Angelo Javier, resident barista of local coffee business Daily., started riding a bicycle in Metro Manila last week. And Javs (that’s what he’s usually called) is loving the experience. We recently had a conversation with him about coffee and bikes, of course, over a cup of his cold brew.
“As cyclists, we always need to be alert. And where can we usually get this jolt of alertness? Sa caffeine, that comes from your cup of coffee, ‘di ba,” he said. “So, it can help increase your performance as a rider from that energy boost.”
(As cyclists, we always need to be alert. And where can we usually get this jolt of alertness? In caffeine that comes from your cup of coffee, right? So, it can help increase your performance as a rider from that energy boost.)
“Kaya I have this dream of going out on my bike with my equipment tapos brew lang somewhere,” he added. “Funny lang kasi ang dami mong bitbitin, pero as someone who likes to go out to cafes for coffee, experience rin na you brew somewhere outside the confines of that.”
“That’s why I have this dream of going out on my bike with my equipment then brew coffee somewhere. It seems funny because you bring so many things, but as someone who likes to go out to cafes for coffee, it’s an experience that you brew somewhere outside the confines of that.)
How’s he going to do it? Since he just started cycling, his gear is still basic. Javs said that he plans to buy a good crate because his bike has a rack already. He thinks of bringing his kit so he can make a good cup of coffee: water, kettle, camping burner, whole beans, coffee grinder, aeropress and a mug.
Imagining his set up, that’s something that we’re excited to see! Super rock and roll style.
“Gusto ko ma-try magpunta ng Manila Bay. Mag-brew sa seaside, tapos makipag-kwentuhan with other cyclists and just enjoy the coffee. Parang pop-up coffee bar,” he said.
“I want to try going to Manila Bay and brew by the seaside, then chat with other cyclists and just enjoy the coffee. Like a pop-up coffee bar.)
Javs decided to get his bike because it can easily take him from point A to point B. He was the “alay” of his family during those months of stricter quarantine and he had a hard time riding public vehicles. It is still hard now, he admitted, so a bicycle can really be convenient for him when he’s running errands.
How was his first bike ride? He biked around Araneta City with friends. A few days after, he went for a longer trip from Daily.’s office in Cubao to Teacher’s Village.
“Ang daming sasakyan at nakakatakot, tbh. But hey, you need to go out to get courage, right? It was hella tiring, but very fulfilling,” he said. “Sulit ‘yung pagod kasi pagkatapos umikot, nag-kape kami sa isang bagong cafe sa V. Luna.”
(There are so many vehicles and it’s scary, tbh. But hey, you need to go out to get courage, right? It was hella tiring, but very fulfilling. The effort of cycling around is worth it because we were able to have coffee in a new cafe in V. Luna.)
We tried brewing a cup of coffee outdoor for the shoot… it’s really cool and ang sarap ng kape ni Javs!
October 1 is International Coffee Day!
