Namwon café near Gwanghallu: Geisha Natural vs decaf, Coffee Bean G1

Want a different kind of coffee than usual on your Namwon trip? That's why I came here! There are plenty of cafés around, but Coffee Bean G1 (커피콩G1) is a coffee shop where you can try specialty coffee. It's only 5 minutes by car from Gwanghallu, so it's easy to stop by after sightseeing.

Coffee Bean G1 in Namwon: basic info

• Address: 12-10 Sicheong-dong-ro, Namwon-si, Jeonbuk, South Korea
• Parking: the alley in front of the shop
• Hours: 09:00–21:00
• Closed: Sundays
• Payment: Namwon Sarang gift voucher, Naver Pay
• Specialties: hand drip, specialty coffee, homemade drinks

Where is Coffee Bean G1, and where do you park?

Coffee Bean G1 is near Namwon City Hall. There's no dedicated parking lot, so I parked in the alley. If you park at City Hall nearby, it's about a 5-minute walk. It's also about 5 minutes by car from Namwon's main sights, Gwanghalluwon, Namwon Yechon and Chunhyang Theme Park, so it's a good stop on a Namwon trip.

A hand-drip coffee shop using beans roasted by the owner

Coffee Bean G1 in Namwon is a coffee shop where you can enjoy hand-drip coffee made with beans roasted on site. This month's specialty coffee is written at the entrance.

The roasting machine is the first thing you see when you open the door. The owner roasts the beans himself every Sunday, I was told. Next to the machine sit the beans he has roasted.

What's the atmosphere inside Coffee Bean G1?

The inside is done in wood tones and feels cozy and comfortable. There are big tables too, so it looked like a good place to come as a group and chat.

Cute little props and the coffee machine. It has a different mood and charm from the franchise cafés we usually see.

So many beans: which coffee should you order?

Coffee Bean G1 is known for hand-drip coffee with a choice of beans, but it also has homemade drinks and fresh fruit juice, so choosing from the menu was fun too.

Specialty coffee is coffee that meets strict quality standards through every step, from growing and harvesting the green beans to processing, roasting and brewing, and you can taste the character and varied flavors of its origin, or so I'm told. I couldn't decide what to drink, so I asked the owner for a recommendation. He recommended the Peru Santa Teresa Geisha, with its bright floral aroma, but it was sold out, which was a shame.. But he said the Ethiopia Geisha Natural, with floral and tropical fruit notes, was good too, and recommended that.

• Ethiopia Geisha Natural ₩9,000
• Decaf coffee ₩7,000
• Iced lemon tea ₩6,000

The beans the owner roasted himself.

The lovely smell of coffee filled the shop while he brewed!

How does the Ethiopia Geisha Natural taste?

Coffee Bean G1's Ethiopia Geisha Natural (₩9,000) had distinct berry acidity and floral notes, and it went down clean and light. Honestly, I've never been good at picking up fruity notes in coffee, but this time a lovely floral and berry aroma wrapped around my nose before I even took a sip. The smell was so good that I got curious about the taste. The owner also called it "juicy berry," and sure enough there was plenty of berry acidity, with the fruit aroma and a clean, light finish. It was very different from the regular coffee I usually drink. I was sad to miss the coffee the owner recommended most strongly, but today's specialty was a huge success! Which makes me even more curious about the one he recommended so strongly!!!!

How did the decaf compare with the Geisha?

The Coffee Bean G1 decaf the owner let us sample had no aroma and no acidity compared with the Ethiopia Geisha. After tasting something so flamboyant in both scent and flavor, it felt kind of dry..? The owner said decaf honestly isn't very tasty. It clearly fell short if you want to enjoy coffee aroma and flavor.

With kids: homemade iced lemon tea

The Coffee Bean G1 iced lemon tea (₩6,000) I ordered for my child is made by putting the owner's own lemon tea over lemons he prepares himself. It isn't an artificial, overly sweet drink, so it was a good choice for a child. My child said it was delicious, and it's not just the coffee, the homemade tea was so good too!

Why are specialty beans lighter in color?

Look at the beans set out in front of the restroom at Coffee Bean G1: partly it's the lighting, but looking closely they're lighter than the dark brown beans of an ordinary café. I'd heard ordinary cafés roast almost to a char, and these are lighter than that. Curious, I looked it up: premium varieties like Geisha and specialty coffee are roasted light so you can taste the beans' character and refined flavor.

Brewing Coffee Bean G1 beans at home

My husband liked the coffee too, so he bought roasted beans from Coffee Bean G1. We don't have hand-drip equipment at home, so we ground them and brewed with a coffee machine, and it couldn't match the aroma we had at the shop. The beans are different, of course, but I think it's also thanks to the owner brewing the hand drip so well. If you buy beans, brew them by hand drip!

Is Coffee Bean G1 in Namwon worth a return visit?

Coffee Bean G1 in Namwon was far more satisfying than I expected. It's a bit pricey, but worth it. If I get the chance, I'd like to stop by again. Recommended as a café worth visiting in Namwon!