Coffee is a universal language that can reveal the attitude of cultures, communities and even individuals. From harvest to brew, the entire process of making coffee is as complex as its taste variations and the subjectivity attached to them. While many cafés are content to serve up crowd-pleasing blends, there is one that addresses the spectrum of tastes that different coffee beans are made to deliver.
Challenging and stimulating people’s palates with a selection of unconventional coffee blends, Common Man Coffee Roasters (CMCR) desires to make quality coffee and the knowledge surrounding it more accessible to the greater public. The café pushes the boundaries by experimenting with different coffee flavour profiles and encouraging customers to open up their palates to exciting possibilities.
“Arabica coffee consists of over 800 different flavour compounds and aromas. Variety, selective picking, regional microclimates, processing, roasting and brewing are just a few factors that impact our perceived taste,” says Andrew Kent, general manager of CMCR. “The specialty coffee industry is continuously evolving, and to be able to share our knowledge with a world-renowned food forward city, through unique coffee profiles, eloquently stokes our pursuit for exceptional coffees.”
CMCR’s unconventional approach to coffee is reflected in the way it advocates the acidity of the drink, which is often determined by the length of its extraction. A common misconception equates acidity to a flawed cuppa. But for CMCR, the acidity is an element that breaks the monotony of the coffee by giving it a sharp tangy fruity taste. Though it’s not usually favoured, the taste for it could be acquired once consumers start to alter their mindset towards it.
The filter coffee served at CMCR highlights the acidity of the drink. Recommended options include Yirg Zero and Ardi Sidama from Ethiopia. Usually brewed by aeropress, the Yirg Zeo has a floral, intense taste and comprises elements of candy sweetness, lemongrass, coriander and peach-like juiciness. Ardi Sidama is usually brewed by chemex and comprises exaggerated fruity tones with lingering blueberry, cherry orange, and dark chocolate taste.
The café also offers to send someone a coffee subscription as a gift for its patrons. They usually send their house espresso blend (complex, medium bodied and juicy with notes of cherry, distinct floral scents, sweet citrus and dark cocoa) and limited edition back room coffee options.
CMCR houses a coffee roaster, a specialty coffee bar, a 60-seater restaurant that offers all-day dining, and a retail space that offers coffee accessories. To learn how to observe the taste and aromas of various brewed coffee, join CMCR’s coffee cupping sessions for free every Wednesday at 2pm.
Common Man Coffee Roasters
Location: 22 Martin Road, #01-00, Singapore 239058
Tel: 6836 4695
Opening Hours: 8am to 7pm, daily
