Fabien, Author at Sinouk Coffee

你不可不知的亚洲小众咖啡品牌《希诺儿咖啡》！

Fabien — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 09:01:32 +0000

咖啡是世界上最受欢迎的饮品之一，但适合种植咖啡樱桃的地方不多。其中，最著名有巴西、哥伦比亚和萨尔瓦多这几个国家。即使您不是咖啡专家，也一定会在某间咖啡馆或餐厅中看过这些国家的咖啡豆。

其实，离家不远的地方有好多个小众咖啡品牌，您是否知道？我敢说它们生产的咖啡豆能与那些大品牌媲美。希诺儿咖啡【Sinouk Coffee】就是其中之一，让我告诉你原因：

Ethical coffee sourcing and social impact on the Bolaven Plateau
希诺儿咖啡品牌总部位于老挝，它的采收、烘焙和生产都100% 来自当地的波拉文高原。因此您可以充分享受和品尝最棒的当地特产。对于有意识的消费者，我们的产品都是有机且合乎道德的来源 — 该公司正与高原上的农民密切合作，确保他们得到公平的报酬。我们致力于在我们咖啡价值链的各个接触点创造社会影响 - 通过农村社区的经济发展、支持多样性和促进工作场所的女性赋权。

Sinouk Coffee: specialty coffee roasters
老挝咖啡以其柑橘和花香而闻名；老挝的高原就种植了许多精品咖啡品种，如Catuai、Caturra、Typica、Java，它们都具有花卉特性。虽然它与我们在传统特色咖啡中所能尝到的坚果巧克力味有所不同，但它较清爽的甜味更加适合亚洲人的口味。想想我们倾向于偏爱的食物和饮料种类 — 例如大米和茶。

如果您是咖啡新手，老挝特色咖啡的清淡和甜味是个合适的切入点。一般来说，精品咖啡最好在过滤后享用，因为味道可以完全绽放—就像泡散茶。我相信希诺克咖啡拥有您从未品尝过的独特产品 - 例如蜜处理过的豆。由于其加工方法，所得的产品具有粘稠的甜味。酿造方法也会改变您尝到的味道，以冷酿风格酿造咖啡可别有一番风味。对于爱吃甜食的人来说，我们的蜂蜜加工豆是必须尝试的！没有设备？不要担心！试试我们的滴滤咖啡，品尝老挝阿拉比卡咖啡的浓郁风味。

A coffee shop chain present in Laos’ main cities
当谈到咖啡这个话题时，人们首先会想到的几件事之一就是咖啡馆。想想别致的内饰和隐藏的后巷地点（我认为这是探索城市的最佳方式）。沿着主要街道和小巷行驶，万象首都、巴色和沙瓦那等大城市拥有丰富而充满活力的咖啡馆场景。虽然我们在全国各地都有许多咖啡馆。我个人推荐我们 Khemkong 的巴黎式咖啡馆。想象一下在湄公河边闲逛，沐浴在夕阳的金色光芒中，手里拿着咖啡。发在朋友圈里必定爆赞。

Coffee tourism
除了咖啡馆，您也能体验老挝的咖啡文化。老挝的秘密花园和主要咖啡产区 - 波拉文高原。您可以在 Sinouk Resort 预订一间俯瞰美丽园景花园和瀑布的客房。甚至在收获季节可以在我们种植园参与咖啡樱桃采摘！

The upcoming China-Lao Railway
老挝与中国接壤，使国家之间的旅行变得非常便利和便宜。出行的便利性将随着今年12月中老铁路的开通进一步增加。喜欢铁路旅行的朋友，在到万象首都途中，可以欣赏乡村风光和美景。

Getting your Lao coffee fix amidst Covid-19
然而，鉴于 COVID-19 的情况，国际旅行将在 2022 年末全面恢复（希望了）。为了方便我们不能来老挝玩的中国朋友，我们也在网上零售，以确保您可以随时随地品尝享受老挝的风味 - 提供易于使用的产品，例如滴滤咖啡和Nespresso 兼容胶囊。

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The post 你不可不知的亚洲小众咖啡品牌《希诺儿咖啡》！ appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

5 Fun Ways to Spend More Time with Your Child Using Coffee

Fabien — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 03:59:45 +0000

Covid-19 has taken over everything that we ever knew. Changing our lifestyles, consumption habits, and even attitudes. I for one have become a homebody. Gone are the days of leisure travel (at least for now) and dining out due to lockdown restrictions.

