Few would argue against the great company a good cup of coffee provides – it's perfect to wash down scrumptious elevenses, and it acquires an indisputable presence when you're enjoying a captivating read. But how much do we know what consists of a genuinely good cup of coffee?

Hand-drip Coffee

"'Hand-drip' is a method of brewing coffee," explained Patrick Tan, SCAA- (Specialty Coffee Association of America) and SCAE- (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe) certified barista, certified Q Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute, USA. "Any coffee beans can be brewed this way, but due to its artisanal nature, hand-drip is the method of choice for the appreciation of premium-grade coffee beans, which we call speciality coffee."

Incidentally, hand-drip is widely regarded as the hardest method to master as it requires delicate control of water flow, swirl, temperature and eye-hand coordination. But coffee enthusiasts are by no means daunted, as the result is absolutely rewarding, with layers of aroma interlaced with fruitiness, sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel orchestrating on the palate. It's fair to say that the hand-drip method maximises the potential the coffee bean has to offer. "Coffee prepared by the hand-drip method is best appreciated without the addition of sugar and milk," added Patrick. "It does not taste like coffee in the conventional sense – it's neither burnt nor bitter. In fact, it may be more reasonable to liken the taste to that of a fruit tea."

All the Way from East Africa

Any coffee aficionado in the know would likely tell you that the best and most exciting coffees in the world come from East Africa. "I'm constantly amazed by the exotic fruit notes and complexity of Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees," admitted the international coffee judge. "The processing methods matter too, of course. Coffee grown in the same farm but processed differently would taste completely different. If I must be honest, I'd say I'm most fond of the traditional, natural (or sun-dried) processing because the resultant cup is wild and complex, and it changes with every sip as the cup cools."

Hand-drip Coffee for Senior Citizens

According to Patrick, coffee made by the hand-drip method is ideal for senior citizens. "Speciality coffee by definition is 100% Arabica, a species that has only 1% caffeine than the commercially used Robusta species, which has 2% caffeine. That the hand-drip coffee is best appreciated without milk or sugar makes it great for senior citizens who may have caloric restrictions in their daily diet, diabetes, hypertension or weight problems. Also, compared to the concentrated and strong traditional-styled Italian espresso, hand-drip coffee is delicate and layered, to the extent that is not unlike traditional Chinese tea."

There are only a handful of professionals qualified to host hand-drip coffee courses in Hong Kong. Get your coffee-loving friends together and sign up for specific seminars now – brewing a quality cup of coffee could be your next favourite hobby.

Special Thanks:
Patrick Tam, SCAA- and SCAE-certified barista; certified Q Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute, USA; COE International Judge Jury 2012