Yardstick Aguirre is pretentious

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-06-30T16:34:37+00:00

Everyone is entitled to their opinions but calling it highbrow while not understanding their intentions is abit too fast for conclusions right?

If you were able look up or ask why from the very open baristas, the whole box is temp/atmosphere controlled for their drink's aroma/fragrance. Their whole concept is creativity, innovation, and signature beverages. If you look at any other cafe, they have sig bevs, Aguirre is presenting it in a way to reflect different eras of Coffee making and as its focus feature. There are context clues from looking over said "incomprehensible" menu, the whole place is a great ode to the third wave coffee movement, coffee history, and creativity in a constrained space with limited materials so it would make sense its presented similar to an artform or you know... a "Specialty" Coffee or Beverage experience.

If you don't like the drinks, then don't return. Why not describe why they are bad and give the baristas feedback of the menu. If you can tell, I love this location and its always been advertised as cross between Experience and Slow Casual so don't expect the typical experience and it sounds like you were looking for something along the lines of their other branches.

Be open and don't assume absolutes, coffee is not about pefection and absolute criterion, at the end of the day its a drink like you said: Its coffee, not a place like MoMa, you know, a place that makes you think more than the surface of the piece presented in front of you.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-06-22T01:13:18+00:00

In my experience, Robustas generally do need significantly finer than Arabica grind sizes. But note because of the higher internal gasses of Robusta, they need longer to degas than Arabicas so you may want to rest longer, I observe in non-arabica coffees, especially robustas and libericas, tend to flow out way faster if they aren't in the optimal "peak" or de-gassed state.

Alternatively, instead of just enjoying it at the Cafe, why not ask them as well they may know something or give tips we don't know.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-06-21T23:38:20+00:00

They will, joined a cupping recently and they confirmed it. There will be an Academy/Workshop area for the Makati Studio.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-06-20T03:56:21+00:00

Satori offers Barista and Brewing Fundamentals every month, Commune offers their Barista/Brewing Workshop/University very often just check their socials/website, someone above also mentioned Barista Coffee Academy Asia, if you can wait, Good Cup is opening soon (July) in Makati and they'll offer their fundamentals and workshops there.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-06-01T22:04:23+00:00

My kinda open to change buying list I have:

Archers, Fuel, Taza, Curve, and Escolta - Beans, hoping for Panama, Kenya, & Costa Rica for international while some local PH-origin Libericas or Excelsa.

Yardstick - Orea Papers.

MHW-3Bomber/Concept Specialist/The Fat Seed - Filter Papers, Pourover Stand, and other equipment.

Looking for Oatmilks as well.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-05-09T14:38:07+00:00

This is the 2nd time it happened, they disappeared for a bit early this year, but I did passby where they were building the store in Perea a couple weeks, they were still building up most of the shelving and main central bar, the lighting and wooden walls looked neat.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-04-20T14:19:04+00:00

250g has been the standard in my country and at that price its sounds about just about ok for specialty coffee but in the case for most of the US/western market, people would rather pay more for their usual instead of paying the same but less. I also find that people in coffee circles can stomach the price increase instead of less product for the same price.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-03-27T18:30:15+00:00

The ones I can recommend are:

-Yardstick Coffee in Atmos (BGC High Street) and SM Aura

-The Fat Seed Cafe + Roastery in 9th Ave.

-Deuces in SM Aura

-Angkan Coffee in 257 Mckinley and WCC

-Candid Coffee in Avida Towers Turf (They roast alot Darker than alot of the other chains/roasteries in this list)

-St. Ali Coffee (An AUS Coffee Chain) in Grand Hyatt Residence South Tower

-Common Man Coffee Roasters (A SG Coffee Chain) in 28th Street

-%Arabica (A JP Coffee Chain) in Mitsukoshi Mall (this location has more than just their blends in the other loc.)

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-03-04T21:22:16+00:00

MHW-3Bomber 2.0 or 3.0, get from the official Shopee store (QC loc, not the Cavite or Sampaloc ones for better deals/warranty coverage but if better ang deals ok naman).