Everybody and anybody are all stuck at home, old, not so old, and children, all under one roof. Time to time, I hear horror stories from friends and family who had to work-from-home while managing their young ones. Even when school's not out, home-based learning seems to be the norm now as we shift back and forth 'lockdown' situations whenever a new wave of cases surge through the country. Although the pandemic is coming to its 2 year anniversary mark, I doubt we will ever get used it. It is also further compounded by its ever growing mutations, the latest of which - The Delta Variant.

But there's one good thing in my life that's unchanging and that's coffee. With everyone being home almost 24/7, the little ones must have realised or observed a thing or 2 more than usual about your daily morning habits. They may even start to ask about the smell, taste, to helping you prepare your coffee. The phrase "monkey see, monkey do" rings truer than ever in my house.🙈 While it is still a controversial topic on how young is young to start consuming coffee, I personally think that it is never too early to start them on the discovery of this magic bean. When you are at a café you can start with a babyccino or hot chocolate, and as they grow older, maybe a sip or 2 of your mocha? It is also okay if you are totally against it, as there are probably a 101 ways to use or incorporate coffee into activities that you can use bridge this gap.

But for today, I've curated a list of the top 5 most exciting discovery activities (in my opinion) suitable for a range of ages. One is never too young (or old!) to start playing with coffee 😂 There are also activities that even the older ones will enjoy! I mean... will you ever see your vampire teenagers for prolonged periods of time if not for this pandemic?

1. Coffee Treats

Above. Opera Cake. SOURCE: BERNICE BARAN, BARAN BAKERY

There's always room for deserts or so goes the saying! Coffee can also be pleasing to children when it is not in its bitter forms that adults usually enjoy. What better way to your loved one's heart than through their stomachs? 😋 Famous coffee flavoured deserts include Tiramisu and Opera Cake. And I am sure that your local ice cream stores also carry coffee flavoured products.

Alternatively, if you're lazy (like me), there are plenty of coffee flavoured options out there. You don't need to look further than café Sinouk's menu! They carry a generous spread of coffee flavoured (real coffee flavour!) and complimentary treats.

Pst! Did you know that you can preorder whole Opera and Tiramisu cakes from Café Sinouk? You have just unlocked a secret menu item, you are welcome 😎

2. Coffee Scrub

Above. Coffee Scrub. SOURCE: TRAINER CLIFFORD, SKINNY MS.

This will be a fun project with your girls as you enjoy a relaxing spa day at home with this homemade remedy. Scrubs made from coffee have many benefits that will leave your skin feeling happy and glowing as you remove dead skin cells that clog your pores. I read that the caffeine in coffee could also help battle the appearance of cellulite!

Here's what you will need
1/2 cup used coffee grounds
1/4 cup oils that are nourishing (e.g. coconut, olive, almond, jojoba)
1/4 cup sugar

Instructions
1. Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container
2. Use within 2 weeks

I recommend using the scrub first thing in the shower as it will leave a slight residue that you will want to rinse off with some soap.

If you are using as a facial product, test a small amount near at your neck area before proceeding to use. Scrub gently as the grounds are coarser compared to normal facial products. If you're acne prone, I don't recommend using coconut oil, as it might be too rich.

3. Slime

Above. Coffee Slime. SOURCE: KIMSPIREDDIY

Playing and making slime has been trending lately and we can all agree why. Its gooey texture is popular with kids and its malleable consistency is both stress relieving and fidgety hands. Best of all, it is very simple to make!

Here's what you will need
120ml white glue
1 tbsp Used coffee grounds (dried off)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Water
Contact Lens solution

Instructions
1. Mix together the glue, baking soda, water and coffee grounds in a container.
2. Add a little contact lens solution at a time and stir well between each addition.
3. Continue step 2 until the slime starts to pull away from the sides and does not stick to your fingers.

