I am a coffee lover. Am I? I need at least a cup of white coffee a day, so i must be a coffee lover. After reading through a few blog on this place called Full Of Beans, located at Straits Quay, Penang, I told myself I have to visit this place because I am a coffee lover, as i need at least one cup of white coffee a day.
1ST VISIT
I was impressed with the set up of the place on my 1st visit when I stepped into Full of Beans. The place doesn't look like a cafe or a coffee shop, the place is very comfortable and is a perfect place for a cup of coffee, in fact, i thought the place look like the airport departure lounge for the VIP. The next thing that came to my mind was, the coffee must be very expensive because the place appear to be expensive. I look for the VISA and MASTER sign on the main entrance, i couldn't find any ( they yet to have the credit card machine) and i only have RM 10 cash with me. I reached the situation of no turning back because i already sat down. So i asked for the menu and i was given one, no white coffee in it and the menu contains a lot of countries name. I told the little girl who work there, i want a cup of coffee and ask her to decide for me but on the condition that the price cannot be more than RM 10. The little girl who took my order asked for the character of the bean i would like, being a coffee lover because i need a least one cup of white coffee a day, i told her, i want the "KOPI GAO", the rest i asked her to decide for me. From the menu, i saw that, there are quite a number of coffee actually less than RM 10 per cup
I was then served with a cup of MADHELING, I was asked by the girl whether i need sugar and milk, being a coffee lover because i drink at least one cup of white coffee a day and my white coffee always come with sugar and milk, i said yes. The little girl asked me to try some without sugar and milk while she brought those to me. I tried it, OMG, great. When the little girl back with the sugar and milk, i told her "sorry, i don't need the sugar and milk, i just found out i can drink coffee without sugar and milk, and the taste is great."The little girl was so happy for able to convince me to have my coffee without the sugar and milk, and started to tell me all about the mandheling. Despite i don't know things she said, being a coffee lover as i need at least one white coffee a day, i have to pretend i know what she talked. Anyway, the mandeling coffee is really a great cup of coffee. I asked for the bill, and i manage to have 50 cents left of my RM10 cash.
Back home, i google mandheling, and found out that mandeling is actually This coffee has the reputation of being the most full bodied coffee in the world. It is relatively low in acidity but the flavor, like the body, is rich, smooth and full. And this is what i experience earlier.
2ND VISIT
On my 2nd visit to Full of Beans, actually, just the next day, i have with me RM 20 cash, I know for less than RM 10, I can have a good cup of coffee, i want to find out what RM 20 can brought me. A different girl approached me this time, i looked at the menu and told her i want something around RM15 in the menu, i was given a lecture on single origin coffee and specialty coffee, and i do not know what she is talking about, being a coffee lover because i need at least one cup of white coffee a day, unfortunately, i only know about white coffee and of course after my 1st visit, i know MADHELING. Phone to my rescue, my phone rang and i pointed my finger at KENYA AA.
I was served with my KENYA AA 5 min later, again i was asked whether i need sugar and milk, i told her, "being a coffee lover, as i drink at least one cup of white coffee a day, i don't take my coffee with milk and sugar". I tasted my KENYA AA, wow, i like it so much, i told myself, a good coffee should go without milk and sugar. The girl came to me again and asked what do i think of my KENYA AA, i answered " smell good, coffee not so sour, a bit like fruit juice, not very thick, overall a great cup of coffee". The girl just smile, i don't think she know what i talking about. I paid RM15 for my KENYA AA.
Back home, i googled KENYA AA, and i saw " The coffee from Kenya is most frequently characterized as having a winy taste profile. What does this mean? It refers to the fruit acid taste structure of the typical Kenya AA coffee. Now most people, when they hear the word acid, take it as a negative. In this context it is not. But perhaps the words dry, and crisp would be more compelling. So we will use them. And let's not forget fruit, like a first growth Bordeaux or a great Cabernet from Napa Valley. So at the end of the day, Kenya coffee is best known for its berry like and frequently blueberry and black current taste." This is what i wanted to tell the girl, just that i do not know how to put it in words.
3RD VISIT
On my 3rd visit, I have with me RM30 cash, i asked the girl to recommend me a coffee in the rate of less than RM30. She asked me to try EL SALVADOR (honey processed) . Wow, coffee with honey, must be great. And the price fixed at RM25 per cup, i was told this coffee is expensive because it is a specialty coffee and went through honey processed.
The coffee came 5 min later. The little girl is already familiar with me and know that i am a coffee lover as i need at least one cup of white coffee a day, so i do not need milk and sugar for my coffee. This El Salvador really have a sweetness in the taste and aftertaste. I asked the girl what honey they mixed with the coffee, the girl look confused. After clarification, i reckoned that honey processed is not adding honey into the coffee. Process meant the method to separate the beans from the coffee cherry, after google, i learned that "The basic principle of Honey method lies in picking only perfectly ripe cherries. We achieve this by measuring their sugar content (brix grades) during the ripening period. At the end of each harvest day, freshly picked cherries are collected, weighted and pulped in manual or electrical pulpers. With their mucilage still fully attached, they are spread on African drying beds. These raised beds are made using locally sourced bamboo, wire mesh and black plastic netting (serán). The drying of the parchment with all the mucilage still attached has a direct impact on the sweetness of the cup. Honey coffees have generally very unique cup profile, characterized by its distinct sweetness, enhanced fruit notes and sweet acidity on the taste and aftertaste.".
So, for RM25 cash, l tasted my 1st honey processed coffee and a lesson in coffee.
4TH VISIT
On my 4th visit, i have with me RM50 cash. I wanted to try the most expensive coffee in the menu, The Jamaican Blue Mountain. But after i reached there, i chicken out, because Jamaican Blue Mountain seem so expensive , the price fixed at RM45 per cup, my mum sure will scold me for having a cup of coffee for RM 45 per cup. Instead of Jamaican Blue Mountain, i order a Blue Mountain Blend, price fixed at RM 12 per cup ( blue mountain blend is a blend of variety beans to get the taste as close to Jamaican Blue Mountain as possible). I was served with the Blue Mountain Blend and i am so happy with the aroma, body, smoothness and the aftertaste of the Blue Mountain Blend. I want to try the real things. I told the girl i will be back later because i need to go home first for my cash.
I went back again (still consider as 4th visit, because i left my IPAD at full of beans), i order a Jamaican Blue Mountain . I was served with a Jamaican Blue Mountain. I tasted the Jamaican Blue Mountain. I told myself, i have to work harder. I need to earn more money. I need to have this Jamaican Blue Mountain regularly, its really taste so so so well balance and great. I am a coffee lover, but i do not know how to describe this great cup of coffee.
5TH VISIT
I have tried MADHELING, KENYA AA, EL SALVADOR, BLUE MOUNTAIN BLEND AND JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN, i am a serious coffee lover now. I have more gut now. So, i chose to sit in front at the work station. I told the person in charge in charge i want to try something different and something as good as Jamaican Blue Mountain, if not better. I was served with a blend called YAN (艳). Yan is actually a cup of coffee with the aroma, acidity, taste, body and aftertaste better than Jamaican Blue Mountain and the price only fixed at RM35. I asked the person in charge what is this blend called Yan while having Yan, i was told a love story between the master roaster and his ex-girlfriend and how at the end Yan have to go because the master roaster can not commit himself and how at the end the master figure out Yan is the best. So he named his blend after his best ever love. At the end, after i finished my cup of coffee, i stared at the empty cup and i too, agreed with the master, one only learned how to appreciate after you can not have it anymore, i was so lucky because i can still go back to Full of Beans for a cup of Yan on my 6th visit.
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