Coffee Talk: Andrew Chen of 3sixteen/Self-Edge

Beer during breakfast and lunch, wine during dinner and gin for a nightcap.

That was the standard day in the life of 17th century England, as water wasn't safe to drink. Soon, a new beverage would find its way from the East. Coffee. And in 1650, England's first coffeehouse opened. Moving from a depressant to a stimulant saw a rise in intellectual thinking and creativity. Thus, coffee is often attributed to The Age of Enlightenment.

So I wasn't surprised how many of my friends in the creative field are coffee lovers. In this new series, I sit down with them and discuss their love for coffee, get them to tell me their daily coffee routine and share a cup or two of the thinking man's drink.

Five Things I Learned from Katsu of Bear Pond Espresso

If you look at any coffee lover's list of shops to visit before they die, I'd wager good money that Japan's Bear Pond Espresso is on it. Owner Katsuyuki Tanaka's passion for espresso is legendary. At a recent event at Joe's Cofee Shop in New York's Chelsea District, he shared his story, work philosophy and, of course, Bear Pond Espresso's signature creation: The Dirty.

The Bear Pond Espresso Dirty

The Dirty is a Bear Pond Espresso original drink, arguably as famous as their espresso shots. Like all great creations, it looks deceptively simple.