Coffee Drinking in the Philippines

[Terpe]

In the Philippines, coffee still reigns supreme over tea. In the Provinces that grow coffee, the best crops (those with the reddest cherries) are separated for private consumption ("home use" or "family use") and are never sold. These are specially roasted in pans and meticulously pounded or ground and passed through screens until the grind is perfectly even. The grounds are then cooked in pots and served freshly "boiled' or brewed.

Roasting is done in small batches, usually limited to as much as what the family will use for a week or a few days.

Upon entering house in the province, the first beverage offered is coffee. Coffee is then prepared and usually taken with just a little sugar. Milk is an option, which is usually fresh carabao's milk or, for convenience, evaporated milk in cans.

The Philippines used to be the fourth largest producer of coffee in the 1800s. From 1886 to 1888, the country was the world's sole supplier of coffee.

Today, the Philippines is a net importer of coffee. Filipinos consume over 60,000 metric tons of coffee but only produce 30,000 tons.

Coffee is a product that has an increasing demand year after year. This means that a coffee business has a big chance of survival and success in the country.

The problem of production is being addressed by the Philippine coffee board or the National Coffee Board and other private organizations that encourage the planting of more land to coffee. If their current plan is executed well, there should be enough coffee in the country for the generations to come.


Source

[KeithD]

I've tasted some Philippine coffee, and it is disgusting. Choice is a problem as well, as most supermarkets only have about 10 types of ground coffee.

I find coffee from Java the best. Grown in the rich volcanic soils.

[Terpe]

I've tasted some Philippine coffee, and it is disgusting. Choice is a problem as well, as most supermarkets only have about 10 types of ground coffee.

I find coffee from Java the best. Grown in the rich volcanic soils.

Agreed.....most is terrible and a lot is actually not real coffee.

There is good coffee to be found though, especially that grown around Mount Apo in volcanic soils.
I have a good friend in the coffee business there

[KeithD]

I have a good friend in the coffee business there

So the secret to good coffee must be volcanos

[sars_notd_virus]

Cafe barako and tablea de cacao from Batangas

[Arthur Little]

I've tasted some Philippine coffee, and it is disgusting.

Oh ... I'm surprised to read that ... ... I always looked forward
to the cups of coffee Myrna made for me every morning when I was in the Phils and have often remarked on its superior quality ever since.

[fred]

Well I bought a bag of Pinoy coffee but cant remember the name!!
I use a French coffee press as I cant be bothered waiting for the drip drip drip!!
The coffee I bought is bloody good to be honest!!

[dontpushme]

I wonder if the coffee quality has diminished due to lack of proper training on how best to handle the beans. A good coffee bean would taste horrible if it were roasted wrongly.

[Trefor]

I can't stand tea or coffee, but I have noticed that high quality coffees come from volcanic regions. Maybe there is a business opportunity for whoever gets their marketing act together (and treats the beans properly) in production/distribution.

[dontpushme]

Volcanic soil is very fertile, and I think it does produce good coffee.

When we still had our farm, my dad reserved part of the land just for coffee for the family. Even our relatives in Manila preferred the beans he sent to the imported beans they could buy at the supermarket.

[purple]

Oh ... I'm surprised to read that ... ... I always looked forward
to the cups of coffee Myrna made for me every morning when I was in the Phils and have often remarked on its superior quality ever since.

I think they meant those artificial or flavoured coffee sold in the supermarkets that are very cheap but doesn't taste like real coffee.

[cheekee]

Just sitting at Bo's coffee in Cebu City having a latte.

[Travellor]

You can't beat the smell of coffee beans as you enter Bagiou market

[KeithD]

You can't beat the smell of coffee beans as you enter Bagiou market

You can't beat the smell of doughnuts when you enter a Phil Stabucks

[Michael Parnham]

I still prefer 'Camp Coffee' it's delicious!

[grahamw48]

Is that that Chicory stuff ?

[Michael Parnham]

Is that that Chicory stuff ?

Yes it is Graham and it's really nice made with milk, I did find it in Philippines and any other coffee is too bitter for me especially ground coffee!

[grahamw48]

I hate that ground coffee too.

Lucky I like the cheapest stuff.

[Terpe]

I remember Camp coffee from when I was a kid
Not had it since......

[Michael Parnham]

I remember Camp coffee from when I was a kid
Not had it since......

You must buy some, it's one of the few things that still tastes the same today as it did then!

[Iani]

So the secret to good coffee must be volcanos

Volcanic soils help alright. A good coffee taster can tell what sort of soil the coffee is grown on - goodness knows how! Well, obviously it's practice.

What really helps is altitude. Put very simply, any coffee grown in the tropics under 3000ft will taste mild to put it generously. Below 2000ft it will be frankly disgusting.

The "better" arabicas are grown on volcanic soils over 4000ft.

[KeithD]

I remember Camp coffee from when I was a kid

So they had coffee for gays that long ago?

[Terpe]

So they had coffee for gays that long ago?

[Iani]

Oh well, here's some coffee tips for anyone who gives a stuff

Currently, and this is my personal experience:

Asda have a range called "taste the difference". Don't believe it's special - it ain't - it's just marketing really.
They have though a taste the difference ground coffee range, and one of these is Ethiopian. Well, it's frankly one of the best I've tasted, and tastes like a very good coffee house product. I wouldn't bother really with the others. Not expensive either - £2.50 a bag.

Now this is hit and miss, because they might have run out already, but if you are near a Home Bargains, there's something amazing in the coffee stock there at the moment. They are selling for £2.00 a bag, Taylors Rwandan coffee.
Yes I hadn't heard of that either - Rwandan coffee for goodness sake! At that price though I thought I'd give it a bash.
Soon as I opened it, I got this strange smell - and it's like no coffee I've ever smelled before. I just can't describe that smell.
The taste - there's no bitterness at all, and it's again not like any coffee I can describe. Taste this stuff and you might not be able to drink other coffee again, I've just opened a new packet of a different coffee, and it's like drinking quinine after the Rwandan stuff.
Comes in a bronze coloured packet if you're interested. Depends if you have a Home Bargains near you though.

Cue someone else trying it and posting they think it tastes like dried elephant dung