Chuo Wu Cafe Introduction
In 2001, Xu Dingye's father, Xu Junrong, resolutely ended the family's tea production and switched to growing coffee trees on the steep Zhuowo Mountain at the southern end of Alishan. Initially, he was a complete novice in coffee, with only a rudimentary understanding of coffee beans. After five years of hard research and exploration, Xu Junrong personally managed every aspect of the farm, from cultivation, harvesting to roasting. To ensure quality, he carefully sifted through each coffee bean wearing reading glasses, selecting them day and night. Finally, he produced coffee beans that won the first prize in the National Specialty Coffee Evaluation, turning the clusters of red berries into the signature offering of Zhuowo Mountain Farm. Reflecting on his father's struggles during those five years, Xu Dingye said, "At that time, we accumulated nearly 700 kilograms of raw beans that we couldn't sell." In 2007, to help promote their coffee beans, Xu Dingye opened a store in Chiayi City, aptly named "Zhuowo Coffee." Besides selling drinks made from their farm's coffee beans, over time, the menu gradually expanded to include desserts, brunch, coffee brewing equipment, and coffee gift boxes. Even with the honor of having "National First Prize Coffee," Xu Dingye remains diligent about the coffee quality in the store. To maintain strict quality control, he continues to learn and obtain coffee-related certifications both domestically and internationally, introducing innovative "nitrogen coffee" and "nitrogen tea," incorporating liquid nitrogen coffee and tea that create a dense and delicate foam on top, enhancing the sweetness with rich texture. At Zhuowo Coffee, you may not find glamorous decor or a trendy atmosphere, but I can always sense from Xu Dingye and the reports and photos of Zhuowo Mountain Coffee Farm on the walls the warmth and contentment of local Taiwanese farmers, whose resilience and tenacity permeate their coffee, emitting a simple and unpretentious aroma—a sincere and practical attitude toward life in every sip. Recommended dishes: Alishan Zhuowo Farm series coffee, nitrogen coffee, and nitrogen tea.
