The Thriving Coffee Culture In Singapore

One of the most deeply rooted icons in Singapore is Kopitiam. Kopitiam is an age-old tradition that thrives until today. The country’s coffee culture dates back for about several centuries. It serves as a reminder of how diverse and rich our culture is. You see, the word “kopi” means coffee in Malay and the word “tiam” means shop in Hokkien and Fujianese.

Notice how people interact in Kopitiams. At Kopitiam, you will rarely see people who are working on their laptops. It exudes a laid-back atmosphere where people can read the morning paper, enjoy lengthy conversations with friends, or watch as the day goes by. What makes their coffee unique is how it is made.

Kopi is made from Robusta beans, a type of bean which contains a high dosage of caffeine. The beans are roasted in a wok with butter and sugar to enhance its flavor. The mixture caramelizes the beans and gives it a tempting aroma. Lastly, the beans are strained and combined with condensed milk. To experience a cup of kopi, you must visit famous chains such as Ya Kun and Killiney. Both of these chains go way back to the early 20th century. Would you believe that?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

In the modern days, independently owned cafes began sprouting like mushrooms. No neighborhoods or CBDs were left untouched! With its great prevelance, coffee has gone through several waves. I shall focus on the third-wave which is highend or speciality coffee. Third-wave coffee is a conscious consumption that highlights on the fair trade of coffee beans. Thus, it is an eco-friendly choice, which puts a focus on natural flavors. One can only imagine the methods they use!

Aside from the third-wave coffee model, some shops in Singapore offer subscriptions. It is a new dimension in the growing specialty coffee scene. According to the Perk Coffee founder: “The subscription model fits very well with the roasted coffee model. You want to make sure it’s very fresh and regular – small quantities, and frequently [distributed].”

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Do you agree that subscription coffee is the future? Will this help you save money and effort? Feel free to leave a comment.

Sources: 1 & 2

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5 Budget-Friendly Tips For A Starbucks Addict

It is time for a reality check!

There is a huge difference between being late due to family emergencies and being late because you were queuing at Starbucks. Your constant trips to your “coffee haven” can drain your wallet. So, how do you keep your thirst for the daily coffee grind? With clever planning, of course! Try these tried-and-tested hacks to satisfy your coffee addiction:

#1: SHARING IS CARING

While I was chatting away with a friend of mine, our conversation drifted to her pleasant date. She and her mom shared a Venti cup after countless hours of shopping. You see, splitting a Venti cup is cheaper than purchasing two Tall or two Grande cups. Let us take the “Frappuccino” as an example. A Venti frap costs about S$7.60 while, a Tall frap costs about S$6. Splitting the bill with a friend can help you save up to S$2.20 each! Isn’t that what friendship is for?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

If you are planning to kill time in Starbucks, it is better to opt for the largest size available. Situations such as working on a school project with your classmate or finishing a business proposal call for this strategy!

#2: REAP THE REWARDS

One of the quickest ways to enjoy discounts and freebies is by joining the Starbucks Rewards Program. Upon entering, you will be eligible earn a star for every dollar spent. These stars equate to specific benefits such as a free slice of cake or a free drink. To get started, you must acquire a gift card. Register it thru the Starbucks website or thru the mobile app.

Use the app to stay updated with the latest promotions. What I like most about this loyalty program is the value given to one’s birthday month (i.e., by giving a free slice of cake, a free drink, or a free drink upgrade). Furthermore, you can get a personalized gold card. It is an ultimate Starbucks addict collectible, if you ask me!

#3: BRING A CONTAINER

An easy way to save at least 50 cents on your next order is by bringing your own container! Take out your favorite mug, tumbler, or water bottle from the shelf. Then, confidently offer your own container to the Starbucks barista.

Getting S$0.50 off your bills may seem minuscule at the moment but, these savings add up. Furthermore, you are helping save the environment by conserving the resources.

#4: ASK FOR TEA

I am not a heavy caffeine drinker. This is why I prefer drinking tea over coffee. Have you ever considered exchanging tea with a friend? Purchase two different tea bags and ask for hot water. In most cases, you may refill a cup for at least three times to savor its flavor. Do not worry about asking the staff for a refill as it is free!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

For tea connoisseurs, it is best to avoid steeping your tea twice. Stick to your drink preference instead of wasting money.

#5: MAKE YOUR OWN

Whether you want to believe it or not, you can make your own iced latte while saving money in the process. Order a triple espresso over ice and head over to the condiment bar. Fill up the rest of your cup with the complimentary milk. Voila! You just made your own iced latte!

Lastly, you can make your own Chai Tea Latte. Instead of spending S$5.70 for a Tall-sized Chai Tea Latte, you may ask for a hot Chai Tea (about S$4.20 for a Tall cup). Fill half of the cup with steamed milk. Not only will this recipe save you a dollar but, it will also contain lesser calories than the Chai Tea Latte.

