ORIGIN
MORNING RITUALS
Currently, I have the blessing and the curse of having zero routine. On any given day my work could have me doing late nights, early mornings, both, or neither. Yet I still have a morning ritual, one that is probably very similar to yours. And it begins with step one: putting the kettle on. Step […]
NOT YOUR TYPICAL TYPICA
You have a deep relationship with coffee beans. Collectively. But how well do you know them on a personal, individual level? Its likes, dislikes, passions and dreams? Each bean has its own flavours and idiosyncrasies, and it would be unfair to those little guys if we lumped them in all together. I mean, how would […]
THE GREAT COFFEE OUTDOORS
Good coffee tastes good all the time (presuming you’ve made it good too), but good coffee tastes even better when you take it outdoors. And if you’ve made it outdoors as well, brought your butane gas burner, Aeropress Go, Porlex and aluminium boiler pot, found a rock to perch yourself on and a level(ish) patch […]
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRESH COFFEE
How did I get here? I thought. I was bereft, dumbstruck, barefoot and paralysed in the kitchen. The kettle had boiled, for what? I had no coffee. I am a barista, I write about coffee, I work for a coffee roastery, I live round the corner from another, yet I have no coffee. How did […]
COFFEE OF THE MONTH: TIMOR-LESTE EMERA
Emera is back because you loved it – and that is the only excuse we needed to get it back into our roasters and hoppers. This is a Hybrido de Timor varietal, and believed to be a spontaneous hybrid (that’s the translation of ‘Hybrido’, for those who don’t speak Spanish) between the Tipica and Canephora […]
COFFEE OF THE MONTH: INDIA THALANAR SUPERNATURAL
If you’ve been to, or heard any stories from anyone that has been to India, you’ll know anything associated with the country described as supernatural is somewhat… natural. India is a land of contrasts and intensities, colour, chaos and mysticism. Everything seems hyper-real and surreal. The story of Brother Baba Budan, the beloved godfather of […]
COFFEE OF APRIL: BRAZIL MANTIQUEIRA SITIO MELADO
We’re showcasing coffee from Miguel Fonseca’s farm in Brazil this month. His 84+ crop is situated on the bonny slopes of the Mantiqueira Mountains. He’s spent years improving and rejuvenating his land, the soil, varietals planted, and practices and technologies used on the farm. And the quality has skyrocketed. Varietal & flavour notes This crop […]
The Enchanted Hole in The Wall
Of all the ‘Hole in the Wall’ cafe’s that I’ve visited, I’m quite sure that none of them have been literal holes in walls. Maybe a cavity. A cavernous opening. A mouth even. No, not a mouth. There’s been no little portholes like on a ship, or letterbox slots in London doors, or food tray […]
COFFEE OF THE MONTH: MARCH
We’re showcasing this juicy, syrupy sweet coffee from Burundi. It is grown in the Bubanza region, which is located in the northwest of the country. At an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level, the coffee plants in this region benefit from a cooler climate and nutrient-rich soil. The combination of this unique terroir and the […]
Coffee of February: Bright Roast Ethiopia
Our farmer Tesfaye Bekele is so passionate about coffee farming that he has traveled extensively throughout Central and South America to visit coffee farms and learn about different cultivating and processing methods. This washed coffee is from Guji, where the most original Arabica varieties, known as Heirloom, grow. Under Heirloom you find wild varieties that elaborate […]
A COFFEE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
The best part of gift giving is the spreading of Christmas cheer. The worst part is Christmas shopping. It is a decidedly uncheerful time of carpark duels, frenetic bells jingling in carols like a ticking time bomb, and withstanding the arctic glower of the overworked shop assistant. Let us help you make this time less […]
SPARKLE BLEND: OUR CHRISTMAS COFFEE
Merry Christmas! We love this time of year, and one of our favourite things to do leading up to it is crafting a blend that fills our hearts and tummies with all the Christmas cheer we can fit into a bag. This year we were playing around with some really great combinations of origins, and […]