4. Coffee Scented Candle

Above. Coffee Scented Candle. SOURCE: IMPROVISATION, INSTRUCTABLES LIVING

Due to Covid-19, we can't all enjoy the joys of patronising cafés and coffeehouses as we used to. Taking away the pleasure of smelling the lingering scent of grounded beans and brewed coffee. To bring this simple pleasure back, try making some scented candles with your kids to freshen up the house!

Your kids (young or old) would definitely find this project fun and exciting!

Here's what you will need
Upcycled mugs/candle containers
Candle wicks
Candle wax (preferably soy, but others work just as good)
1-2 tbsp Coffee Grounds (Used or new, but both has to be dry!)
Saucepan (that you're willing to throw or use for crafting only)
Funnel
Chopsticks

Instructions
1. Melt enough wax to fill your candle container almost all the way to the brim using the saucepan over medium heat.
2. While the wax is melting, position the candle wick to the middle of your candle container. You can use superglue to secure it to the bottom of the jar.
3. Once wax is melted, take the wax off the heat and stir in the coffee grounds.
4. Pour the wax into the candle container using the funnel.
5. Quickly adjust the wick before the wax hardens, ensuring that the wick is at the bottom of the candle container.
6. Keep the wick vertical and centered using chopsticks, and let harden.
7. Trim the wick to length before lighting the candle.

5.Coffee Infused Playdough

Above. Coffee PlayDough. SOURCE: NICOLE DURHAM, BEEYOND CEREAL

Lastly, another aromatic sensory toy is to incorporate coffee and playdough together. I'm reminiscent of my childhood play sets that would always have playdough involved.

Nowadays I find that these toys are way too expensive and that I am just paying for brands sometimes. But i'm also weary of smaller brands as I'm not sure what these doughs are made of.😔 Instead of being a worrywart, why not make some on my own?

Here's what you will need
1 cup flour
½ cup salt
1 cup used coffee grounds
½ cup water (might need more, depends!)

Instructions
1. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt.
2. Add in the coffee grounds and mix well.
3. Gradually add in the water. You might not need all, stop or add until your desired consistency. (If you accidentally added too much water, add more flour)
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it together until it becomes similar to playdough consistency. (Don't expect it to be 100% like store bought playdough)
5. Have fun and keep it in an airtight container when not in use. (Keeps for a 3 weeks or more based on your discrepency)

For many of us, spending some quality time with our children can be a tough thing to manage amidst our busy schedule. Especially when working from home where the hours for work and rest blends in seamlessly together. Take some time to unwind and reconnect with your child before you suddenly realise that they have grown up beyond your reach 🙂

Enjoyed this article? Check out our other content here!

The post 5 Fun Ways to Spend More Time with Your Child Using Coffee appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

Waves of Challenges await the Bolaven Plateau’s 2021 Harvest Season

Fabien — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 14:14:39 +0000

Paksong, LAOS, 13 October, 2021 – Heavy rains, strong winds, and challenges brought about by the pandemic ravages through the plateau cause rising uncertainty and anxiety as farms prepare to begin the harvest season.

World coffee consumption has been growing steadily for the past five years, especially specialty coffee trade. However, Covid-19 has dampened the demand as shops were forced to close or operate at lower capacities to accommodate safety and hygiene policies. Now, two years in, policies surrounding the pandemic has eased considerably, people have settled into the new normal, and the availability of vaccines has only helped to grow renewed confidence in consumers to go out of their homes.

With an upcoming revival in demand, coffee supplies has to be able to keep up. Yet, coffee stocks worldwide are in deficit due to various factors such as shipping issues, climate change, and Covid-19. While these challenges to the coffee industry seem worlds away, Laos is opening its coffee harvest season with the same worries.

Weather and Climate

Past seasons has always been greeted by dry weather which helps with harvesting and processing of coffee cherries into green beans that are ready to be exported to local roasters or international buyers. However, as the harvest season close in, the heavy downpour and winds in recent weeks are worrying as it will affect yields if the rains do not stop. A spokesperson from Kim Yen Agricultural Development, a company that works with farmers on the ground, commented that the plateau is deep with apprehension as it continues to rain unrelentingly.