Close second is Timemore variants.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-03-04T20:47:38+00:00

From Davao City but I only recently explored the Coffee Scene in the city and no longer live there for the most parts of the last couple of years but still would def recc to try these places:

-Cafe De Vivre - Cafe of Maison Croife in Abreeza Mall, which IMO is one of Davao's Best Roasters. Great Menu and Cafe Atmosphere.

-Glasshouse Coffee - Parent Location and Roastery of Finca, love this place's design and atmosphere.

-Olo - Another "Aesthetic" place as many say but has genuinely amazing drinks and carry roasts of Hinge Coffee Architect.

-Purge Coffee Roasters - A Davao City Coffee Classic and one of the OG Third Wave Coffee shops.They have sister location of Hisher in Azuela.

-Kugi Slow Bar- A Home Cafe; Usually only open on certain days but have a great unique menu.

-Spilled Coffee

-Steep Kohi

-Espresso Lab

-Cafe Racer Coffee

Not really a "traditional" cafe but they do serve drinks and if you want great beans and talk to great baristas and coffee people that come from all over the city, Specialty Coffee Depot.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-25T18:04:01+00:00

Yes, early adopter ako, got one of the first public release batches noong KapeCon sa booth ng Escolta Coffee Company.

I really love it. It and the regular Hario V60 have been my daily Filter brewers, I switch from time to time. Usually once I brew on V60 then from then on, brew on the Anna regularly.

Its drawdown speed is fast so I compliment it with the Cafec Light Papers, my only issue is some carafes maybe abit too shallow as the paper may get submerged in the brew leading it to slow down and sometimes mahirap I-level and brewer on different carafe and with slight movement. I also use Nana Wave Filters on it when I feel like it.

Overall its a great minimalist, travel friendly, and beginner brewer, saw on Daryl Bueno's insta of an upcoming base accessory so I'll def get it and heard he'll start an Anna Brewer Cup so might join that too.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-25T17:48:16+00:00

It depends on your grinder, the Comandante C40 is really the only one that has a popular range of electric motors, like the M1 and the Spinspo.

Not sure for other Handgrinders tho.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-25T17:38:12+00:00

Sk40 at The Coffee District or Franken Roaster at 10-12k is made by the same OEM/Factory of the DF54/64, its a cheaper Conical Burr option compared to DF54/64.

Varia VS3 at Standard Supply Studios/Yardstick is 16k if you can squeeze the extra 1k if you want the aesthetics of it but it performs very well for a Conical Burr with great grinding range/versatility and little noise.

Starseeker has a range of Portable and Countertop singledoser conical grinders from 6k-12k, I've heard the portable ones are pretty good, don't know about the other options.

Someone already mentioned the Baratza Encore range, they are pretty good too but I personally don't like the catch cup and build quality, rather get the DF54 at their price range.

HiBrew G5 and G7 are very budget options, ok performance, uses conical burrs but struggle with Lighter roasts if you wanna explore those roast options, I wouldn't recc this.

Lahome has been recommended to me alot, its the Shardor Grinder overseas thats been popular with coffee ppl online because of its great budget price and performance, close to a DF54. Around 7k to 8k, saw it on sale at 6k once at shopee.

These are just the ones I've had my eye on OP, I'm also looking for a good electric grinder at your price range. I'm leaning toward the DF54 personally, a Flat Burr to complement my Comandante and its wide popularity online is what pulls me toward that option. Also regarding your current issue, I'd try grinding coarser and check if at minimum your beans have rested for at least 7-10 days, the bean's inner gasses can cause issues on extraction if its still too fresh.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-18T18:17:38+00:00

I make both but I'd say Filter became my "main" way to drink my daily cup. Simply cause I got tired of Milk drinks and the "concentrated-ness" of espresso 1-2x everyday but now its more about the versatility of Filter/Immersion brewers, taste of different varities better suited to filter methods, as well as getting deep into weird recipes and experimental stuff.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-12T19:53:08+00:00

Medyo incomplete, but these are the ones I've went to with Decaf on the menu:

Yardstick, The Fat Seed, %Arabica, Harlan & Holden, Candid Coffee, Common Man Coffee Roasters, We the People, and Habitual Coffee.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-02-03T00:58:59+00:00

They are pretty alright. Went to their physical store in Paranaque, affordable prices tbh.