Sources: 1 & 2

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From now till 31 Dec, enjoy $3 off regular-sized café latte or Ice Blended® with your Mastercard contactless card

Your drinks at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf just got cheaper with Mastercard® contactless

Enjoy $3 off regular-sized café latte or Ice Blended® when you tap & go™ with your Mastercard contactless

Promotion period: 16 October 2017 – 31 December 2017

Check out the promotion below:

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For more information of this promotion, click here.

Share this news with your friends and loved ones!

Terms & Conditions

  • Not applicable with any promotion, discount or voucher.
  • Not valid at Beanstro & all airport stores.
  • Not valid for Christmas beverages.
  • Promotion valid till 31 December 2017, unless fully redeemed.
  • Limited to 2 redemptions per single receipt.

Many of us are charging their expenses in exchange for air miles. Travel for free with the miles earned. For a limited time only, receive 42,000 bonus miles when you sign up for a Citi PremierMiles Card — enough to take you to Hong Kong, Seoul or Taipei for free. Money Digest’s readers get additional $150 NTUC FairPrice or Grab vouchers when you apply before 15 November 2017. Find out more here.

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Starbucks to introduce a super smooth Cold Brew Coffee in small batches from 27 Jul 16

Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee

The latest trend in town is coming to Starbucks.

Starbucks will be introducing a super smooth small-batch Cold Brew Coffee in small batches from 27 Jul 16.

Cold brewed coffee is different from iced coffee as the cold brewing process takes a lot of time and patience to coax forth the bold and subtly sweet flavour of this specialty blend. Latin American beans are carefully selected and roasted to be served cold, creating a distinctively smooth, yet rich coffee experience.

A super smooth small-batch cold coffee that has slow-steeped for 20 hours. It’s slooow good.

It is unique since it uses time – rather than heat – to extract flavour from the beans. The coffee is slow-steeped at room temperature over the course of 20 hours to extract the delicious, naturally sweet flavour from the beans. They only brew one batch of this perfectly balanced coffee at a time, served chilled over ice until they run out for the day. (A barista claimed that they will only be brewing 4 jugs of these liquid gold in a day)

Price starts from $4.90 for the Tall, $5.40 for the Grande and $5.90 for the Venti.

Difference between Cold Brew and Iced Coffee

Starbucks Cold Brew 2

An infographic on the differences of the iced beverages at Starbucks:

Starbucks_Coffee_Infographic_23

Introducing Starbucks Cold Brew:

Share this news with your friends and loved ones!

COMING SOON:

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『純萃。喝』: Taiwan’s Most Popular Bottled Milk Tea & Coffee to be launched in Singapore (From 13 July 16)

* Update 22/7: Abana Singapore announced in a Facebook post that they have restocked the drinks at 7-Eleven stores progressively today, while stocks last.

Yes, you heard it right.

One of Taiwan’s most popular bottled beverages 『純萃。喝』 will be launched in Singapore from 13 July. “純萃。喝” means pure and simple, just drink it.

The much anticipated drink in assorted flavours was launched in Hong Kong amid great fanfare, and was reported selling out at island-wide last year.

If you have been to Taiwan before, you might have spot this unique cylindrical bottle that looks like a shampoo or a comestic bottle — what is stored inside it, however, is something you must really try. There are 10 assorted flavours of milk tea and coffee that were launched and it includes varieties such as Mandheling, Sumiyaki (Roasted Coffee), Cafe Au Lait, Matcha Latte and more.

純萃喝 Singapore

Abana Singapore Pte Ltd has been appointed to distribute『純萃。喝』in Singapore and will be launching two all-time-favourite flavours: Milk Tea and Latte.

It will be available at over 400 7-Eleven stores from 13 July, but we believed it won’t be on the shelves for long judging by its popularity and how it amassed a huge followings on their Facebook before launch.

It’s on a while stocks last basis and we don’t know how fast they’d be restocked, but that being said — don’t be too eager to raid their fridge as each bottle hasa shelf life of about 15 days.

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純萃。喝 (Milk Tea/Latte) GIVEAWAY

Can’t wait to get your hands on these exclusive drinks? Good news. we will be giving away 2 bottles of『純萃。喝 (1 x Milk Tea + 1 x Latte) to 30 readers.

Steps to take part in our giveaway:

  1. LIKE and SHARE this post
  2. LIKE 純萃。喝 Chun Cui He Singapore Facebook’s page
  3. Tag your friends and let them know about it

30 winners will be randomly picked and announced next week. (Make sure you follow our page closely to check if you are one of the lucky winner)

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