The Art of Coffee

CEBU, Philippines - There's a lot more to coffee than what meets the eye. And not all coffees are the same. It takes proper information and "education" to appreciate coffee better.

Coffee connoisseur (Q grader) Eric Lim recently gave a talk on how to better understand coffee. He was representing Conlins Coffee Company, the first of its kind to introduce the concept of "premium coffee" in the Philippines. "Before, the concept of coffee was very basic - you had instant coffee, you had brewed coffee," he said. "People drank coffee and went to coffee shops, but they lacked a deeper appreciation and understanding of the beverage."

Lim is the COO of Conlins Coffee Company, a full-service coffee company that offers roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, and customized blends using beans sourced from all over the world. Aside from their coffee line, the company is also the exclusive retailer of world-class coffee equipment in the country.

Conlins' Bluenotes coffee offers100 percent single-origin Arabica beans.  "Each origin of coffee has something unique to offer; coffee from Sumatra gives a very different cup profile from coffees originating from Brazil or Ethiopia," Lim explains. 

Artisans coffee, on the other hand, is about the art and science of how coffee is crafted. This line of coffee allows the master roaster to create and meld flavors of varying origins into a very satisfying cup. While Bluenotes focuses on strictly single-origin, Artisans coffee is about taking different coffee elements for creating a masterful coffee experience.

These two coffee variants of Conlins have something to offer for different types of coffee lovers. Go-getters and jet-setters will go for Bluenotes and its "taste of the world," as it gives an excellent, straightforward coffee taste. Artisans Coffee is preferred by coffee aficionados who are immersed in the worlds of lifestyle and the arts, attracted to the unique flavors that results from the crafting and blending of beans.

Conlins also offers Serenity Syrups. "The syrup is there to enhance the coffee experience," says Lim. "It's to add flavors to things you don't normally have, like an almond latte." But the use of the syrups may not be limited to coffee. "You can be as creative as you want," Lim adds, citing that the syrups can be used in crème caramels, flavored sparkling sodas, and flavored margaritas. Serenity syrups can even be used for creating baked goods, among other applications.

Bluenotes Coffee, Artisans Coffee and Sweet Serenity are available retail outlets in Conlins Elements in Greenbelt 5, Alessi in Bonifacio Global City and The Coffee Laboratory in Ayala Center Cebu. More information is at visitwww.conlinscoffee.com; the phone numbers are 551-3215 and 831-2729. (FREEMAN)