One arrives at that understanding by first deciding which is more appealing in a brewed coffee, a straightforward coffee taste or “coffee plus something else.”
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In Hawaii, Shawn Steiman is probably the most established of the coffee establishment as you can get. Nicknamed Dr. Coffee, Steiman has an actual Ph.D. in coffee. He’s the author of two books — “The Hawai‘i Coffee Book” and “The Little Coffee Know-It-All” — runs a coffee consulting business and operates Grok Coffee at the Kakaako FarmLovers Market on Saturdays (8 a.m. to noon), where he features different roasters through an array of coffees.
If there’s anything you’d like to know about coffee in general, or Hawaii coffee in particular, you’re likely to get an answer, or at least guidance about where to get an answer, from this devotee, whose doctorate from the University of Hawaii is in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, focused on coffee.
So while chatting during a recent coffee trek around the city, Steiman revealed a surprising philosophy about the definition of “good” coffee. Since this is a guy who can break down the anatomy of a coffee bean and discuss the changes of a coffee’s character as it roasts, his perspective is unexpected.
“A good cup of coffee is one you like,” Steiman stated simply. “Some people like it iced, some like cream and sugar, or microwaved — whatever. There are lots of ways to enjoy a cup of coffee. The real secret is to understand what it is you want.”
One arrives at that understanding by first deciding which is more appealing in a brewed coffee, a straightforward coffee taste or “coffee plus something else.”
“Do you like acidity or not? Roastiness or not? Complexity?” he said. “Acidity is not bitterness. It’s bright, lively, tangy flavor. Acidity can be like an orange, which is appealing, or a lemon, which is sour. Geeks like acidity but others might find an intense sourness bad.
“When coffee people talk or think about good coffee, they mean a coffee with no defects — not bitter, burned, sour or moldy. Coffee freaks like coffee that has complex, nuanced flavors — ‘esoteric’ coffee that’s (appreciated) the same way wine is,” he said.
“The more things you taste, the more complex it is.”
Relying on coffee experts to define good coffee is problematic, said Steiman. While they assess coffee using a scoring system, in the end, scores are based on subjective assessments. Besides which, much of the criteria for good coffee exists within the realm of esoteric coffee.
“When you think of the bell curve, most things happen in the hump. It’s where the average is,” he said, noting that most coffee drinkers fit in that part of the curve. “Experts drink off the tail end of the curve. The scoring system is good for them, but not for people who drink in the hump. It’s a mismatch — a 92-point coffee is too geeky for most people. If it were objectively good, everyone would like it.”
Steiman proposes that true coffee experts make a distinction between quality and preference, able to appreciate a particular coffee’s technical excellence even if it’s not something they want to drink. He adds that the definition of “good” shifts according to culture and experiences.
He said an expert who understands this can help others find coffees they enjoy by asking them questions that reveal their preferences.
However you get there, once you have an idea of what you like, it’s time to explore. A good way to start is by trying various coffees by one roaster. Steiman suggests a few local roasters: Big Island Coffee Roasters, Downtown Coffee and ChadLou’s Coffee Roasters.
“Try things, and learn,” he said. “Spend a lot of time smelling and tasting — practice. And stop having expectations. Go in with an open mind and you’ll be better able to identify flavors (you like).”
CRAWL ALONG WITH AN EXPERT
Shawn Steiman’s full list of favorite coffee shops is long, but he selected these four to provide a range of locations across Honolulu. A big consideration was the spaces themselves, key to what he calls “the coffee experience.”
“Coffee shops are the ‘third space,’ after the home and the office. A coffee shop can be part of your identity,” he said. “It’s a place where you can sit down and hang out without spending a lot of money.”
You might think that Steiman’s egalitarian approach to coffee is purely philosophical, but he proves his point at this fun space, which he selected for it’s straightforward coffee. He’s enough of a regular that the server said, “Hey, I think I recognize that guy. He comes in here kind of often.”
This spot, a large warehouse space divided into ornately decorated rooms, is known as a night spot that serves cocktails rather than a coffee venue. Coffee is served only on weekdays until 3 p.m., when things are quiet. And the coffee program is simple: espresso drinks and one drip coffee.(A menu that includes primarily pupu-type offerings, dips, fries, sliders, tacos and a charcuterie board, is served from 10 a.m.)
Still, Steiman finds it worthwhile.
“It’s good coffee, not complex. They do coffee simple but well,” he said. “You can drink it and appreciate it, but you won’t get distracted by it.”
That could be a good thing at WorkPlay, since folks who go for the coffee will likely have their pick of rooms. Do you want to sit in the room with soft orange lighting or the one with feathered lamps? On a couch by the blue wall and moody chandelier lights?
Wherever you decide to settle in, if you enjoy coffee that tastes simply like coffee, you’ll be in heaven.
