Find these sustainable homegrown beans in the city!
Most adults over 25 who balance nine-to-fives with healthy social lives need coffee to survive. (How else can you function at work so early in the morning?) There’s nothing like the smell of it, the hypnotic sight of the drip, or that golden brown color to perk you up. And if you drink as much coffee as a Gilmore girl, you know the joys of brewing your own cup. Of course, it’s still nice to live by Century City Mall and have the new Century Café ready to provide you with their smooth and strong coffee. (Not to mention their ready-to-use iMacs and extensive showroom!) But admittedly, you won’t always have the time to swing by the mall for a cup of joe. (Unless you’re THAT officemate, in which case, things need to change…)
Filling the confines of your home with a delicious brew can really get you out of bed and your butt to work. As the Third Wave Coffee culture continues to spread, have a taste (and whiff!) of these homegrown coffee beans and support the local farmers who are building passion for this artisanal industry while you’re at it.
1 MT. APO COFFEE at Bo’s Coffee. With more than 60 outlets across the country, Bo’s Coffee has become home to yuppies, university kids, and titas who love chitchat over a cup of their favorite coffee. Under its brand, Philippine Coffee Origins, take your pick among Arabica beans sourced from Bukidnon, Benguet, and Sagada. Or, treat yourself to the beans of the country’s highest peak, Mt. Apo in Davao. A famous civet coffee also originates from the Mindanaoan city, where the dry climate can produce beans with sharp bitter undertones that really give you a kick with each sip. Perfect for reaching those extra-tight deadlines.
2 SAGADA COFFEE at SGD Coffee Bodega. This Quezon City café replicates a cozy home that will tempt you to stay for two, three, even four cups of their Sagada Coffee. (Just don’t die from caffeine overdose, okay?) As though that weren’t enough, there’s also the Coffee Science Center where you unleash all sorts of coffee geekery with owner Rich Watanabe. Partnered with local coffee producers, SGD Coffee supports a sustainable ecosystem that is getting a lot of well-deserved attention from the international coffee scene.
3 BENGUET’S NAGUEY (NATURAL) from Kalsada. Kalsada is at the crossroads where tech meets coffee. The startup has spread its efforts for locally grown beans and partner-producers to Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. Café partners that carry Kalsada range from Purple Yam to Habitual Coffee, but the beans, like the floral Naguey from Benguet, can also be bought online through their website.
4 SALAMAT COFFEE at Mabuhay Restop. In 2016, the Friends for Peace – a group of philanthropists and goodwill advocates – launched Sulu-made coffee, Salamat. They’re less acidic but intense in flavor, which many stomachs are grateful for, and tell the incredible story of the coffee-making heritage in the town of Patikul. Support a worthy advocacy when you pick up a bag of these Robusta beans from Mabuhay Restop at Rizal Park.
5 DARK MATTER THEORY SIGNATURE ESPRESSO BLEND from YKW Roasters. From the EDSA Beverage Design Group comes YKW Roasters’ blends. The Dark Matter Theory Signature Espresso Blend is made from Philippine Direct, Rwanda Inzuvu, and India Robusta to produce a chocolate-y and rich coffee. YKW Roasters sells their whole beans and blends on a subscription basis through their website, and if you want to up the cultured vibe, you can even sign up for espresso workshops at the shop.
References:
https://www.kalsada.com/partners/
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/538685/bos-coffee-to-help-increase-demand-for-local-arabica-coffee
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/food/597177/i-ve-bean-to-sagada-via-a-coffee-lab-in-qc/story/
http://www.ykwroasters.com/
