On May 12, 2026, the 10K-People Global Tasting Event series made its stop at PROMAX Town Coffee in Foshan, CN. This was not just another coffee cupping – it was a milestone in our mission to demystify coffee flavor and put the power of the STARESSO D9+ Flavor Matrix into the hands of passionate home baristas and seasoned professionals alike.
A Venue Built on Craftsmanship
PROMAX Town Coffee is a beloved specialty coffee landmark in Shunde. It has become a healing hub for coffee lovers, offering a quiet escape from the city’s hustle. The café is the brainchild of He Guiling (Anna), a highly respected Q-Grader (International Coffee Quality Institute certified) and a master of sensory evaluation, roasting, brewing, and extraction.
Anna’s signature creation – the Chenpi Pu’er Coffee Combo – perfectly blends the aromatic depth of aged tangerine peel, the mellow richness of Pu’er tea, and specialty coffee into a silky, complex, and uniquely Chinese flavor experience. Her house blends, crafted from carefully sourced beans from multiple origins, strike a delicate balance between acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, making them adaptable for any brew method from pour-over to espresso. For years, Anna has dedicated herself to teaching coffee science and elevating specialty coffee standards. Her wholehearted endorsement of the STARESSO D9+ Flavor Matrix and the systematic tasting approach of the 10K Tastes event gave this gathering an extraordinary level of credibility.
When a Double Q‑Grader Meets the Flavor Matrix
The event brought together 20 participants selected from STARESSO community. Under Anna’s expert guidance, the group embarked on a three‑hour flavor journey that redefined how they perceive grind size, burr geometry, and cup profile.
The agenda was intense but highly rewarding:
- Sensory calibration with “Devil Water” – a focused exercise to train participants’ palates using carefully diluted reference solutions.
- Multiple specialty coffee beans hand‑selected and roasted by Anna, showcasing a spectrum of origins and processing methods.
- Side‑by‑side blind tasting of the same coffee ground with the three interchangeable burr sets of the STARESSO D9+ Flavor Matrix (Clean, Balance, Rich).
- Cupping + hands‑on brew comparison to experience how burr geometry directly changes flavor expression.
- Open dialogue with a double Q‑Grader – Anna deconstructed the underlying logic of sensory evaluation, roasting, and grinding, answering every question from the audience.
What Participants Experienced
The highlight of the night was the “one bean, three flavor expression” demonstration. Using a single batch of Anna’s house blend, the team ground the coffee with the three D9+ burr sets:
- Clean burr → deep chocolate, full‑bodied intensity, brings out the best in dark roasts and espresso.
- Balance burr → smooth body, caramel sweetness, ideal for daily drinking.
- Rich burr → bright acidity, floral and fruit notes, perfect for light roasts.
The participants were genuinely surprised. Many commented that they had never realized grind consistency and burr geometry could create such dramatically different flavor profiles from the exact same bean. One attendee wrote afterward: “I used to think the grinder only mattered for particle size. Now I see it’s a flavor tool.”
Anna also led a systematic sensory introduction that made professional cupping techniques accessible even to beginners. The combination of structured tasting, the “Devil Water” calibration, and live brewing demonstrations transformed abstract flavor terms into tangible, memorable experiences.
Why This Event Matters for the 10K Tastes Global Series
The 10K Tastes Global Tasting Event is STARESSO’s ongoing initiative to bring flavor exploration offline, directly to coffee lovers in different cities. By collaborating with respected local cafés and industry experts like Anna, we aim to:
- Educate the community about how manual grinding unlocks hidden flavor dimensions.
- Showcase the unique value of the STARESSO D9+ Flavor Matrix – not just as a grinder, but as a platform for flavor creativity.
- Build trust through real‑world, side‑by‑side blind tests that let people taste the difference with their own mouths.
Shunde was the second stop after our successful launch in Seattle. More cities across China and the world will follow – from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok, from Guangzhou to beyond.
A Taste of What’s to Come
If you missed this event, don’t worry. The 10K Tastes series is just getting started. We are already planning the next sessions, each featuring a different local coffee partner and unique tasting themes. Follow STARESSO on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated.
And if you want to experience the three‑burr, three‑flavor difference at home, the STARESSO D9+ Flavor Matrix is available on our online store. Get yours today and start your own flavor discovery journey.
