Malamig Brew Episode 7: First Tide Blend Cold Brew Review — Allo Coffee Roasters Philippines
A local roaster's bold, fermented-fruit blend that tastes like wine transformed into coffee
First Tide Blend (Cold Brew)
The nose hits first: strong chocolate, but clearly milk chocolate. There’s also a faint floral, fruity scent underneath. And a vague sweetness that reminds me of kakanin—something rice-based.
The taste, though, is wild. I was not expecting this at all.
The flavor jumps at you. Sweet bitterness upfront, followed by a musky, fruity note—like fruit skin that’s slightly fermented. It’s definitely in your face. The sweetness feels like it’s coming from fermented fruit, possibly cherry. Acidity is muted, almost wine-like, but mellow.
The cup has a lot of body. More than the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, but less than a Starbucks. What’s interesting is that the fullness shows up more in flavor than in texture. It’s not oily; no coating. None of that heavy dark-roast vibe you’d expect from a “mainstream” cup.
What surprised me most is that I couldn’t really find cocoa or chocolate in the cup itself. Chocolate shows up in the nose and right at the start, but it quickly gives way to the fermented cherry character. That’s what sticks. Toward the end, I catch some malt in the finish.
It almost feels like wine transformed into coffee form.
I only found out about Allo Coffee Roasters because of this journey, and this cup really shows how a local roaster thinks about blends. I assumed this would be a neutral, crowd-pleasing coffee. It’s not. The flavor feels intentional, especially when you compare it to a mainstream, made-for-everyone blend like Starbucks.
There’s a boldness here. I’m genuinely surprised they made this. It’s clearly not for everyone—but then again, looking at their roster of beans, they’re clearly not trying to be a mainstream brand.
I admire their marketing and packaging as a company. This brand actually made me think about how fun it would be to build a coffee roaster brand of my own someday.
And yes, I can see why they say this pairs well with dessert or sweets. The cup already feels like it’s halfway there.
