Sometimes you want to move forward but suddenly you hit a wall. Oftentimes you feel stuck and end up feeling helpless. You forget what brought you to that point and something that you used to bring joy is no longer joyful. Until you decided to look back and retrace everything that led to the present moment.

“ Don’t dwell on the past” is a phrase I often hear. The thing is, there are times when revisiting the past can be a good thing. They can be a source of inspiration and a source to learn to ground ourselves again.

For someone who used to keep close watch to the industry, sometimes it feels like there’s almost no new innovations. The flavors, the brewing method, the way the cafe is run and alternative blends. Even if something is marketed as new, that is just going to be another “branding” through the conception isn’t really new.

You visit cafes and feel the same old. The space feels no longer inspiring, the coffee feels just like another cup and almost as if the coffee industry that’s getting fast paced is also hitting the wall. We’re entering the 5th generation and even 6th generation. It’ll keep progressing in some ways adapting to our lifestyle needs.

Personally, I feel the need to slow down.

I remember often sitting at a specialized roastery and cafe for the full day trying any coffee I fancy. Usually for specialty coffee, V60, or brewed using chemex (the pour over method) are most recommended. There are beans that aren’t really suitable for espresso and in most great cafes they would have clear distinction what beans are best for espresso, latte, and the one specific for V60 or filter(pour over method).

Having to spend a lot of time in such a place made me understand a few things or two about extracting the flavors. The best way to learn for me isn’t really just through books or videos. Talking to the people who actually make a living through it and some of award-winning brewers added to my knowledge too. Now, I know how to do the same.

These days, I can’t justify the need to go to a cafe for filter brew. The flavors aren’t exactly extracted and it tastes like water with some coffee dirt. They slap a huge price on it especially when the beans are quite specialty on its variant.

As much as I get the idea behind the pricing, I can’t find things to justify those anymore. Why go to a crowded place to get something done with shit coffee when these days I can do it at home in my own space?

That was how it all started.

I revisited the roastery I used to frequent, “Hubbie”.

I found this place by accident almost a year ago when my dad was hospitalized nearby. I was craving some coffee and this place was the only open spot at the time. I thought it was just a regular cafe that turned out to be a roastery.

From the place, there was this experience that I was yearning for, exploring coffee beans that I haven’t tried back in Yogyakarta. Somehow, things happened and I stopped brewing at home. At the time, I didn’t really have a personal desk and the house wasn’t really cut for working from home. So, I would rather visit a coffee shop and work from there.

When I finally had my own desk properly set up, I stopped having the need to go to a cafe. I didn’t start brewing again but eventually, I started again, especially even more this month.

The place has extensive variants of local coffee that we can indulge in. They are run more like a side hustle from its owner who is actually a notary. So, this place works both ways as his office but also a roastery. The first time I was here, I only got 100 gr of Puntang from West Java and Ijen from East Java.

I ended up coming back because 100gr apparently lasted for less than a week. So, I stocked up on some other flavors and even tried Robusta from Temanggung, Central java.

Replicating Cafe experience at home… Glass Matters…

The way to serve the coffee matters. You can not serve the coffee in just any glass. Even when a glass is marketed as aesthetic, sometimes it just doesn't do the job of replicating the cafe experience. You can use the standardized version of coffee shops called “ Tall Gibraltar Glass” or simply “Gibraltar glass” that looks like this. Although for Gibraltar, it’s best for lattes, I’ve been to some cafes serving their iced americano and iced coffee in this glass.

Familiar, right?

For some reason, I don’t know why I never thought of purchasing them but rather focusing on smaller glass more fitting for whiskey on the rock. With this glass, now I can get the whole feeling just like how it’s made in a cafe.

☕What to note if you’re an amateur home brewer

There are standardized recipes that you can find online, in books or from anyone that you know. However, sometimes it feels like you’re complicating the process just for that cup of coffee. Actually there are 2 more important things than the coffee itself that you need to take care of.

• Water
• Water temperature

Most people don’t really like coffee because it’s known to be bitter but actually, when brewed properly, they know that there are afternotes and hits of flavors.

You can not use just any water to extract those flavors. You have to use non-hard water which has too many minerals. Where I live, our tap water is hard water and that’s why we don’t drink from it but rather buy it in a bottle or a big gallon.

I once tried using my tap water and my coffee tastes so horrible. From then on, I make sure that it’s never from tap water. I remember back in the day, I also did the same avoiding the tap water and they always made my day as I was able to extract flavors I needed.

The other one is the water temperature. You can never pour it while it’s too hot/ just done boiling. You have to do it in just about 30 seconds to 1 minute, especially if you don’t have a thermometer.

Once you nail down those important things, you’re in for some great treats.

If you’re feeling stuck, sometimes not only revisiting the past helps but a great brew will do. It helps you to slow down, refocus your mindset and appreciate little things life has to offer.

See you in my next brew!