Who are we? We are the guys who live the labor of love to satiate a passion for coffee.
Authors:
~ James Ong (owner, 完璧コーヒー飲み物を捜す人)
I’m a guy who loves coffee. I’m a guy who works in coffee. I’m a guy who works hard at his labor of love. I’m a guy who loves to write. I started this site with the intention of sharing knowledge and spreading the word about coffee, shops and the industry with my friends and those who care to lend their ears. I am a professional barista with about two years of experience in the industry and a long time coffee enthusiast. I do not claim to be an “expert,” but I am very passionate about my work and knowledgeable about the craft. This isn’t a place for egos nor am I influenced by any sort of endorsement. This domain is a “serious” critic’s work space, at least, as serious as I think coffee should be. I want to share my love of coffee with you without the jargon, attitude, or snobriety; passion and knowledge should be imparted and accessible to everyone, not just those in the coffee world. I have traveled the world and had many varieties of beans, drinks, and experiences. Looking back, I wish I had written more extensively about some of the places I visited in Japan, Europe, and America. But for now, this is a good time and place to start. ようこそ、皆さん. この旅を出発しましょう。
Coffee Credentials:
Panama Red Coffee Company, Livermore, CA
- Barista
- Coffee consultant
- Training consultant
- 2009-2010, 2011, 2012
Lulu Carpenter’s Roasting Company, Santa Cruz, CA
- Barista
- 2011-2012
- Barista
- Assistant Trainer
- 2012
Awards and acknowledgements:
- First Annual Panama Red Barista Jam, 2012: Overall winner
- Ong’s Blend: Personalized espresso blend roasted by Lulu Carpenter’s, limited-batch
Disclaimer: all reviews and articles are the expressed opinions of the authors only. We work hard to be knowledgeable and research subjects before we publish. Mistakes do happen, but we strive to be accurate about our “facts.” These are candid accounts and experiences. We are not funded in any way. Please keep in mind that the work done on this domain is personal. No offense intended; our goal is to share the love not trash talk. All photos, articles, and intellectual material are property of the site editors (yes, we do take photos), and should NOT be used or reproduced in anyway without expressed permission.
Thanks for the great Mistral piece. Next time you’re at Four Barrel in San Francisco, give me a shout-out and I’ll pull you a shot on ours!
Will do Hein! I plan on coming up this Sunday! Can’t wait to review you guys
Is that a formal invitation? Because you guys would be the first to invite!
Hi guys. Great Mistral review. considering ordering a 2 group. can you increase the pre infusing on the Mistral or is it fixed?
Dear Vasili,
Great choice on the Mistral. You can adjust the preinfusion time, but unlike the Strada or Synesso machines, it must be done so mechanically and inside the machine. It is a bit of a pain and should be done with the help of a tech. The newer machines are adjusted digitally and have a friendlier user interface. That being said, if it were up to me, I would go for a newer Synesso or La Marzocco model. Mistrals are wonderful machines but they are subject to “Bohr’s law” at this point. Thanks for the review! If you wanna chat more, send me an email.
James