Ripe coffee cherries are highly susceptible to fall to the ground from the rain and winds as they do not have a strong grip on its branches. Consequently, by the time pickers get to them, these cherries might have already fermented causing a bad flavour to develop. The cherries that did not fall may not be in good condition either. They may experience cracking, which occurs when a lot of water is quickly absorbed and the cherry peel is forced apart causing the sweet mucilage to seep out of the cracks. This is especially detrimental to farmers who processes honey washed beans.

Evidently, both are undesirable outcomes which will result in poor cup score or worse – the lost of its specialty coffee status.

If dry weather was always the norm, why is it different now? The larger picture points towards climate change. The rising temperatures and new erratic rainfall patterns are especially crippling towards the agriculture industry. Especially Arabica coffee species due to their sensitivity towards temperature and rainfall changes.

Pests

Changes in climate conditions will also lead to other problems, such as pests. These delicate varieties are at higher risk of pest infestations (e.g. coffee berry borer beetle) that once found high altitudes of Arabica farms too cold to survive and thrive. Jaramillo et al.’s research on the relationship between temperature and the borer beetle, has shown that due to rising temperatures worldwide, the insect can now be found at higher altitudes.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the coffee berry borer beetle is a relatively new problem in Laos. These small beetles tunnel into cherries to lay eggs and are difficult to catch. The issue is further compounded as the majority of Laos’ coffee crops are grown organically – making it difficult to fight against or prevent the pest.

Not only do farmers have to worry about damage control from the weather and pests, the ever evolving Covid-19 situation is stacked against them.

Below. Coffee Borer Beetle. PHOTO: ARANGO SPECIALTY COFFEE

Covid-19 and its Issues

Transportation and Social Distancing

By now, everyone should be aware of Covid-19 measures such as wearing of face masks, 1-metre social distancing, and washing our hands regularly, these practices are crucial to help curb the spread of the virus. However, not all places are able to uphold such measures due to lack of infrastructure. Consequently, there might be a compromise between efficiency and safety; the Bolaven Plateau is one such place troubled with such a dilemma.

The standard practice is a shuttle service provided by the respective farms, picking up workers from the various villages and dropping them off at the plantation; similarly, from the plantation back to the village. But these services are not equipped to ensure adequate social distancing between passengers due to cost saving reasons. Considering other financial issues that are weighing on the farmer’s mind, such as the potentially bad harvest due to the rains and falling market prices of specialty coffee beans due to sluggish demands at the moment brought about by Covid-19. The additional rounds through the village or increase in shuttle services might be financially beyond the means of the plantation as the majority of farms in the plateau are smallholder farmers with little resources and financial breathing space.

Below. Shuttle Service to Coffee Farm. PHOTO: SIRINA SISOMBAT

The Problem of Testing and Identification

Even if these collective issues have been mitigated, there exist another set of problems – identification of Covid-19 positive workers. Workers who are asymptomatic but carriers of the virus are like landmines concealed and waiting to explode on unsuspecting people. Without access to regular testing equipment and medical facilities, the continuous movement of people during the season will be sure to put the wider community at risk.

However, the harvest season cannot be without experienced workers as coffee cherries are hand-harvested to ensure that only ripe fruit are picked. This has a direct correlation to quality, especially for specialty coffee producers – a direction Laos is moving its coffee industry towards. Particularly so this year, where the season is beginning with bad weather and under lockdown conditions. Without a guarantee of adequately skilled workers, defects to the harvest or risk of low-quality coffee will have a ripple effect down the value chain, impacting not only the farmers but also roasters and traders.

Outlook

Looking into the future, it seems the coffee industry will face many obstacles. The changing patterns of rainfall and temperature will cause erratic flowering of the coffee plants, thus, affecting harvest periods. Furthermore, it seems the Covid-19 pandemic will not be resolved in the coming years, and there are no indication towards what Laos’ next steps are for the industry. There are no easy answers nor solutions to the current situation of the Bolaven Plateau but to simply carry on.

Specialty coffee producers must continue to care about quality but they should not sacrifice, compromise or ignore the welfare of the workers. In uncertain times like these, we must ask ourselves how can we support the community around us. Not just relying on governments, but private organisations should also assume corporate social responsibility to the country they are operating in; not just ensuring fair trade practices.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our other posts in the newsroom and blog. Or follow our socials for more updates, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The post Waves of Challenges await the Bolaven Plateau’s 2021 Harvest Season appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

Beginner’s Guide: What’s the Difference Between Espresso and Filter Coffee?