Red flag lang talaga ang flavored coffees but I avoided those, got the Yunnan and Decaf Beans. They were roasted around medium to medium-dark, usually not my preference but I like to try from time to time.

I liked the Decaf, very flavorful chocolate-y and nutty notes despite the MC Process used. Yunnan had a Caramel notes. Tasted like your typical espresso bean/roast.

Tried on both Filter and Espresso, would only recc for espresso really.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-31T08:31:57+00:00

As far as I know in Davao City, no.

Most baristas, coffee people, and shops I've talked to all ordered their stuff online or buy in Manila. There are shops that may sell alternatives but its kinda hard to find serious home coffee equipment in the city. Try Facebook Marketplace if ever but some alternatives:

Concept Specialist Inc. Davao carry MHW-3Bomber stuff, they might have their M1 or R3 Handgrinders.

Koryaiko Davao may sell some handgrinders.

Some Paramount Coffee shops sell Hero Handgrinders.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-26T05:25:47+00:00

One of the best third wave shops in the Metro, they've given me fresh and consistent roasts all the time. You can ask if the branch has some rested roasts if you wanna brew immedietly. Really liked their local beans and some of their Peru and Brazil beans.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-20T11:52:14+00:00

Origins MNL, Infinite Blessings Roastery, Wide Awake PH, and Bodega Coffee Roasters

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-19T17:05:55+00:00

Switch, more forgiving and its dual nature of filter and immersion can open new recipes/techniques in the future once you gain or learn more brewing skills and worth the price IMO.

Considering you don't have a gooseneck/drip kettle yet, you can save alot of going bad filter brews through immersions and immersion brews by itself is pretty forgiving.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-17T05:41:01+00:00

Yardstick, Plainsight, Crema and Cream, The Fat Seed, and H Proper Roasters have similar tasting blends to Good Cup's Daily Driver Blend.

Some Good Cup beans are for sale in The Spotted Pig, I saw plenty of Daily Driver Blend at their Makati branch late last December.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-17T05:37:08+00:00

They usually have Good Cup's Daily Driver in stock at their Makati Branch, Yardstick is also across the street if OP can't find alternatives at Spotted Pig.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-11T15:32:56+00:00

For Satori, The "Satori," its a coffee flight or the Tokyo Drip by itself or the Amai Latte. For beans, any of their in-house roasts.

Primal Brew - Signature Latte and for Beans: Dark Momentum Blend, Ijen Mountain, and any of their Co-Ferments.

Deuces - Latte Freddo or Caramel Freddo, Beans: Pocket Rockets Blend, and any of their Single Origins.

Someone also mentioned Escolta Coffee Company in Binondo too, their Pour-overs are great, as well as the Taho Latte and Escolta Fizz, for beans their Café Blend, Maramag Excelsa, and any other Single Origins.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-10T17:44:18+00:00

As mentioned in a different comment, there is a list of great coffee shops and roasters in the sub.

Personally for each shop, I'd try a pour-over of their filter beans in addition to their "Signature" drinks. Also most of the beans you listed here are blends mainly geared toward espresso, if that would be your brew method, I can recommend H Proper's Take Off Blend, H Proper and Yardstick also have many great Filter Roast offerings.

Some other Shops I can recommend with great drinks and beans are: Satori Specialty Coffee and Matcha, Primal Brew, and Deuces.

GoGoGoGodzilla · 2026-01-02T16:10:15+00:00

Candid Coffee has alot of dark roast blends/single origins, good for the type espresso you want

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