Pu’er Coffee

 When we order coffee in cafés, it’s common to see certain drinks on the menu offered in “large” and “small” sizes (and let’s not bring up that brand that contradicts itself). But in reality, most espresso-based drinks already come with a naturally fixed serving size by design. Those so-called size options are often nothing more than a blunt, convenience-driven modification for consumption scenarios. I’ve long felt that cafés perhaps shouldn’t think in terms of “large” or “small” at all, but rather in terms of purpose-specific coffee cups . Today, I want to talk about where this idea comes from. This isn’t the first time I’ve thought seriously about this topic. Early last year, when a certain brand launched an 8-ounce cortado, it sparked plenty of discussion within the industry. In the world of specialty coffee, the idea of using a purpose-designed cup for each drink reflects a deep respect for coffee culture and the consumer experience. It shifts thinking away from the purely pr...

 When we talk about Colombia as a coffee-producing country, if this conversation had happened a decade or more ago, the first thing that would likely come to mind is water. Thanks to its abundant water resources, Colombia traditionally relied heavily on washed processing methods. For many coffee lovers who were once captivated by the bright, elegant acidity of classic Colombian washed coffees, Colombia left a lasting and positive impression. In traditional espresso blends, Colombian washed coffees also played a crucial role in providing balance and cleanliness of flavor. Yet somehow, at an uncertain point in time, the image of Colombia began to shift. Today, when people mention Colombian coffee, what often comes to mind is a dazzling array of so-called innovative processing methods—especially eye-catching co-fermentations. At one point, simply hearing “Colombia” made people instinctively ask: What process is it? Is it another bold experiment? What exactly happened behind this dra...

 “Almost” is a word that carries a familiar life attitude in Chinese culture. It reflects a way of thinking rooted in balance—a practical philosophy for living. Not too much, not too little. Go with the flow. Stay tolerant of imperfection. Avoid the exhaustion that comes from obsessive precision. I think this is the state many young people today are trying to explore—or hoping to become. “Almost” is no longer the numbed indifference produced by social conditioning; instead, it has become a resilient survival strategy for ordinary people navigating life with limited resources. I don’t know whether the café I’m talking about today consciously embraces this philosophy, but the moment you read its name, you feel a sense of release—like pressure quietly lifting off your chest. As Little Snake Gary once said, “My family doesn’t expect me to shoulder all the responsibility, because I don’t have shoulders!” Located at 540 Wener West Road in Hangzhou’s Xihu District, Almost Relax Café giv...

 Every time I go to a coffee expo, it feels like I need to come away with something for it to feel worthwhile. For me, the biggest value of these events is that they offer a concentrated window into brands and products that are new, distinctive, and sometimes even pleasantly surprising. What I’m sharing this time is another discovery from late November last year at the Shanghai Coffee Expo—a startup roastery from Shanghai called Stellaria . I noticed their booth the moment I walked by. The packaging was fresh and clean, and you could sense the emotional value the brand wanted to convey through subtle design details. They have a rather romantic and idealistic interpretation of their brand story: “Named after ‘celestial radiance,’ and paired with the simple ‘-ia’ suffix to enhance memorability, Stellaria captures the essence of youth and cutting-edge technological design. In Chinese, it evokes the poetic image of stars drifting quietly across the night sky, symbolizing the rich a...

 The first time I tried a Dirty coffee served in an ultra-low-temperature ice cup was back in 2023, at UNCLE SHU Coffee in Binjiang, Hangzhou. It was my first real encounter with that striking “hot-meets-cold” contrast, and the experience left a strong impression. Dirty coffee is something most coffee lovers in China are already familiar with. It’s fairly common in cafés across Asia, yet you’ll rarely find it in Europe or the U.S. At its core, a Dirty is simple: ice-cold milk topped with hot espresso. This collision of temperatures creates a dramatic, almost theatrical drinking experience that many people love. In recent years, however, a new trend has taken things to the extreme—using ice cups chilled to −86°C to make Dirty coffee. Compared with a traditional Dirty, which usually uses milk and a cup chilled to around 4°C, a −86°C ice cup paired with espresso at roughly 65–70°C creates a temperature difference of more than 150°C. This extreme contrast delivers a sharper, more int...

 In a gold washed coffee, I tasted unmistakable notes of lemongrass and ginger. A few days ago, I shared a dedicated introduction to what gold washed processing is—a relatively new method that combines the strengths of both washed and natural processing. The first time I encountered a gold washed coffee was last November at the Shanghai Coffee Expo. At the booth of Direct Coffee from Kyoto, this particular coffee immediately caught my eye. That moment marked the beginning of a flavor experience that completely amazed me—one that has stayed with me ever since. I placed an order for the beans on the spot. This coffee is a Gold Washed Red Bourbon from Popayán, Cauca, Colombia. The barista at the booth was also the roaster of this very coffee, and the way he presented its flavors was incredibly impressive. It was the first time I had ever tasted such distinctly clean and vivid lemongrass and ginger notes in a Colombian coffee built on an innovative twist of traditional processing met...

 Perhaps it was my off-season, three-day leisurely trip to Qiandao Lake that sparked these reflections. In a place so heavily dependent on tourism—one that essentially “works for half the year and rests for the other half”—the quiet of the low season leaves plenty of room to think. Even before I arrived, one question kept bothering me: why is it so hard to find a café around the entire Qiandao Lake area that genuinely cares about quality and tries to build a specialty coffee community? Beyond the obvious issue of young people leaving the area, the more fundamental reason lies in the nature of the place itself. Qiandao Lake is a nationally rated 5A scenic destination, famous for its natural landscapes. Along roads like “Sunshine Road,” what you mostly see are scenic attractions and hotels. Why is it that scenic areas in China usually don’t have good coffee? This isn’t just a personal bias—it’s a fairly common and accurate observation. In most tourist areas, it’s genuinely difficult...