Fabien — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 06:49:56 +0000

When I first got into coffee many years ago, I was so intimidated and overwhelmed by everything – the people, coffee nerds, coffeehouses, terminology and whatnot. I felt like I should know all of these things and that I was an imposter of a barista.

But in reality, it took me years to accumulate the knowledge that I know now. There’s no shame in not knowing! The fact that you are reading this article right now just tells me that you are doing something to fill that gap in knowledge – kudos to you!

Coffee in all its glorious forms are one of the best parts of adult life and I can’t imagine not ever having a cup (I’m even having one right now as I’m writing this post). But there’s so many different forms to choose from, how would one ever know what’s right for you?

Personally, I believe that coffee breaks into two main branches – espresso based and filter based. Every other thing kinda falls into either of these branches. And fundamentally, espresso and filter coffee follow the same basics – hot water passing through the coffee grounds, filtering through some sort of device, and coming out the delicious liquid gold we all know it to be. But what’s the glaring and even minute differences between the both?

Espresso

Espresso is brewed under high pressure as the hot water is pushed through finely grounded beans as compared to filter coffee who has more leeway to express themselves (I mean they are not under immense stress, am I right?). The resulting product is a fast shot roughly about 30ml, its flavours much simpler with no complexities involved, neither a field of strawberries in your mouth. Instead, it is more acidic and bitter in nature and should leave a nice aftertaste at the back of your tongue.

Although the flavour profile of an espresso is much simpler, the anatomy is not. It is made up of 2 parts: the crema and liquid.

The crema is the golden-brown top layer of a shot, a solution of CO2 bubbles surrounded by water and oils, and is also usually contains suspended coffee fragments and emulsified oils. Whereas the liquid is made up of soluble solids (taste and strength of brew), soluble gases (aroma), and insoluble solids (mouthfeel). The liquid can also be further categorised into liquid and heart – where the liquid is a lighter brown and the heart is the richer darker brown at the bottom.

Contrary to popular beliefs, when extracted right, espressos are delicious and sweet (it’s main profiles are bitter, acidic, and sweet!). Try different espressos side by side and you will be wowed by how the different permutations of the 3 main profiles can bring so many layers of tastes.

Pro tip! Stir in your crema with the liquid. As coffee will start to separate in a sitting cup, and stirring will recombine all the essential elements.

However, if an espresso shot is not your thing, you can still enjoy it with steamed milk and water to your liking. Not feeling like driving down to a café? The next easiest thing is to pop a single serve capsule into a Nespresso machine and press a button. walah! a pipping hot cup of coffee at the comfort of your own home. 😌

Filter Coffee

While an espresso (or espresso-based drinks) sounds like the quick solution for a busy morning, filter coffee is meant for those enjoying a relaxed morning or afternoon. It takes thrice as long to brew a cup, as water filters through the grounds purely due to gravitational forces. As such, more water and grounds would be required and the grounds should be slightly coarser.

The equipment for brewing filter coffee is also more accessible compared to an espresso machine. There are also a variety available on the market – V60, Chemex, Tricolate, and Woodneck to name a few.

Filter coffee or aka pour over and drip, are popular drinks to order as they are less acidic and the tasting notes that you see on the packaging? Bet you can taste them too. Unlike espresso, filter coffee is clean and clear due to the fact that more water is allowed to absorb the oils and fragrances in its own time and pressure. While the brew time is longer, it’s this process that nurtures the grounds to release its goodness. Surely, a longer wait time for a better brew is always welcomed?

Filter coffee should be enjoyed black to enjoy all the subtleties of the brew. But while there’s a preferred method, it does not always mean the best. At the end of the day, you are the one enjoying the cuppa and your tastes are influenced by your lifestyle and preferences. Sinouk Coffee carries many products suitable for drip coffee, check out this post for our top recommendations if you’re not sure what to get!

TL;DR? Check out this infographic for a quick overview 😎

With its varied forms and multi-brewing techniques, you can definitely put your own twist to make coffee your own. Share with us your favourite brewing techniques and recipes in the comments below! I would love to hear from everyone 😆

The post Beginner’s Guide: What’s the Difference Between Espresso and Filter Coffee? appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

Get Productive: The Sinouk Coffice

Fabien — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 16:49:10 +0000

THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS YOU CAN DO AT A CAFE

And working is inevitably one of them. Do you need productive working spaces?

