As part of #TSBreakaway Map Your Trail, I embarked on a coffee trail to Tanjung Sepat, having heard wonderful comments on it’s coffee roasting. It was approximately a one hour and forty-five minutes drive from Empire Subang Hotel.
I fell in love with coffee last year after tasting a great cup of coffee and started hunting down cafes which offers great coffee. Based on origins of it’s beans, roasting method, difference of espresso machines, the barista plays an important role as well as latte art. My favourite would be Piccolo Latte or when I’m craving for something sweet it’s Mocha. Gibraltar Latte is my current favourite, rare as it’s only available in Coffee Stain and one of the best I’ve had until this trip.
I was greeted by Mr.Lim, currently he runs the 3rd generation family business of Joo Fa Trading. Mr. Lim is a clever business man and with a passion towards coffee. We had long conversations about coffee. In Joo Fa everything is produced locally in Tanjung Sepat, from harvesting the beans to the roasting process. There is much to learn from Mr.Lim as his an expert in coffee.
The siphon brewing method
I had the opportunity to savour a premium white coffee, which Mr.Lim is experimenting with now. As we speak, the premium white coffee is not available for sale, while all of Joo Fa coffee powder is only sold in Tanjung Sepat.
Turning the small table in his kitchen into a brewing bar, I tasted two different brewing method the french press (pre-prepared) and siphon. I was blown away, after tasting siphon brew using the same coffee powder, there was almost zero acidity, with sweet notes and very smooth in texture. It’s a light to mild-bodied coffee and one of the best I’ve tasted. It’s called white coffee because it’s beans are white and have no relation with milk, in fact one do not need to add milk in this cup of excellent coffee.
Mr.Lim roasting from home
I’ve yet to try Panama Geisha but to date, I’ve tried one of the best local coffee. Mr.Lim stressed that this coffee is not ready for the market as he has very limited amount of beans and it’s price will be very steep for regular consumers being the fact this is premium quality. He adds that these days, the local coffee is on a declining state in Malaysia due to lack of labours and many cafes import coffee from different parts of the world rather than supporting the local producers.
As I part ways with Mr. Lim, I could see his ageing and in my heart, I thought it would be really sad if there isn’t anyone as passionated as him to continue on this coffee business. It also dawned on me that what about other local coffee producer?
Old photos and an inspiring quote found on the wall of Joo Fa Trading
Never underestimate yourself as everyone do have unlimited potential.
Tanjung Sepat is a lovely small town, apart from great coffee beans, there’s Hai Yew Hin steam buns and YIKEE seafood BKT.
Fishing boats nearby to the Lover’s Bridge
It was a great solo trip, and I headed back to Selangor to get a cup of coffee from Artisan Roast HQ. It will be 4 cups of coffee on my #TSBreakaway coffee trail.
Details:
Joo Fa Trading (裕发咖啡贸易)
No. 356, Lorong 5, Jalan Besar,
42800 Tanjung Sepat,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Contact: +6012-972 2886 / +603-3197 4862
* This is an entry for the CANON Photo-Storytelling Challenge. Also one of five entries for #TSBreakaway, a pilot program organized by Tourism Selangor. The 5D4N event was sponsored by Empire Hotel Subang, Canon and Damansara Performing Arts Center (DPAC).
See also other #TSBreakaway entries:
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Will totally check it out. I’m always looking for a good cup of coffee.
Sure thing! But they sell coffee powders though 😉 perhaps you could make friends with the uncle and get to try some coffee at the back of his kitchen 🙂
Challenge accepted!