House Guest: Mizuki Tsuge

We visited Mizuki Tsuge at the Caravan Brew Bar on a cold winter morning to talk about her work as Coffee QC Lead. Her role centres on consistency, balance, and the small details that shape how coffee is experienced every day. Beyond the technical side of quality control, Mizuki brings a deeply personal approach to coffee—one rooted in ritual, observation, and a quiet respect for process.

How did you first discover coffee, and when did it become more than a drink?
I first discovered coffee at a young age on a work trip to South Korea with my father. We stayed in a hotel with a vending machine in the lobby that served a sweet, chocolatey coffee, and I loved it. As an adult, coffee became more than just something I enjoyed when I began working at Omotesando Koffee in London. There, I was introduced to complex and expressive filter coffees, which I shared with colleagues and customers.

How do you enjoy coffee at home, from preparation to the first sip?
My husband and I used to make espresso at home, but now we drink only filter coffee, so I’ve set up a simple brewing station in the kitchen. Each day, I choose the coffee that suits my mood, listening to what my body needs — sometimes a gentle lift, other times something to help me unwind. Preparing filter coffee has become a slow, meditative ritual. I take my time with it, enjoying the process as much as the result. Once the coffee is brewed, I take the first sip to see if it’s right, then select my “cup of the day” and settle in to truly savour that quiet, peaceful moment.

Having lived in Tokyo and now London, what differences do you see in their coffee cultures?
London is fast‑paced, and most people grab a takeaway coffee before work or during the day, with baristas seeing their regulars every day. In contrast, Tokyo’s coffee culture feels slower and more deliberate. People take time to enjoy their cup, making it feel like a small luxury compared with London. That said, London is an amazing place to meet passionate coffee professionals from all over the world, everyone is keen to collaborate and create something new. It’s also a city where you can try unique coffees — whether in origin, varietal, or competition lots — more often, and access new equipment more easily than in Japan.

Do you have a favourite coffee origin, bean, or brewing method?
I love coffees with floral or sweet‑fruity notes, refreshing acidity, and a clean, delicate, tea‑like body. As long as a coffee has these qualities, I enjoy it regardless of origin. Still, I often return to beans from Kenya, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, and Panama, usually brewed with a simple pour‑over method.

Are there coffee flavours or aromas that instantly bring back a memory or place?
The rich, dark‑roasted aroma is nostalgic for me as a Japanese person, reminding me of the old‑school ‘kissaten’ coffee diners in Japan, where dark‑roast Nel drip coffee was often served.

How do you share coffee with others, and do you have a preferred way to serve it?
I enjoy sharing coffee that matches the preferred flavours and drink styles of my friends and family. When I have a coffee I’m excited about, I make a point of recommending it and offering them a tasting, so they can experience it for themselves.

Which object in your coffee ritual is most meaningful to you, and why?
Each cup I own carries a special meaning or personal story. Some were gifts from friends and family, while others were picked up at memorable places. Together, they serve as my coffee aide‑memoire, each one a little reminder of a moment or connection.

Have you ever been surprised by a coffee—one that didn’t taste as you expected? 
It’s impossible to pick just one coffee, but some of my favourites are: Brazilian Mococa from La Cabra; Okinawan coffee from COFFEE potohoto; Eugenioides‑species beans from Formative Coffee; and the best flat white I’ve ever had, made with CGLE Las Margaritas at Special Guests by Geoffrey. Their deep, complex sweetness has stayed with me.

What’s one small coffee detail most people overlook but that makes a big difference?
Among the many important details in coffee, I find that removing quakers and other defective beans makes a big difference. It brings more balance, enhances sweetness, reduces vegetal astringency, and improves flavour clarity.

When tasting coffee at Caravan, how much is instinct and how much is technical?
For me, sensory evaluation and technical assessment are equally important. You need to use your palate to judge flavour quality while also having the technical skill to brew and extract coffee correctly. Technical expertise is also essential for spotting visible defects in the beans and scoring them accurately.

Coffee moment that changed how you think about the bean?
Having the privilege of trying amazing Robusta coffees from Indonesia and Vietnam (thanks to Mikołaj Pociecha, Mike Nguyen, and ZeroToOne Coffee) has opened my eyes to their unique flavour profiles and real potential across different coffee species. Especially when lightly roasted or processed intricately, these beans offered fruity yet sweet‑savoury flavors that I enjoyed.

Best coffee advice you’ve ever received?
Make sure you know your basics. It is very important and also a helpful knowledge to carry with us. It is underestimated but can also save us, especially whenever we get lost in the process of making the coffee taste better.

What’s your go-to treat with your coffee?
It would be a very well toasted banana bread that has a caramelised surface which adds a crunchy texture to it. Or a raspberry brownie!

A special place where the coffee and vibe make it unforgettable?
DAZE Coffee in East London (which no longer exists, as it was a pop‑up café) and Ryuge Coffee in Kamakura, Japan, inside Ennōji Temple are both special. Each café offers ambient music—or no music at all—allowing people to be truly present in the moment and lose track of time. You feel relaxed while your senses are heightened simultaneously.

Favourite piece in the Monoware collection?
The new ‘Latte Cafe Cup’! I am recently rekindling my love for milky coffee, so the latte cup is perfect for me. It has a generous size and a beautiful design, and it lets us create fun latte art.

Follow Mizuki Tsuge on Instagram
Photography by Lluis Tudela for Solo Magazine Issue 15