Walk into any coffee shop in town and you’re bound to see a couple of people working on their laptops. If you’ve never been one of those people, I’m sure you’re wondering why they do it. There are tons of articles on the web explaining the café-office phenomenon, but this blogpost isn’t going to try and cover it all.

What it is going to do, however, is help you decide which cafés best suit the nature of your work and lifestyle. Sinouk Coffee has seven coffee shops throughout Vientiane, 10 including our franchises, so you’re bound to find the perfect coffice for your needs.

1. The Cubicle Resident
We acknowledge that the bulk of our customers are trapped in stifling cubicles, constantly disrupted by beeping printers, perpetually unanswered phone calls and every breath, cough, sneeze and sniffle of everyone around.

Well, we say you deserve a working environment that helps you hit that impossible sales target or bulldoze through spreadsheet after spreadsheet. Heck, you might just need a place to churn out three whole articles for your corporate blog in less than 24 hours (totally not speaking from experience).

If you feel a spiritual connection with everything I’ve just described, you need an environment that is open and spacious, with big, bright windows that open up to lush greenery to calm you down when you realise yet another deadline has been creeping up on you.

Lucky for you, that is the exact environment we have at Sinouk Coffee Pavilion. Being a little out of the city might be inconvenient, but the occasional escape from the cubicle farm that is your office might do your productivity some good!

TL;DR – for the office worker who needs a change of environment, try Sinouk Coffee Pavilion.

2. The Deal Closer
Things are going great for you—you’ve got clients everywhere waiting to sign contracts but you realise there’s no space to host them. An air-conditioned café with good Wi-Fi is your best bet, but choosing one is trickier than that.

The space must be professional; bustling but not busy, and of course, with respectable yet affordable coffee which makes paying for drinks a lot easier on your wallet. Finally, you want to choose a place that’s centrally located but far enough from the tourist districts to keep your environment conducive for negotiations.

If the above description is the kind of coffice you’re looking for, pay a visit to Café Sinouk Phonsinuane. It’s a double-storied, fully serviced café-restaurant that can host both casual meetings to serious contract negotiations. Even better, if you’re hosting a meeting with four or more people, there’s a meeting room equipped with a screen and projector on the second floor.

Who knows, your boss might decide to make this café your new office!

TL;DR – for the overachieving salesman with too many meetings, try Café Sinouk Phonsinuane.

3. The Hip Artist
Need to revise draft number 23 of a poster design for your client’s dog’s 6th birthday party? Squeeze out new campaign ideas for a new line of dish soaps? At Café Sinouk Khemkong, creativity flows just as smoothly as the freshly brewed coffee from our machines.

For creatives, you need large open windows that you can stare dazedly out of as you work out colour combinations, storylines and concept art in your head. Don’t be afraid of buzzing downtown cafes, as the hustle and bustle is exactly what you need to keep those creative juices flowing.

With tourists of more nationalities than you can count, youths with their fancy cameras and stylish outfits, businessmen and their cigarettes on the terrace, you’ll never spend the same day twice.

TL;DR – for the creative who needs to get out of a rut, try Café Sinouk Khemkong

4. The Marathon Mom
I’m sure we all agree a mother’s work is one of the hardest out there. The distance mothers cover in a day’s work will surprise you—from dropping off the kids at school, getting to work, picking the kids up, paying the nanny, grocery shopping and the list goes on.

In the rare and valuable spare time that mothers do have, having a café near the kids’ school is almost akin to an oasis in the desert. It’s where you can stop to rest your legs, check your receipts, count your change and get some office work done while you’re at it.

At Sinouk Coffee, we know how precious time is, and we don’t want you spending it at the wrong place. Café Sinouk Sokpaluang is equipped with a kid’s zone to keep your children entertained while you sort out your own needs. It’s also a good place to meet up with your friends over a quick coffee before zipping off to run your next errand.

TL;DR – for mothers who wish they had a body double, try Café Sinouk Sokpaluang

5. The Posh Connoisseur
We say “connoisseur”, but you don’t really have to be an expert at anything. After all, being posh is about pretending that you know things (we’re only half-joking).

