Masterpiece Espresso in Berkeley, California. Picture by Winston Kuok, courtesy of Masterpiece Espresso.

A brand new firm known as Masterpiece Espresso is serving Asian-inspired espresso drinks at a brand new espresso kiosk in Berkeley, California, specializing in specialty espresso produced in Yunnan, China.

Masterpiece Espresso Founder Younger Solar roasts the espresso one kilogram at a time on an Aillio Bullet roaster in close by Fremont, supplying the kiosk that opened final October whereas additionally fulfilling on-line gross sales.

Concoctions served over the Berkeley bar showcase the pure flavors of Yunnan beans, in addition to different flavors from varied Asian cuisines.

Younger Solar. Picture by Winston Kuok, courtesy of Masterpiece Espresso.

A January drink particular was the Hong, a spicy mocha that provides gochugaru to the combination of chocolate oat milk and espresso, topped with successful of Sichuan peppercorn. The Shiro latte, a everlasting menu merchandise, combines espresso with white miso and brown sugar plus a roasted sesame seed topping.

“We’re emphasizing our Chinese language-grown espresso. We now have them obtainable as pourovers and espresso for purchasers to attempt,” Solar informed Each day Espresso Information. “We’re additionally creating signature drinks just like the Osmanthus Latte that spotlight these coffees.”

Pastries on the Masterpiece bar are delivered contemporary from Bake Sum, an Oakland bakery that additionally delves into Asian flavors with treats akin to a croissant/Spam musubi mashup known as a “croissubi.”

Picture by Winston Kuok, courtesy of Masterpiece Espresso.

Solar works with Torch Espresso Labs to deliver inexperienced coffees in from China, whereas additionally working with Pink Fox Espresso Retailers to spherical out the Masterpiece choice with coffees from Peru, Colombia and Ethiopia.

Previous to Masterpiece, Solar was a normal supervisor for Artis Espresso in Berkeley earlier than becoming a member of Fremont-based Religious Espresso, beginning as a barista then turning into a lead manufacturing roaster.

The Masterpiece pop-up is one among three Asian American-owned companies working inside West Berkeley’s Imasala Collective. The espresso kiosk joins furnishings and residential items retailer Clove + Complete, owned by Naomi Phan-Quang, and youngsters’s attire and toy vendor Min’na, owned by Elena Fong.

Picture by Winston Kuok, courtesy of Masterpiece Espresso.

“We shall be at Imasala for not less than one other yr, probably till the tip of 2025,” stated Solar. “Throughout this time, we could open one other location, however we additionally wish to develop our on-line enterprise and increase our roasting capability. We do intend to open a full cafe, however we’re taking it one step at a time.”

Masterpiece Espresso is positioned contained in the Imasala Collective at 1714 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley. Feedback? Questions? Information to share? Contact DCN’s editors right here. For all the newest espresso business information, subscribe to the DCN e-newsletter.