In Korea, there is a saying that goes “the truth is in the den-jung”, den-jung being fermented bean paste. The idea is that quality can not be faked — it is or it isn’t. Though I like den-jung, I also like good coffee and the best fresh roasted coffee in Korea is not Star$ucks but is found at the “Apkujong Coffee House” or 압구정 커피집 in Apkujong Dong, close to the Apkujong Dong subway station. The resident “coffee master” is Heo Hyeong Man who has had over twenty years of experience roasting coffee. Mr. Heo says that the experience is in being able to understand all of the variables in roasting coffee that can inhance or hurt the roasting process. Heo maintains that he can tell just from tasting his daily roast what, if anything, might be wrong with the roasting process and how to fix it. Such is the benefit of experience and long hours spent in perfecting his roasts.
Under Heo’s careful hand, coffee becomes a living thing; the Ethiopian has an almost sweet potato finish, the Costa Rician is of woody jungle and caramel. Details come out in each cup that are missing in other roasts.
Mr. Heo’s shop houses his hybrid roaster as well as a small counter from which customers may take their coffee right from the day’s roast. Heo even has created two different roasts for espresso; one from the exclusive “Apkujong Blend” (seven different beans) which is simply roasted longer and one from the traditional espresso bean. Heo maintains that his espresso blend creates a roast that is slightly less acid (better for home brewing) that the traditional roast, which works best in the commercial espresso machines one sees in the better coffee shops in Seoul.
It seems that Mr. Heo also knows how to best brew his coffees, citing evidence and the method for brewing with paper drip filters, water heated to no more than 95C and a special water pot that delivers a steady, uninterupted flow of water to the grounds which insure the best brewing possible.
If one spends some time in Heo’s shop, one may watch his employees carefully sort out defective green coffee beans from good ones — all done before roasting begins. Each and every morning, early, Heo fires up his roaster and begins the alchemy that results in the philosphers’ stone that can only be poured up black and perfect.
If anyone is interested, they should start in front of the Hyundae Department Store and, facing away from the front, walk to the right for five minutes, past the real estate offices and florist until they see the sign for the shop on the right.
6 Comments
Well this is a nice little article…I’ll have to stop by there when I’m back in Korea. I partially put myself through college working at a starbucks a little over fifteen years ago and back then there was a certification course that many employees went through. I was told by some of the older cats that the course used to be mandatory. Judging from the starbucks I’ve sampled since being back stateside I’d say that certification is either gone by the wayside or been dumbed down to accommodate Americans’ taste for sugary drinks. There was a time when Starubcks didn’t even offer sweetener or milk/cream and frowned on those who requested it. If it needs additives, call it something besides coffee.
The Hole needs more “human interest” posts like this and perhaps less of the ranty crap I put up.
If you ever find yourself in Ansan (and why would you?) you can get some pretty good coffee at Joe’s in Handaeap. It is about a block from the McDonalds walking away from the subway station.
MrChips, all the coffee sold at Star$ucks, in Korea, is shipped from the states by ship, meaning, by the time it arrives, it is already too old! Standard roasts retain their freshness for only two weeks at best when kept away from air. If Star$ucks was clever, they would set up regional roasting facilities, but then, this means they would have to invest in quality.
If anyone goes to the Coffee House, do try the Apkujong Blend which is blended using seven different beans. It has the best and longest finish I’ve ever found.
Whoa, good tip, thanks man — i’m gonna check this out.
Haven’t had coffe of that quality since Peets in Berkeley!
> If it needs additives, call it something besides coffee.
i’m with you, the good stuff is straight-up.
Tho i do love a slab of dark chocolate on the side…
The best coffee I knew in the greater Shinchon area — a tiny place in the sidestreets near Ehwa University — has sadly gone (as far as I can tell, anyhow… one does lose track of these things sometimes), sacrificed for the megamall being built there now.
Thanks for the tip.