It’s easy to waste the weekend away after a long and tiring week at work or school. For those who want to get productive on lazy days, a quiet, open-aired café works better than a bustling, enclosed space which might distract or add unnecessary stress on you to get more work done than you have to.

Café Sinouk Institut Francais (IFL) is the perfect place to open up your morning paper, sip on an espresso and get some light work done like replying emails and quick readings. The open space and small garden bring in fresh air that keeps you productive but not constantly on the edge of your seat. It’s the weekend after all, and you deserve a break!

TL;DR – for the early risers who want to get light work out of the way, try Café Sinouk IFL

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The post Get Productive: The Sinouk Coffice appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

When is the Best Time to Drink Coffee?

Fabien — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 03:20:22 +0000

COFFEE IS ALL ABOUT TIMING

As majority of working adults can relate, getting a cup of hot coffee is probably the first thing you check off your daily to-do list. But if you find yourself having trouble feeling the full caffeine kick from your morning coffee, it might be because you’re drinking it at the wrong time. So when is the best time to drink coffee? Read on and find out.

It turns out that the moment we wake up, our body starts releasing cortisol (stress hormones) which helps us feel awake and alert in the morning. The addition of caffeine to our already lifted cortisol levels increases our body tolerance towards caffeine.

The regular intake of caffeine just after we wake up can interfere and reduce our cortisol production, resulting in a premature caffeine crash or worse, increase your reliance on drinking more coffee to stay awake throughout the day.

So, no coffee in the morning? No, but just at the right timing.

Stress hormones are typically produced in the highest quantities at three points throughout the day: 8 to 9 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 5 to 6 PM. Avoiding caffeine during these points will maximize both the body’s natural way of keeping you awake, and the extra boost which you get from your coffee. This keeps you from the unnecessary intake of caffeine (and thus reduce chances of over-reliance) and allow your body’s hormones to do its job.

But if you find that you really need the extra boost, especially after a late night and little sleep, drink your coffee after those three timings. This will allow the caffeine to take its full effect and help you sail through your working day smoothly.

Of course, everyone’s body works differently. What you can do is take some time to observe your body and energy levels—take note of when you feel most awake and lethargic and adjust your coffee breaks accordingly.

If you find yourself having frequent caffeine crashes and feeling lethargic an hour or two after a coffee, we recommend gradually delaying your morning coffee by half-hour blocks to give your stress hormones time to take effect. Try this method for a week or two until you figure out the timing that works best for your body.

There you go, that is how you figure out the best time to drink coffee. A small change in your morning routine can go a long way in preventing troublesome caffeine withdrawal symptoms like painful headaches, anxiety and poor concentration.

Coffee is precious and so is your body. Pay attention to what both are telling you and you’ll realise that the timing you drink your coffee is actually pretty important.

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The post When is the Best Time to Drink Coffee? appeared first on Sinouk Coffee.

Intern Reviews All of Cafe Sinouk’s Bestselling Coffees

Fabien — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 09:14:58 +0000

AND SURVIVED FOR 24 HOURS ON PURE CAFFEINE

As someone who couldn’t tell lattes from cappuccinos, I could not allow myself to remain ignorant whilst interning at a coffee company.

After gathering an insider-only list of bestselling coffees from my trustworthy Lao colleagues, I set out on a journey to conquer all of Café Sinouk’s hotshot coffees. In my own unprofessional and untrained opinion, here is my review of six different coffee drinks of Sinouk Coffee within Vientiane. (Café Sinouk's bestselling coffees)

Café Sinouk Khemkong – Hot Lao-style coffee
For those who aren’t familiar, Lao-style coffee starts with a bottom layer of condensed milk, followed by espresso and hot water, and finally a layer of foamed milk at the top. With our Khemkong outlet being in the heart of Vientiane’s tourist district, it wasn’t surprising that this was one of its bestsellers.

Lao-style coffee is perfect for those who have an aversion for the bitterness of regular coffee and is an easy starting point for new coffee drinkers. For caffeine-chasers, don’t be too quick to stray away from this powerful drink. Lao-style coffee has a higher caffeine count than pure Arabica.

