Coffee travel: World of Coffee, Jakarta, Indonesia

The World Brewers' Cup 2025 was concluded last month, but the excitement and passion brought by champions from all corners of the globe are still fresh in our minds. Their dedication, creativity, and love for coffee continue to inspire us and remind us why this community is so special.

This is the first World Brewers' Cup competition being held in Asia and the second to be held in a producing country. Guess the first one.

This is exciting, in our opinion, because Asian coffee producers can and are producing high-quality coffee that deserves as much love as the other coffee-producing regions, such as this Indonesian coffee from Kintamani, Bali that we recently sourced during our time in Indonesia.

Kintamani, Indonesia

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If you have not been following, this year's World Brewers' Cup Champion is George Peng, a multiple-time China Brewers' Cup Champion, and he is also the founder of Captain George Coffee.

In his routine, George wants to highlight the importance of temperature in coffee brewing by taking a closer look at the daily brewing routine.

In a competition setting, every variable counts. Ideally, you want to have as few variables as possible. With an inquisitive mind, George measured and realised that the water temperature of the first pour is lower than the set temperature for the first few seconds before reaching the equilibrium of the set temperature.

This will be an issue when you brew two brews continuously using the same kettle, as the second brew will have a higher thermostability. Depending on which brew you are using as a calibration, the first cup might taste rounder, with lower acidity, whereas the second cup might taste brighter, sweeter, possibly with bitter (overextraction).

The next concept George introduced in his routine was blending roast profile—a blend of different roast end temperatures of 185°C, 187°C & 189°C.

185°C - 92 Agtron - Florality

187°C - 90 Agtron - Ripe fruit notes

189°C - 88 Agtron - Subtle sweetness

As a general observation from roasting, a lighter roast highlights more floral and fruit quality, while a more developed coffee highlights more sugar browning sweetness.

Last but not least, the drinking temperature of the coffee. George measured the temperature of the coffee using an infrared thermometer. A routine that he also serves in his coffee shops in China.

Nucleus Compass, infrared thermometer used by George

This takes away the guesswork of what constitutes a hot, warm or cold state of the coffee. With a clear indication of the flavour notes at different temperatures, the tasting experience will also be brought closer.

With such a scientific approach to coffee, it is an exemplary showmanship of what specialty coffee should be, and truly a deserving win!

If you guys are planning for the next holiday, we would recommend considering China for your next trip. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the cafe in China right now.