I'm planning to start a coffee series, with updates being quite slow and infrequent, only posting about the cafes I like, and it's highly subjective.

If you're around, and you happen to love coffee, why not give it a go.

I've tagged it #CoffeeJourney, for easy searching.

The first one I want to introduce is Aunty Peg’s, situated on a quiet little street in Collingwood.

As of now, AP is my top pick for pour-over coffee in Melbourne.

Most cafes around here mainly serve white coffee, with black coffee being just a part of the menu, but AP is one of the rare places that exclusively offer black coffee.

I'd like to describe their coffee as refined. The aroma is fully released, served in a wine glass-shaped cup; it makes you want to bury your nose in it. Aesop’s perfumers, come over here for some inspiration. Then, drinking it, you find every flavour is there, yet not overwhelming, requiring you to slowly savour it.

From the outside, the cafe doesn't reveal much, but once inside, it's surprisingly spacious. The second floor is a workspace, reportedly only open for competitions or special events; the ground floor is split between the customer area and a non-public roasting area.

Seating is at the bar, which can sometimes feel a bit intimidating for those of us who are socially anxious, but I find it quite relaxing here. Everyone's chill, some are chatting with the barista, some are reading, some are whispering, some are on their phones, some are just enjoying their coffee.

You can watch the baristas brewing coffee up close. The way AP does it is entirely different from back home. Not sure if it's just me, but their steeping time seems to last more than 30 seconds. They use the Gesha #119 at 100 degrees Celsius, stir it back and forth three times with a small wooden stick, the water flow drawing straight lines instead of circles. And they don't cut it off until the flow stops. A barista can handle three servings at once, maintaining a consistent output. Even when it's busy, it doesn't affect the quality. Having tried coffee made by three of AP's baristas, regardless of who makes it, it's consistently excellent. Their distinct personalities mean that even with a set coffee-making process, they can offer a diverse experience.

It's strongly felt that AP puts a lot of unseen effort into ensuring you enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Lastly, Aunty Peg's and another popular Melbourne cafe, Proud Mary, have the same owner. They use Proud Mary coffee beans. If you're interested, there’s a shop that does Taobao purchases for their beans, might be worth a try.