At APAX LAB, we believe minerals are a tool for refining coffee flavour with precision and intention.
Few cafés embody that philosophy better than BETA COFFEE.
Known for its rotating lineup of exceptional guest roasters from around the world, BETA approaches coffee with a constant focus on flavour expression, experimentation, and detail. Since opening, APAX LAB mineral concentrates have been fully integrated into their workflow as a practical and intuitive seasoning tool used across multiple beverages every day.
We spoke with Chris, owner of BETA COFFEE, about how the café uses APAX LAB in service and how minerals have become part of their approach to building better cups.
Using APAX LAB Since Day One
For BETA COFFEE, APAX LAB has been part of the workflow from the very beginning.
“Since the day we opened.”
Rather than treating minerals as a competition-only tool, BETA integrated them directly into daily café service, showing how accessible and practical flavour adjustment can be in a real-world environment.
A Café-Wide Integration Strategy
One of the most interesting aspects of BETA’s approach is how broadly APAX LAB is used throughout the menu.
The team seasons:
- Batch brews
- Chilled filters
- Pre-batched iced lattes
- Iced teas
- Pour-overs
- Pre-batched espressos
Instead of applying a rigid recipe to every coffee, the process remains sensory-driven and adaptive.
“We taste the product and if it needs any body, sweetness, acidity, etc…we use APAX’s various concentrates to fine-tune the coffee.”
This approach reflects one of the core ideas behind APAX LAB: minerals are not there to overpower a coffee, but to help reveal and refine what is already there.
Explaining Minerals to Customers
One challenge many cafés face is introducing water and minerals in a way that feels approachable to customers.
BETA keeps it simple.
“We tell them that it’s just like adding seasoning to a soup…you have a taste, discern what it might need, then add it and taste again until you are satisfied with the result.”
This analogy makes minerals intuitive immediately.
Just as seasoning helps bring balance and clarity to food, mineral concentrates help shape sweetness, acidity, texture, and flavour expression in coffee.
Customer Reactions
For many customers, trying mineral-adjusted coffee for the first time is surprising.
According to Chris:
“People love it, but also think it’s like a health thing… some ask if they can get a shot of magnesium in their coffee (laughs)”
The reaction highlights something interesting about APAX LAB in café environments: the concept naturally sparks curiosity and conversation.
It creates an interactive experience around flavour, where customers begin to understand that water is not neutral, but an active part of taste.
The Go-To Profile at BETA
When asked about his favourite APAX profile, Chris answered immediately:
“JAMM, it works best with our house water profile.”
Known for enhancing sweetness, roundness, and creamy mouthfeel, JAMM has become one of the most versatile tools in BETA’s workflow, particularly for coffees that benefit from extra depth and comfort in the cup.
A Simple Recipe That Works
While BETA adapts its mineral approach depending on the coffee, one recipe consistently performs well across a wide range of offerings:
- 2 drops JAMM
- 1 drop TONIK
A simple combination that balances sweetness, body, and vibrant acidity, demonstrating how small adjustments can significantly shift the final sensory experience.
Final Thoughts
What makes BETA COFFEE’s approach so interesting is not just the use of APAX LAB, but the mindset behind it.
By integrating minerals across everything from filter coffee to iced drinks, BETA shows that water adjustment doesn’t need to be complicated to be impactful.
It can simply become part of the craft of making coffee taste better.
