Photo courtesy of Draft Coffee
Draft Coffee founder Luis Alejandro Santos shares how cold brew evolved into a ritual that reflects consistency and memory.
Draft Coffee began not as a bustling café but a quiet kitchen at home during the early days of the pandemic. For Luis Alejandro Santos and his wife, coffee was more than a drink; it was a lifeline. “Honestly, it was purely a survival tool. It was a non-negotiable part of the morning routine for my wife and I, mostly just to get us out the door,” he recalls. In the haze of demanding jobs and long days, coffee was functional, comforting, and necessary. It wasn’t about tasting notes or exotic beans. It was about clarity, focus, and resilience.
“Those long, stressful days taught us about routine, resilience, and simplicity,” Santos reflects. The quiet moments of sipping coffee became a rhythm in life, a reminder to slow down and center oneself before stepping into the chaos of the day. Coffee functioned as a survival tool during stressful periods, shaping the habits and resilience that would later define Draft Coffee.
A cup of personality
What made Santos rethink coffee was not a single moment, but a gradual realization. “It started when the ‘Third Wave’ of coffee hit. Suddenly, getting a cup of coffee felt like walking into a science lab. There were all these rules, brewing methods, and complex tasting notes. Honestly, it felt a little intimidating,” he says. For Santos, coffee should feel comforting, not like a chemistry experiment.
He noticed a gap for people who just wanted consistency and reliability. “I’m a simple guy. I like things that are straightforward and well-made. There is something really luxurious about reliability. You come to us, and you know exactly what you’re going to get,” Santos explains.
Cold brew emerged as the answer. “It was easy to make, easy to store, and it turned out to be better for our stomachs. It’s not as acidic as hot coffee,” he says. Cold brew offered practicality, creative freedom, and a reliable foundation for every drink at Draft Coffee.
Coffee was not the preliminary option. Santos had always loved food. “Coffee wasn’t the grand plan; it was just what was possible at the time. I lost my job a month into the pandemic, and I saw my neighbors struggling to get a decent cup of coffee during lockdown. I started making cold brew concentrates just to help them out, literally giving it away at first. They were the ones who convinced me to start selling it,” he says.
What was missing in the coffee scene was personality, not quality. “It wasn’t that quality was missing. It was more about a lack of personality. The commercial chains were all doing the exact same sugary frappes and Caramel Macchiatos, and the specialty shops were stuck on the same rigid menu of Flat Whites and Americanos. It felt cookie-cutter,” Santos reflects. Draft Coffee responded with drinks tied to memories and experiences rather than trends.
Coffee became a canvas for personal values and creativity. “Coffee helps us connect with things we don’t really see. It fuels creativity and allows us to be creative in how we work and serve,” Santos says. Choosing coffee allowed them to express attention to detail, care, and thoughtfulness in a way other ventures could not.
Cold Brew as Worldview
At Draft Coffee, cold brew is never a trend. It is a philosophy. “For me, cold brew represents the beauty of consistency. I’m a creature of habit, and I find comfort in a process that is repeatable and reliable. You can’t rush it, and you can’t cheat it. You just have to respect the clock,” Santos explains. The gentle extraction produces a smooth, mellow flavor profile, mirroring their approach to work and life: steady, deliberate, and unhurried.
Espresso was removed entirely to emphasize this philosophy. “Even non-coffee drinkers call coffee espresso now. We wanted to differentiate ourselves. Every drink starts from the same careful, unhurried process,” he says.
Draft Coffee’s spaces are simple yet intimate, a reflection of Santos’ memories. “The white brick walls in the shop are inspired by the walls of my bedroom in my Lola’s house where I grew up,” he says. “That clean, simple white aesthetic is just where I feel most at home.” Today, Draft Coffee operates in locations across Rizal, Marikina, San Juan City, Quezon City and Manila City, each designed with the same warmth and attention to detail. For him and his team, families, young couples, seniors, and children should be welcomed with the same thoughtfulness. They have also designed the menu with the goal of being clear and versatile.
They want to apply this philosophy into the community through their mobile coffee cart. Designed by Santos’ wife, it brings Draft Coffee to events and personal celebrations. “We saw young loyal customers extend their personal events to us. It was perfect because with cold brew, long lines don’t happen, and service is fast and reliable,” he explains.
For Santos, Draft Coffee is a living reflection of presence. “Presence is synonymous with heart. Draft Coffee is literally my personality translated into a physical space. I define presence as being fully engaged in the now,” he says.
As for success, he believes that it is measured by impact and community not by growth or profit. “It’s about the team and providing them with livelihood and opportunities,” he reflects. “I want to see this down 50 years more, growing with everyone in our team. I don’t think we will stop developing or improving,” he says.
In the end, Santos says they want Draft Coffee to be continuously shaped by repetition, returning to the same process and trusting it to hold. “When they come back, I want it to feel the same,” he says. The flavors remain familiar. The service stays steady. There is comfort in knowing what to expect.
