The Story of Coffee Man: the Coffee Story of Lao Cai

After the rain, the sun sprinkled on Nanbin Road, the air in addition to the faint fragrance of flowers also mixed with a coffee smell, I found this aroma found a coffee shop. Push the door and enter. A white-haired uncle is brewing coffee. He is the owner of today's story-Lao Cai.

When I first saw Lao Cai, he "forced" me to drink a cup of "original coffee"! It was also the first time I saw such a stubborn interviewee, and because of this stubbornness, I tasted coffee for the first time. When the bitterness and sweetness of coffee danced on my tongue, I made up my mind to share the story of this Taiwanese uncle with you!

Nearly 40 years in the industry to become a "good coffee" porter

"Try this coffee, the name of the coffee bean is Panama Butterfly, a beautiful name." Lao Cai took a cup of coffee with a black tea color and placed it in front of me as he spoke. Smell coffee incense, know this guy must be very bitter, I conveniently took two packets of sugar want to pour, at this time, Lao Cai opened his mouth: "Do you want to drink sugar water, or coffee?" Old Cai said so, I dare not add sugar, and forced himself to drink this cup of "Panama Flower Butterfly". At the moment of coffee entrance, coffee layer by layer different taste in the mouth, very wonderful, I finally understand the old Cai's persistence, a good cup of coffee is brewed out is a perfect work, any modification is just superfluous. Old Cai joked: "In fact, barista is just a title, my real identity is 'good coffee porter'"

With coffee, I talked to Lao Cai about the past. Lao Cai entered the coffee industry in 1978. Unlike most baristas, Lao Cai began to learn from the origin of coffee. Understanding raw beans and baking raw beans became Lao Cai's ability to see his family. Until now, Lao Cai still insists on baking beans himself. Fresh raw beans one by one opened Lao Cai's coffee journey that has not ended for nearly 40 years.

When Cai started his coffee journey, a small story played a big role. Thirty years ago in Taipei, Lao Cai was just a small clerk in a coffee shop. A couple often came to the shop to drink coffee. Watching the couple drink their own coffee sweetly, Lao Cai was also happy in his heart. Gradually, they became good friends. But one day, the boy angrily came to the cafe and complained to Lao Cai. It turned out that the couple had quarreled. Old Cai did not want to see them conflict, so secretly called the girl, invited her to the store to drink coffee, walked into the store to see the boy already here, the atmosphere was a little awkward, in order to resolve their conflict, old Cai very carefully brewed a pot of coffee, and invited the two to taste together. After drinking coffee, the couple calmed down a lot and talked a lot. When they left the coffee shop, the two of them had reconciled. After this incident, Lao Cai suddenly understood a truth. It turned out that a cup of coffee could also convey warmth and feelings.

Today, Lao Cai is regarded as a master figure in Chongqing and even the coffee circle of the whole country. The idea of transmitting positive energy with coffee has always accompanied him. When asked what kind of coffee is good coffee, Lao Cai always said: "Coffee drinkers feel good, feel happy, that is good coffee." Lao Cai told me that in fact, everyone has different tastes in coffee. No matter how expensive coffee is, it is not right for your feelings. Coffee is a sensual consumption, care about the barista and customer communication. Care for each cup of coffee service, so that customers feel the cup of coffee "temperature", this is a good cup of coffee standards.

Coffee and music. Once you fall in love, you can't help it.

In addition to barista, Lao Cai has another identity, that is drummer. Those hands that played with coffee were not inferior to those that played drums. Cai started his music career in Taiwan in the 1990s, learning to brew in coffee shops during the day and singing drums with a group of friends in Taipei dance halls at night. Because of music, Lao Cai felt free and happy. Unfortunately, we can't go back to the past, there is no way to see that young drummer, but it doesn't matter, maybe in a bar in Chongqing, you can still meet this Taiwanese uncle who is drinking beer while waving drums.

I asked Lao Cai, why did he become attached to music in the first place? Old Cai said two words "fun". Whether it was coffee or music, Lao Cai followed his own temperament. In his heart, a person's whole life is to do what he likes, and inner joy and happiness are what he pursues. And in the process of this pursuit, Lao Cai can always realize different truth.

Now, Lao Cai's music career has not been as prosperous as it was at the beginning. Occasionally, he goes to a friend's bar to play, which is also a pastime, but the inspiration music gives him has always accompanied him. Lao Cai said: "Life is like a piece of music. Everything has to be reliable. It can't be wrong according to the score. If you are lucky enough to find the rule of the score, you will find a shortcut." This is the philosophy of life that music taught Lao Cai.

"Grasp the time and degree of your performance." This is also the music brought to Lao Cai's life perception. Just like a band, there is a lead singer and accompaniment. When we want to cooperate with the lead singer, we silently do a good supporting role. When it is your turn to be the protagonist, we don't have stage fright. A team doesn't need one person's edge, it needs collaboration. "What can bring you happiness must also bring you something more memorable than happiness," Cai said.

It's hard to buy "I'm willing" Lao Cai in Chongqing "plays" very willful

When it comes to why he came to Chongqing to develop coffee business, Lao Cai replied willfully: "I am willing to buy it for thousands of dollars!" In 2006, Lao Cai thought of doing coffee business with friends in Chongqing, but only found difficulties after arriving in Chongqing. How to do this? Old Cai fell into contemplation, he resolutely returned to his hometown, want to dream of the original place to find a breakthrough. After more than a month of investigation and research, Lao Cai returned to Chongqing again. Lao Cai said: "Taiwan's coffee industry has started the third generation, while Chongqing's coffee industry has just started from the first generation. I want to leave something for Chongqing's coffee circle. I think I will definitely leave something."

With this idea in mind, Lao Cai personally baked beans and opened his first cafe in Chongqing with his apprentice. Although the process is hard, the sweat has finally paid off. Now, Lao Cai has become one of Chongqing's top coffee bean suppliers. On average, he can make about 400,000 cups of coffee every year. And not just Chongqing, his coffee beans have been sent all over the country. Maybe one day, that cup of coffee in your hand is from Lao Cai's hand.

"The reason why my coffee is liked by more and more people is because I am willing to accept other people's opinions, so that there can be a virtuous circle in the coffee industry!" Lao Cai said that making coffee is dealing with people. Any roasting method is right, as long as someone likes it.

For Lao Cai, coffee is no longer an item, it is more like a story. Through coffee, Lao Cai is telling everyone the story he experienced and conveying his own feelings. " Just be myself. If you like my ideas, we'll 'play' together. If you don't like me, I won't change your ideas, nor will I change my principles!"

Finally, I picked up the cup of coffee that Lao Cai had just given me again. In addition to the fragrance of the taste, there was also an extra 'temperature'. It seemed to have consciousness, so that Lao Cai's story was remembered one by one in my mind. A cup of coffee started the fate of a Taiwanese uncle and Chongqing, and also let more Chongqing people know the lovely Lao Cai.