The weather has been very hot all afternoon. Dicky Barista closed the glass door of his coffee shop and turned on the air conditioning. In the afternoon like this, this coffee shop is often quiet. More visitors are ordering takeout than drinking on the spot.
The air in the room started to feel cool, backed by Led Zeppelin music. Dicky brewed Arabica Java Ijen coffee using a V60.
“I prefer to brew coffee using the manual brew method rather than using a machine,” he said.
Why is that? Because he feels he can better explore the taste of coffee using the pour-over method. By changing the grind size, water temperature, grammage ratio, you can get a different taste and acidity. With machines, you don’t have that easy freedom.
Even though it is small, this coffee shop in the Panestanan area of Ubud is a pleasant place to work for Dicky. Actually, there is another coffee shop in the busy center of Ubud, bigger and fancier. This coffee shop in Panestanan is a branch. But Dicky chose to handle Ubud Coffee Roastery in Panestanan.
“Here I can make my own music playlist and can interact more with visitors,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the other place, it cannot be as flexible.
Interacting with customers gives a more vibrant color to the profession as a barista. Dicky is challenged to always be able to adapt to the different characters of people. But that’s Dicky, a barista who likes to explore. Not only exploring the coffee beans but also digging deeper into himself.
Dicky Gunawan is his full name. This young man, born on November 26 in Bandung (secret year), West Java, admits that he is not very easy to get along with. He often feels awkward when he has to start getting to know people he has just met.
However, apparently, becoming a coffee barista helped him overcome his awkwardness. It seemed that the new people came to him at the bar table, not the other way around.
Becoming a barista was not a profession choice that ever crossed Dicky’s mind. He only started to like coffee around 2014. Before that, he had absolutely no interest in coffee, let alone drinking it.
It started with a cousin, who had just arrived from America, bringing souvenirs of various kinds of coffee beans. One of them is Colombian coffee. His cousin brews coffee using a pour-over method. Then he persuaded Dicky to try sipping it, because he knew Dicky didn’t like coffee.
“If I remember, it tasted really sweet and chocolaty, there was brown sugar, and I felt a mint-like sensation that spread through my tounge,” he said, recalling the moment he felt like he was experiencing enlightenment.
Since then, Dicky has never wasted any opportunity to learn more about coffee.
He started to socialize a lot with the coffee community, which can be found in Bandung. In fact, one of his friends already runs a coffee shop business.
The two coffee shops he often visits to study are 5758 Coffeelab and Custom Coffee Garage. In the two coffee shops, there were several of his friends who worked as baristas.
“At Mang Pit’s Custom Coffee Garage, where I learned a lot about coffee,” he said, remembering Mang Pit, a friend who taught him about coffee.
Dicky loves trying various kinds of coffee beans from various regions of the archipelago country. He tries to recognize the taste character in depth. He often goes around coffee shops in Bandung City.
One day, a neighbor invited a friend to visit Dicky’s house. Coincidentally saw Dicky brewing coffee. He then offered Dicky to work in Bali.
There is a coffee shop in Bali whose owner passed away in an accident. His family does not want memories of him to disappear. So they maintain it for at least one year ahead. Need someone who can be a manager.
Long story short, Dicky agreed. In January 2019, he arrived in Bali and was immediately introduced to Mas Ainun Nabiel, a friend of the late coffee shop owner, who would guide him at the start. Mas Nabiel is the owner of Ubud Coffee Culture, a coffee shop in the Tebesaya area of Ubud, a place where coffee lovers gather.
Juria House is the name of the coffee shop that Dicky has to start handling. The late owner of this coffee shop had a mission to reintroduce Juria Coffee. This is a very unique Arabica Typica coffee variety from Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. This coffee variety almost disappeared. Because it cannot bear much fruit and only has a harvest period every two years.
Mas Nabiel showed the Juria House coffee shop, which is equipped with many types of manual brewing tools. According to Mas Nabiel, Juria House has a “slow bar” concept. Coffee is not served for those who like to rush. But enjoy coffee in a relaxed manner.
“Consider this your play ground. Learn and explore as you please. “The important thing is to look after it well,” said Mas Nabiel, encouraging Dicky.
Somehow, the universe seemed to create a special path for Dicky to explore coffee according to his interests.
At Juari House, Dicky never stops exploring coffee with enthusiasm. Play around with the grammage and water ratio, temperature, grind size, and blooming time in the pour-over method. He also tried and mastered the use of other manual brewing equipment.
As someone who has just moved to Bali, he doesn’t have a place to live yet. Dicky asked for permission to stay at Ubud Coffee Culture. Mas Nabiel allows it.
“I sleep in the roasting room,” he said, explaining his choice to save money.
After work at Juari House, Dicky had many opportunities to gain knowledge from Mas Nabiel, who was very generous in answering all questions.
The longer he studied coffee, Dicky felt that there was more and more he didn’t understand. The further he delved, the more he realized coffee was so complex.
“Coffee is very complex, like humans,” he laughed.
He admitted that sometimes it was quite difficult to describe coffee because he didn’t have enough words that he felt could describe the impression he got.
At Juari House, Dicky feels the importance of interacting with customers. He became trained to not only talk about the coffee he brewed, but also how to be a warm friend.
The closeness can be quite personal, often helping him gain an extra zest for life. Likewise, he hopes that his customers will get a similar impact.
One day, a pair of visitors came from Spain. It looks like a retiree is enjoying his holiday in Ubud. The wife ordered coffee, but for herself. She said her husband didn’t like coffee.
Dicky tried to tempt him to taste the coffee he brewed. Apparently, his persuasion worked. The husband tasted the V60 coffee he brewed. The coffee was drained, and they said goodbye to go home, saying thank you for the good coffee.
However, the next day, they came again. A sweet surprise: The husband immediately approached him and ordered coffee like he had drunk yesterday.
“You must be proud of yourself. “You can make me, who never liked coffee and now become a coffee lover,” Dicky quoted his new customer as saying.
A kind of burst of new energy pumped fresh blood throughout his body, and a burst of the hormone oxytocin grew wings on both shoulders, and Dicky flew to the sky.
Juari House was only open for a year, according to the owner’s family’s plans; in January 2019 the shop closed. After that, Dicky returned to Bandung to relieve his longing for his family. However, almost at the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic had just rocked the whole world. He cannot return to Bali.
He had to wait two years until COVID-19 subsided. In 2022, he can return to Bali.
He is trusted to handle the new branch outlet of Ubud Coffee Roastery in Panestanan.
The song playlist in this small coffee shop is not far from pop rock and classic rock. Dicky’s favorite song genre. After Led Zeppelin and Queen, this time Dire Straits played cheerfully.
“Hi! How are you?” A customer came to say hello.
When it’s nearing the shop’s closing time, usually a lot of people come. Maybe because the air is not as hot as a hot day.
“Is it okay for take away?” Dicky offers coffee using take-away cups. Most of the equipment has been washed in preparation for the next day. The guest agreed.
The most troublesome thing is in the morning when preparing to open the coffee shop. Dicky has to check all the equipment, calibrate the tools, and, of course, prepare a playlist of songs to accompany him throughout the day.
Closing the coffee shop in the afternoon is also quite time-consuming. Dicky must wash and clean all the equipment. Mopping the shop area and also folding the tables and chairs.
But Dicky did it with great joy.
“There are no future plans yet. Just flow like water,” he said.
For him, life does not have to be too rigid with strict planning. As long as he does what he likes wholeheartedly and happily, the universe will open a way.
What is certain is that he will continue his exploration, because coffee always gives him a challenge to discover something new. Follow
Follow Dicky on Instagram @the_adic
