Taste Testing @ Starbucks Reserve®, SkyAvenue
The coffee tasting session at Starbucks Reserve®, SkyAvenue was my second experience with the company. Although coffee is not my favourite beverage, I still enjoy going hands-on in learning how something is done. In this case, it was to learn the techniques of brewing coffee as well as the methods of tasting and drinking it.
By the way, Starbucks Reserve® at SkyAvenue is one of four such premium outlets in Malaysia by the company. It is different from the usual ‘mermaid’ Starbucks that we have known and loved. Starbucks Reserve® has a dedicated counter for coffee tasting, and it carries its own unique line of coffee in limited quantities. Even so, these offerings may not be available at all Starbucks Reserve® outlets, making each blend more exclusive.
As you may be aware, different brewing techniques require its own equipment. We were shown the Chemex technique, which has a thicker filter to trap more oil, hence the coffee turns out to be more pungent. The other technique demonstrated was the Clover. It has a thinner filter, so less oil was trapped. Isn’t it strange that even though the coffee beans (Nicaragua La Roca) used were the same, a different technique of brewing resulted in contrasting tastes?
Coffee tasting consists of four steps. First, cover 3/4 of the cup of coffee with your palm. Then close your eyes and smell the coffee. Allow the flavours and character of the coffee to transport you to the place where the coffee originated from. Indeed, through coffee, you are able to capture the true essence of the place and imagine it in your mind’s eye.
Next, slurp the coffee while it is still burning hot. Slurp it as though you are eating noodles and force the coffee to spray all over your palate. The third step is to locate. It means to see how long the taste of the coffee actually lingers on your palate. This is subjective, as some may find the taste to linger longer than others. The longer the coffee taste lingers, the higher its ‘body’ is.
The fourth and final step would be to describe the taste of coffee. Again, this is a subjective matter, as taste always is.
The essence of loving coffee can be cultivated if we know more about coffee and the origin of its beans, brewing techniques and food matching. Starbucks Reserve® has provided a great platform for us who may not have access to this coffee education previously.
My experience was made possible by Starbucks, SkyAvenue and of course, Resorts World Genting. Thank you!
For more information on Starbucks Malaysia, log on to their official website.
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I’m not a coffee person but it’ll be great to learn.
Haha and now i know why so many people visit Genting in the midnight, just for starbucks LOL
That’s an awesome event Emily. Glad that you learned a lot from Starbucks. I enjoyed their brewed coffee as well.
I was there recently and realised that it looks very different from the other Starbucks but I didn’t know why. After reading this I have so much appreciation of the place
The Starbucks at sky Avenue looks nice. A good explore how they make a good cup of coffee
I can imagine sipping a hot coffee in breeze weather in Genting.
im a coffee person but lately i cannot drink coffee, it effect migrain to me.. oh my!
I aint much of a coffee person too so it was slightly tough drinking unsweetened black coffee but it was an amazing experience
I used to be a coffee lover but it stopped when I tried the Teavana particularly Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls. It became my instant favorite.
Learnt so much from this post! I’ve tried Chemax but never really got the opportunities to learn from their Coffee Master, need to find time to do that & enjoy my cuppa.
Im a coffee person and i’d love to have a job as a taste tester especially for brands like starbucks! Lucky you!