On a bitter cold winter morning in Beijing we went out to and checked out Soloist Coffee Co.

Google maps:

The cafe has a beautiful vibe. Especially the second floor with plenty of wooden furniture and a lot of natural light creates a beautiful setting. There is also a small terrace, but we will need more summer to sit out there.

At time of visit they had 4 different beans ready for pour-over coffee:

The pour-setup is very pretty, with wood-framed scales and copper drippers. Also, the barista rinsed all components properly . But then, I am personally not a big fan of a pour that is basically ‘all at once’. After a bit of initial blossoming, the dripper was filled to the edge. Then the beans and water were just sitting and waiting. I prefer a slower, more controlled pour. Otherwise you may as well get a Clever.

Nevertheless, the Ethiopian coffee had a very bright lemon note and a fairly high acidity – very nice (surprise)!

Whereas overall we really enjoyed Soloist, some mini food for thought: 55 RMB / 9 USD for a cup of pour-over is on the higher, if not exaggerated end of the scale.