To conclude, the iced version is in fact the more typical way of taking Lao-style coffee. On the streets, vendors sell it in little plastic bags, the classic Southeast Asian style!

Sweetness – 5 out of 5
Energy – 3 out of 5
Price level – Medium

Café Sinouk Sokpaluang – Iced Cappuccino
Ah, the iced cappuccino, also known as the latte imposter. To be frank, there really isn’t much difference between the two.

That is to say, the iced cappuccino at the Sokpaluang outlet had a soft, blanket-like texture from the foamed milk and a natural sweetness. That would be better-appreciated by some as compared to the heavy condensed milk in Lao-style coffee. Without an overwhelming artificial sweetness, the bold coffee taste from the espresso shot still had some presence even with the added milk.

Overall, a classic coffee that should never go wrong.

Sweetness – 3 out of 5
Energy – 3 out of 5
Price level - High

Café Sinouk Phonsinuane – Hot Americano
An accurate reflection of its main demographic of office workers, our Phonsinuane shop churns out hot americanos by the hundreds each month.

With a child’s palate when it comes to coffee, anything without milk and sugar tastes like burnt water to me. I won’t lie and say that this americano is revolutionary or game-changing... But it was surely more than just water and coffee in my cup.

In other words, the hot americano, undiluted by melting ice, gives way to a faint fruitiness of the Arabica beans from which it was made. An overall strong and some might say unforgiving taste. The americano does its job in giving you your morning fuel the no-frills way. All in all, the hot americano is a straightforward choice for straightforward people.

Sweetness – 0 out of 5
Energy – 4 out of 5
Price level – Medium

Café Sinouk Institut Francais – Espresso
A 100% open-aired space, it’s no exaggeration when I say I could hear French music playing faintly in the distance. Despite its Italian origin, the espresso was the shop’s bestselling coffee. As an undoubted coffee greenhorn, the espresso was one mountain I never thought I’d conquer, second to the americano.

But of course, this is the age of competitive self-improvement so I couldn’t allow myself to skip this one over. After a quick internal pep talk, I downed half the shot (I’m weak against caffeine and it was my third coffee that afternoon).

As expected, it was a strong, bitter mouthful that warmed my throat as it went down. The first breath I inhaled after swallowing gave way to a slight acidity, like licking a lemon slice, and afterwards, an extremely faint natural sweetness. Though I personally wouldn’t pay money for any kind of espresso, I can see why people on-the-go love picking up their morning espresso and calling it a day. Its quick, its easy and it does the job.

Sweetness – 0 out of 5
Energy – 5 out of 5
Price level – Low

Café Sinouk Talat Sao 1 & 2 – Iced Mocha
Next, the iced mocha was an approachable drink that I was looking forward to trying. After all, who doesn’t love something chocolatey? As the two cafés were closely located, I decided to just try the one from Talat Sao 2, which was an open-concept type of café in the middle of the mall’s atrium.

One thing I recommend is to give the coffee a good stir to make sure the chocolatey goodness is well-mixed. So one sip isn’t too sweet or not sweet enough (four cups of coffee later and I think I sound like an expert!).

The iced mocha is the least coffee-tasting coffee of everything that I’ve sampled. And this could be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of the coffee taste. But I do appreciate and often need the energy boost. On days when I’m not particularly keen on a strong-bodied coffee, I go for an ice mocha.

Overall, it’s an easy coffee to start with and highly recommended for new coffee drinkers, alongside the hot Lao-style coffee.

Sweetness – 4 out of 5
Energy – 3 out of 5
Price level – Low

Sinouk Coffee Pavilion – Iced Latte
Last but not least is the iced latte from Sinouk Coffee Pavilion (at which I am a proud pantry rat). This coffee is one of my most frequently consumed beverages at the office because of how easy it is to make.

Of course, my review will cover real iced latte made by the café’s barista. The iced latte wasn’t as sweet as I expected. And had a noticeably smoother mouth-feel than the cappuccino due to having less foamed milk. With a stronger coffee taste compared to the cappuccino and mocha, I would recommend it as a “next-step” coffee for those trying to acquire a taste for it.

Sweetness – 2.5 out of 5
Energy – 3 out of 5
Price level – Low

Café Sinouk's bestselling coffees

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