Signed up as a Crack VIP member and received an exclusive Crackin' High cap, a pack of their seasonal Rio Brilhante beans (notes of milk chocolate, toffee, and hazelnut), along with other discounts and loyalty points collection.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to witness the coffee roasting process as there was no demo available during my visit—would’ve been great to see how the green beans were transformed into aromatic, flavourful roasted beans.
So my hands-on experience started with the silent grinder, setting it to a grind size of 35 and using 15g of coffee beans to brew my first pour-over with 92°C hot water. No crema, just clean and bold flavours with a noticeable bitterness—probably an acquired taste for real coffee lovers.
Next up: the RM85K espresso machine. It was intentionally left uncalibrated (screen showing 89.5°C, 8.5 bar, 16 seconds, 79ml), so that customers could tell the difference when buying coffee from their well-calibrated machines. Clever strategy, but my espresso shot? Under-extraction, a little sour, yet still decent!
In fact, during extraction, the first phase (0-15 seconds) releases bright acid and some soluble bitter compounds, the second phase (15-35 seconds) develops sweetness and balance, and the third phase (35+ seconds) extracts heavier bitter compounds—making bloom and timing crucial for a well-balanced cup.
But here came the magic moment—I bought Eco Yap fresh milk from Crack to prepare a latte. Instantly, the sour, bitter espresso mellowed into a sweet, pleasant latte.
Latte art? A total flop. Thankfully, there’s a pen to rescue failures, so I turned my mess into something half-decent.
Tried getting creative during my next visit by bringing along Desa chocolate milk for a DIY mocha, only to be told the "proper" way is with cocoa powder. Oops! Still tasted like mocha, though, satisfied with my own creativity, haha!
Ended on another innovative attempt with my mocha affogato—hot espresso poured over a mini cup of Milo ice cream. One scoop = mocha craving satisfied!
Tried their cakes too; the taste wasn't as rich as expected.
My greatest gain: Never knew that many coffee drinks are derived from espresso, such as lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, long blacks, flat whites, and macchiatos, and many factors can affect the quality of a well-brewed coffee!
P/S: I need to try brewing coffee using the siphon; heard that it’s fascinating to watch the steam bubbling—a visual delight! Definitely a must-try for an immersive coffee experience!
