Beans, cafés, and gear I've actually paid for and would buy again.
Ordered by how often I reach for each in a given week — not by score.
01
Blue Tokai — Terroir Culture, Ratnagiri
The current daily driver. Rose, bright fruit, and a clean finish. Forgiving of a slightly coarser grind on a V60. Written up in the journal.
Beans
02
Fuglen — Tokyo Tomigaya
A mid-century Oslo bar transplanted to Shibuya, serving Norwegian roasts to a room of jazz records. Sit at the counter, order the pour-over flight.
Café
03
Fellow Opus grinder
The first electric grinder I've owned that made me stop thinking about grinders. I live between setting 5 and 7 on the dial.
Gear
04
Hario Ceramic V60, size 02
Ceramic holds heat better than plastic, and the ribs are more forgiving than the metal version. My default for any light roast.
Gear
05
Aeropress — original, not the Go
A ten-minute afternoon brew that forgives almost every mistake. The Go is a downgrade; buy the original and never look back.
Gear
06
April Coffee — Copenhagen
The lightest roasts in Scandinavia, brewed with pharmaceutical precision. Ask about the current competition lot.
Café
07
Timemore Black Mirror scale
A pour-over scale that costs a quarter of the Acaia and does 90% of the job. The only piece of gear I take when I travel.
Gear
08
Third Wave Water — Classic Light Roast profile
A sachet you drop into a gallon of distilled water. It won't change your life if your tap is already good, but it will change it if you live somewhere with hard water.