Have you ever experienced a culinary epiphany?

A moment when a dish or drink was so sublime that it left an indelible mark on your senses, as if the flavors, textures, and aromas combined to create a perfect storm that altered your perspective, making you wonder how you ever lived without it?

Well that happened to me.

My wife and I were having a rare breakfast date at a cafe, in a typically sweaty February day in Brisbane. Feeling it was too hot for my standard morning coffee of a full cream milk cappuccino, I thought I would order one of those cold brew coffees I had been hearing about.

Oh.My.God.

The coffee arrived in a chunky beer mug, probably more accustomed to holding a frothy German wheat beer. A beautiful dark brown and burnt amber colour diffused through the generous serving of ice cubes, which I stirred with the supplied straw.

The smell that arose of the glass was amazing: Floral, with tropical fruit notes reminiscent of guava, mango and passionfruit. I never knew coffee could be like this! I just had to take a sip.   

The flavour followed through on the promise from the smell. Fruity, flavourful, nuanced, with mild acidity and zero bitterness. A delightfully soft and long caramel finish kept the flavour memory in my mouth for many minutes afterwards.  

I feel like ever since this moment I have dedicated myself to finding the perfect cold brew coffee.

My name is Mr Bean, and I invite you to join me in my search for the perfect cold brew coffee!