“The language of friendship is not words, but meanings”
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Isn’t it awesome to have experienced these generational beverages. San Miguel Pale Pilsen, Red Horse, San Mig Light to Kapeng Barako to Spanish Latte?….Coming from the “Thirsty Friday” group “transitioning” to “Coffee is Life” crowd is a blessing indeed.
I do consider myself very lucky to have seen and be a part of this preferred beverage shift. It is literally the passing of the mug of beer to a cup coffee. Having enjoyed & experienced both, was able to forge friendships & strengthen camaraderie all in the spirit of being part of an unforgettable moment & a certain culture on how to socialize.
During my University days, I always looked forward to going home to my hometown not just because the daily commute from Espana to Diliman was exhausting but also a week of eating nothing but eggs, sardines or sardines with eggs was just too much for my Capampangan taste buds.
Though Roddicks, the famed canteen of my Diliman Sis Thelma was a great alternative, somehow, the wide array of food still it did not totally taste Capampangan. Going home on weekends to Bacolor meant feasting on my mother Ligaya’s authentic dishes.
I must admit though, that there was another reason why I always looked forward to weekends in my hometown. This was a not so “dark” but an open secret. I looked forward to Friday nights to see my high school buddies, who were members of the “Thirsty Friday” group (Loi, Glen, Benjie & the late Arnel). We drank beer and feasted on Capampangan “pulutan”. That was partly how I nourished myself back to happiness.
We almost always frequented the historic Barangay Refreshment Center which was located smack right beside Bacolor public market. Rookie & veteran beer drinkers of our town were a fixture. As college boys from studying in Manila, we prided ourselves as the “College city boys”, capable of downing a good number of Pale Pilsen bottles in between continuously whining about the bland food, traffic and our studies in the metro capital. Saturdays were reserved for recovery for our stinging hang over headaches, then come Sunday, we were all off going back to our respective “boarding house”.
Semestral breaks were even more legendary. We dared to venture out to the capital town San Fernando, where we paid homage legendary Mely’s Ihaw Ihaw along Dolores and listen to folk music over beer and bbqs. During days we felt invincible, we visited “Roberto’s” near Camp Olivas. Sometimes, we would just go to nearby Guagua sample grilled seafood. If we are able to “hijack” any of our family’s car (Kit the Toyopet, KKY or Kudkuran Yelu, or the Renegade of the Villanuevas), we were off to Angeles City to enjoy the night at “Octagon” or at the “Remedian”. The dawn of karaoke bars added to the fun. “My Way” was not yet a “death sentence” back then.
It was during this “Thirsty Friday” generation” time that many friendships were forged, good times were etched, sure fun was experienced & real camaraderie sealed through our reckless youth at its peak. In hindsight we had our share of scary moments too such as near bar fights, car accidents and other crazy things stuff that should remain ours alone to reminisce but not to be recommended to be experienced.
Soon when we went on to forge our respective professional careers, we still met up, when possible, over a bottle of beer/s, this time it is San Mig light was preferred by “Yuppies” like us. Beer drinking sessions happened sparingly though. It was only during holidays that we were all home on vacation that we drunk. “Barangay” was still our preferred meeting place for its famous “ambula” (rice topped with asado or adobo sauce). If circumstances allow, we started to confine ourselves to more the “safer” watering holes in San Fernando or Guagua. These meet ups became very rare until nil. It came to a complete halt because in a few years time, we now had our own families & eventually children to tend to. We became more busy competing in our respective fields of endeavor. It was time to change priorities & redirect our energies.
These days beer drinkers, on rare gatherings such as fiestas, weddings, the Yuletide season and New Year, would still flex their presence specially in the rural areas. Red Horse has become more popular than the traditional Pale Pilsen.
Am not surprised to see that based on records publicly available, retail beer sales in Philippines, consisting mostly of lager, fell by 1.0% annually from 2018 to 2022. It was further stated that though total domestic beer sales reached $25.7 billion, a 2.3% decrease, with case sales down 4.3%. Sales of all beer categories fell with premium lager falling the fastest by a CAGR of 9.8%, After centuries of being the dominant social beverage, the decline I surmise, aside from business diversification could’ve been the reason why SMC had ventured into other businesses such as food, property development, expressways & airports etc.
When asked why the decline in the number of beer drinkers, your ordinary beer drinker from Barangay would state a variety of reasons. From the sarcastically true, (“Beer lovers have aged”, “Drinkers are not doing well” “, to the bizarre, (“They have been afflicted by debilitating diseases”, “They enjoyed but have died young” or realistic quips (“Got married..”, “Wife does not allow” or “Cost of beer has become too expensive”).
In the early 2000s, fresh from my 6 year stint with government, then already working as an executive in a Japanese company, it was the first time that I got invited to a meeting over a cup of coffee. I was actually expecting a lunch or dinner meeting. It sounded quite strange to sip coffee in the middle of summer while discussing business matters. To me, coffee was always just be part of breakfast to kickstart my day.
Back then, old folks specially, had coffee as part of the daily breakfast ritual which was combined with another Filipino breakfast staple, the “hot pandesal”. This is where another legendary Filipino “wash the bread” came about. Instead of butter or cheese, the “pandesal” was dunked in coffee.
I also grew up seeing my parents sipping coffee even after breakfast. It was a long-standing family practice to partake a cup of coffee after meals. They say it was help hasten the digestion process but as a young boy, it was family bonding time. A good story or two punctuated by life lessons was never missed.
