My very first meeting on Honolulu was with reigning U.S. Barista Champion Pete Licata, which provided me with a pretty clear direction for the week’s caffeine consumption. His local recommendations initially led downtown to Downtown Coffee and an even more focused concept only two blocks away: >Beach Bum Cafe. The “microbrew coffee house” with 100% Hawaiian coffee, a glass front and a pair of high-top tables resides at the base of downtown hotel/condo. Blink and you’ll miss it. I did, but it was well worth doubling back the two blocks.

Beach bum Dennis McQuoid opened his cafe in February. He’s originally from Philly, worked in software sales in San Francisco, and moved to Hawaii in 2008.

McQuoid attended coffee school at ABC in Portland to get up to speed. At Beach Bum, he buys micro-lots and carries 8-10 coffees at any given time, which appear on white boards.

His counter showcases a three-group Nuova Simonelli espresso machine, but my pick was pourover.

McQuoid brewed Maragogype [hee-pay] ($4.95) using Central American sock pot, with a filter that resembles a windsock.

Maragogype is named for a city in Brazil, and it’s also the biggest coffee bean in the world. I asked to see the bean, and a female customer said, “Only a guy would ask that question. Girls would only care if it tastes good, they wouldn’t care about the size of the bean.”

It was a darker roast than I’m used to, but Maragogype coffee did have a nice nutty quality.

Their dry erase board did a good job of promoting education, listing beans by place of origin, varietal(s), process, farm, roast level and price. Any of those words could easily provoke questions from customers. Other coffee options at Beach Bum included Ka’u, a natural typica from Rusty’s Farm; Hamakua, an organic Typical from Hawaiian Cloud Forest, and Kualapu’u, a red catuai from Molokai and Coffees of Hawaii.

Their Big Island espresso blend involved a wash-processed Magarogype, naturally processed red caturra and honey-processed caturra. A double shot costs $2.95.

“I have four more days here, so I want to try four more coffees,” said the same feisty woman on her way out the door. Unfortunately, this would be my only stop at Beach Bum on this particular trip, but given McQuoid’s enthusiasm, focus and that solid cup of elephantine coffee, my next trip could very well involve a similar streak.