Haute Spot: Beach Bum Cafe in Downtown Honolulu

Let’s face it: we’ve all had bad coffee. And sometimes it’s not the coffee’s fault.

A lot can happen at the brewing stage, too, as the coffee geeks — that’s what they call themselves — at the new Beach Bum Cafe in downtown Honolulu will attest.

“I looked around and realized that no cafe on Oahu serves what I call ‘thought-provoking coffees,’ so I decided to open Beach Bum Cafe to fill the niche,” says owner Dennis McQuoid. (Shawn Steiman of Coffea Consultants serves as consultant to the business.) “As far as I know, no cafe in Hawaii has yet to attempt this type of microbrew service and variety of coffee selection.”

This new microbrew coffee house — the only one on Oahu and possibly in the state — opened a couple of months ago, selling and serving only 100 percent Hawaii-grown coffee.

The coffee here is uniquely brewed for each customer. (Read: it may take a few minutes to get your morning fix.) Each cup is made individually and made-to-order. You pick your beans, which are ground right in front of you, then choose your brewing method: espresso, Chemex, vacuum pot and cloth filter.

It’s like a chemistry class in a coffee shop; and so far, it’s filled a niche in Oahu’s coffee scene.

“Two things Hawaii is most famous for: beautiful beaches and wonderful coffee,” McQuoid says. “Both invoke feelings of relaxation and rejuvenation. Those are the feelings we wish to inspire when you enjoy the best Hawaiian coffee prepared to perfection at our coffee house.”

Beach Bum Cafe, 1088 Bishop St. Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Phone: 808.521.6699

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