Coffee then was either instant coffee or “barako”. Back then, coffee was instant coffee. We no longer brewed the traditional “barako style” or “Kapeng gugulisak”. Remember Blend 45 & Nescafe? I also had the notion that brewed coffee was a poor man’s beverage while instant coffee was for the rich because it was less of a hassle. Just add brown sugar, and if available, evaporated milk, you got coffee.
Ironically, these days, brewed coffee in cafes & coffee shops are way more expensive than instant coffee. There is also battery of unrelatable names for coffee types or concoctions such as latte, espresso, mocha, frappucino, macchiato cappuccino, black coffee, iced coffee, coffee with milk, americano, flavored coffee with syrups, seasonal coffees, etc. And the cost is quite expensive.
Research shows that it was in 1740, that the first coffee tree was introduced in Lipa, Batangas, by a Spanish Franciscan monk. Lipa eventually became the coffee capital of the Philippines.
Though an important agricultural product in the Philippines, and is one of the Philippines’ most important export products, coffee shops & cafes were not really as popular as they are today.
Who would think that aside from being a mere export commodity, coffee brewing will become big business, employing many and creating a new culture.
Between 2009 & 2010, a proud Lipaeno who happens to be my fraternity brother, businessman Rodel G. Lacorte, first conceptualized his dream coffee business. In Apri 2011, he opened the first Taza Mia Coffee in April San Pablo Laguna because he was about to close his gasoline station. He needed an alternative source of income.
Though the Big Boys or international brands in the Coffee Industry were sprouting here and there, his coffeeheritage & pride as a Lipaeno, did not make him think twice in realizing his dream of putting back Lipa, Batangas in its rightful place in the coffee industry. By expanding & innovating, pre pandemic, Taza Mia peaked with 38 branches nationwide and was projected to open more until Covid 19 struck.
Around the world, coffee is not just a delicious beverage. It is also relationship builder, and a relaxing ritual, a good time to be with friends. I cannot say that it is a fad but somehow, it is could be directly related to the modern workplace or way of working.
Take for example a local coffee brand in Angeles City. The owners Eric & Robin, both doing graduate school studies, needed strong coffee with the right kick of caffeine as they had to balance work with. Since Graduate studies had to be “balanced” with full time job which meant weekends were usually sleepless. During the pandemic where people stayed at home and coffee was a home essential, they initially delivered coffee beans to homes of close friends & acquaintances. Evetually, they put up their own coffee shop located across Holy Angel University amptly named Fi.Co – acronym for Finest Coffee.
In this digital era, the decline in alcohol consumption and the rise in popularity of coffee can be attributed the specific effect of these drinks on the brain. From the computer nomads to the WFH employees, coffee has a positive effective on brain function as compared to beer that might work the other way around.
Alcohol when drank regularly in voluminous quantities they say can have destructive effect because it allegedly can cause lowering of intelligence and worsens cognitive functions. They say it a heavy beer drinker can easily be distracted or show signs of forgetfulness. As a result, their ability to perceive and analyze information may diminish, which may make it difficult to plan and make good decisions.
Coffee does the opposite. Studies show that it may increase productivity, improve cognitive functions and problem-solving ability. It is claimed that information is absorbed & processed better by coffee drinkers. Sometimes quite important too is it may help improve one’s mood, getting you in high spirits to which I can attest to as well. It is almost like beer sans its negative effects.
Though beer had an unparalleled impact in our history & society, as it became part of religious ceremonies & special gatherings. Often considered an integral part of celebrating birthdays, weddings and socials as a form of thanksgiving. Coffee on the other hand needs no special reason to be enjoyed. It can be drunk anywhere, in all occasions without any preferred time of the day and can be served in countless ways.
So the claim that 2 bottles of beer a day help prevent heart disease and stroke has been disproved by beer drinkers I know, who have since passed due to heart ailment. Debunked as well is the claim that it improves memory and thinking skills as I myself had noticed that my then sharp memory had declined too. Maybe it is age but am I might have killed my brain cells unwittingly. I flunked not so few exams because of a hang over. Nor does it prevent diabetes, anxiety, cancer or can be a cure for many illnesses. Lost some close friends & relatives to such conditions which was aggravated by their drinking habit. One thing is for sure, too much drinking raises your risk of many health issues, including depression, weight gain, and liver disease. Moderation is always best.
These days, people spend time together not to drink beer but at any given point in time they see each other for a cup of coffee. More and more parties have become alcohol free and many young adults are non beer drinkers, my sons included.
Coffee shops are not only good to continue our rich coffee culture as what Taza Mia what set out to do but also presents a great way for our new way of working and for a generation aiming to increase their productivity when working with a computers which Fi.Co simply capitalized on. I wish we can support more local brands.
Next time you gulp a pint of beer or drink a cup of coffee, think of everything it represents, the history and culture. They are drinks that were made for socializing and has brought people together. In moderation one can reap its benefits.
As to my “Thirsty Friday” group, although “iba may pinagsamahan” was our longtime motto then, shifting “Coffee is Life” is not a bad idea at all.
Just be ready to hear a former hardcore beer drinker like me say….Spanish Latte 50% sugar please. Loi, Glen & Benjie…arat na!
GOOD MORNING HARDWORKING PEOPLE!
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