is sometimes also used for yoga classes, workshops and other pocket events. As we waited for the attendees, a select group of farmers, restaurant owners, roasters and media Sarah and Elle had their own little session with the coffee expert. Soon after, the ECHOcafe barista Twinx and Oyo prepared the coffee grounds from Kapatagan and Matutum.
Cupping sessions bring out the different flavor characteristics of a particular coffee origin. That simply means “the source of the coffee”. Was it from this mountain an hour away from Davao or that mountain a few more hours away? Was it grown by Farmer Jose or Farmer Maria. Trace the produce to farmer level, we are told. So farmers with good practices can be rewarded and bad practices can be corrected or improved.
Too geeky for you? This is what happens whenever you buy a cup of coffee. Some cupper or grader chose that coffee because it had almost zero defects, was processed to bring out the natural coffee flavors, and was roasted by a professional who allowed its sugars to develop. Then the retailer or café owner simply brews it into your cup, adds milk or cream, gives you sugar if needed..and you then enjoy the coffee.
At the cupping session, we played judge. We became the critics. Which coffee tasted like caramel? Which coffee tasted like citrus? Which coffee had an alcohol or ammonia-like taste and smell?
After the cupping and tasting, we discussed why we cannot find a good cup from Mindanao IN Mindanao. So the audience all agreed to take up the cause to help Davao serve better coffee. One of the attendees, a restaurant owner, told me he wants to now know where his coffee comes from. What coffee his restos serve. How can he help.
A roaster says he will now check his green beans before roasting to make sure they are free from defects. He will also put “origin” on every label of what he roasts. This way Davao or Mindanao farmers will have pride in what they do. And turn out more quality coffee. If you do not reward the farmer, even just with recognition, he will not care to improve his coffee.
So we listed a few places where you know where the coffee comes from:
ECHOstore Davao, of course. They sell beans and serve you all kinds of coffee concoctions.
SEA GREEN Restaurant. They serve local coffee from Coffee for Peace.
COFFEE FOR PEACE. In Matina, they have shop where you can have coffee, desserts and also buy beans.
MT. APO Coffee in Crocodile Park. Good peaberry, civet and altura coffee. Beans for sale too.
I wish I could list more places. But my one week only allowed me to visit just a few cafes. In my next visit, I shall be on a search for more. Meanwhile, ask each of these cafes. They know where their coffee comes from. And chances are, it’s from Mindanao. Proudly Filipino.
-o0o-
Chit Juan is co-chair of the Philippine Coffee Board, which spearheaded Coffee Origins.