Morning Glass
2955 E. Manoa Road, 673-0065
7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays
“This place is the closest thing Hawaii has to a French cafe,” said Steiman of this Manoa coffee shop-restaurant that exudes a relaxed vibe with its open-air patio space and breezy staff.
The cafe is the rare spot that mixes a serious coffee program with a solid menu of food, made from scratch with as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. For breakfast, there’s oatmeal seasoned with spices, a mac-and-cheese pancake and more. For lunch, mouthwatering sandwiches feature cured meats, roast turkey, portobello mushrooms and cheeses, including Gruyere and Muenster. These can be turned into salads for those who don’t eat carbs or gluten. On Friday nights, have dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy an expanded breakfast menu on Saturdays until 12:30 p.m.
As to the coffee program, the selection is large, at seven, and Steiman likes that the cafe uses just one roaster for all of them, which provides consistency. The menu includes the usual brewed and espresso items, plus specialties such as Vietnamese iced coffee, green tea latte, housemade soda and more.
Besides all that food and drink, its charms lie in the mountain view, and the fact that “it’s in Manoa, in the middle of the city, but takes you out of the city,” he said.
BEAN ABOUT TOWN
3538 Waialae Ave., 673-8300
7 a.m.to 3 p.m. weekdays, 7 to 4 p.m. Saturdays, 7 to 2 p.m. Sundays
This teeny cafe tucked next to a stairwell disproves that old real estate mantra about the value of location, location, location.
The shop is in fact priceless — for its high-quality coffee (with beans roasted in-house), skillful preparations, delicious French pastries, selection of sandwiches and smoothies, and most of all, its warm and friendly clientele.
During an extended two-hour visit, Steiman was allowed behind the counter to prepare a delicious chocolatey, fruity coffee grown on Moloa‘a Bay Farms on Kauai. An endless stream of customers stopped in, from young couples on their way to outdoor adventures to retirees leisurely selecting the perfect cup. Steiman chatted with a woman writing a book and ran into a friend.
“This place exhibits exactly what you want a neighborhood coffee shop to be,” he said. “People engage with one another, and it’s not pretentious. Anyone can come in, whether you know something about coffee or know nothing.”
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Additional locations at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki and 207 S. King St.
In the case of this cafe, location is pivotal. While the sleek, modern design inside is a draw, the shop, street level in the Alohilani Resort, is open along Kalakaua Avenue and sits directly across Waikiki Beach.
Part of its lure is the view. But the rest of the appeal is all about the coffee.
Tourists taking a break from the heat can hang out near the viewable roasting room, where beans are readied for consumption 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. most days.
That means coffee that’s fresh. It’s no surprise once you find out owner Sam Suiter comes from what Steiman calls a “local cafe legacy.” His father and brother, Ray and Ray Jr., once owned Honolulu Coffee Co. It’s where Sam cut his teeth.
“Kai Coffee tries to do really high-end, specialty, accessible coffees,” Steiman said.
The lineup includes beans from Kona, Kau and Maui alongside international selections. Customers can select a brewing method, such as pour over, AeroPress, French press and a 12-hour cold brew. There is also a menu of espresso drinks.
BREW IT BEST
“If it’s not about the setting, make your own coffee at home,” said expert Shawn Steiman. Here is Steiman’s list of key brewing points. Experiment with these parameters to arrive at a cup that’s ideal for you.
>> Select a brewing method: Full immersion (ie: French press or Clever Coffee Dripper); or percolation, also called gravity-fed (ie: Chemex or pour over)
>> Water temperature: A good range is 195 to 205 degrees. Steiman says the hotter the water, the faster it extracts flavor from the grinds.
>> Coffee-to-water ratio: The norm in coffee shops is about 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water, but Steiman likes 1:18. Ten grams of coffee to 180 grams of water would make roughly a 6-ounce cup. Tip: Use a scale to measure your coffee, and you’ll always have a consistent cup.
>> Brewing time: For the full-immersion method, 4 to 6 minutes. For a pour over, about 3 minutes of pouring water over the grinds.
>> Grind: Start with medium grind and adjust. The finer the grind (the smaller the particles), the faster the extraction of flavor. So if your coffee is weak, use a finer grind. If it’s bitter, make it coarser.
>> Other factors to consider: Agitation, which increases extraction; filters (paper, cloth, metal); containers (glass, stainless steel, plastic); water (Hawaii water is pretty good, or use filtered water)
BOOK SIGNING
Shawn Steiman will sign copies of the extensively updated second edition of “The Hawai‘i Coffee Book” (2019, Watermark Publishing)
>> Where: Barnes & Noble, Ala Moana Center
>> When: 1 p.m. Sunday
>> Cost: The book will be available for $17.95; a portion of sales benefits Hawaii Literacy; signing is free
