Malamig Brew Episode 3: Sultan Kudarat Arabica Cold Brew Review — Allo Coffee Roasters

Sultan Kudarat Arabica (Cold Brew)

Here’s where it gets interesting: Benguet Arabica versus Sultan Kudarat Arabica.

Sultan Kudarat beans grow at a lower elevation. From what I’d read, lower altitude usually means less floral and more full-bodied. So I went in with expectations. And honestly, I was really happy on the first sip.

The difference from the Atok (Benguet) Arabica is immediately noticeable. The chocolate note shifts. It’s still on the lighter cocoa side, but the body is fuller. Acidity doesn’t jump out. It feels blended into the cup rather than sitting on top of it. Not as bright as Atok, but also not flat.

It’s different. And I genuinely don’t know which one is better. Haha. They’re just… different.

This one has lightness, but not brightness. The flavors don’t pop out or separate as clearly. Instead, everything feels more blended together. The sweetness changes too. It leans closer to a brown sugar aftertaste rather than something clean or sharp.

Before finishing this post, I double-checked my assumptions. Beans grown at higher elevations take longer to mature, which gives flavors more time to develop. These often show up as acidity, fruitiness, or floral notes. Specialty coffee scoring systems tend to reward these qualities with higher ratings. Conceptually, I get it. From a judging and benchmarking perspective, it makes sense.

But this is also where some of my long-standing frustration with coffee snobbery comes from. The performative obsession with single origin. The idea that certain flavors are inherently superior, and others are somehow lesser.

I find myself somewhere in the middle.

I don’t like it when people or experts dictate what is good and what is not. At the same time, I accept that you need people at the edges of taste to push things forward. Innovation doesn’t come from the middle. It comes from people exploring flavors, techniques, and ideas that feel strange before they feel normal.

This feels similar to how I think about music.

I like pop songs sometimes, but my taste usually sits on the fringes. Indie artists and niche scenes matter because tastemakers—hipsters (that sounds so derogative haha)—are often the ones who push new sounds and perspectives before they become mainstream. But mainstream is what drives the economy. It’s what keeps the industry alive.

I remember arguing with someone at a bar, around 20 years ago, on the value of Taylor Swift. They were being snobbish about it. Yes, you have a peculiar taste and your perspective matters, but don’t assume you’re above all the Swifties. I may not be one, but I appreciate Taylor Swift: her songs, her influence, what she’s built, and what she’s contributed to culture.

So yes. That. But coffee. Haha.

In my previous coffee life, my brew method of choice was French press. I liked the murky, oily, thick coffee more than clean and bright ones. I wanted that “dirty” accumulation in the cup. I never really understood the appeal of filtered coffee. That’s probably why I only used my coffee siphon about a dozen times.

Tasting this third bean feels oddly encouraging.

I’m starting to think this coffee journey will really be about discovery. Brew method matters more than I realized. Cold brew was always something I liked, but now it’s the method I’m intentionally choosing.

Starting with Starbucks Pike Place helped more than I expected. Aside from being a solid default and reference point, it also sat closer to my old preferences: warm, full, bold, enveloping. To be honest, when I first tasted the Atok Arabica, my instinct was still to prefer the Pike Place blend.

A few days later, I started to like the Atok more.

And this morning, tasting Sultan Kudarat, I feel both confused and delighted at the same time.

My palate feels more open now. Not because I suddenly prefer one style over another, but because I understand more. And I think that’s the real shift. It’s the comprehension.

Maybe it’s like watching a foreign language film versus actually knowing the language. Once you have vocabulary, once you understand the structure, the world opens up a bit. You notice more. You appreciate more.

Pretty deep and personal insights to pull out of a cup of coffee.

But then again, that might have been the point all along. Taking something routine and turning it into a small journey of discovery. Making it more intentional. Appreciating what’s there for more than what it first seems.

Excited for what’s next! Stay tuned and join me on this journey.