Caffeine Magazine Australia – Issue 03 by eroomcreative.com

Filter coffee review Our taste experts pass judgement on nine roasts worth a try Page 7

Beyond the spin We take a long hard look at greenwashing – how to spot it and stop it Page 26

Turkish delight Unlock the subtleties of brewing coffee with a cezve Page 30

A U S T R A L I A

High coffee

Putting a caffeinated spin on the tea-based tradition

caffeinemagazine.com.au @caffeinemagaus

CONTENTS

Find out what’s new with all things caffeine. Find out how ancient tradition (with some help from an expert) can enhance your teadrinking experience. Are your reusable coffee cups hiding a dirty little secret? DON’T MISS our Blind Taste Review... pressure-free edition. Nine fine filter coffees, four experts, one fuss-free guide to your next caffeinated experience.

With climate change firmly secured on our moral compass, are businesses cynically capitalising on our soft spot for the planet?

We’re about to go full science! Grab your lab coat and join us on the road to understanding the chemistry in the cup.

Learn how coffee is changing the lives of our coffee-growing neighbours in need. Better late than never; the 2020 Australian Coffee Championships finally played out in March 2021, we doff our caps to the winners.

Move over, teabags; it’s coffee-time. The now-classy and well-established tradition of foods in miniature has been given a coffee revamp. High time in our opinion!

Whoever said mixing drinks wasn’t a good idea, definitely didn’t know about this bourbon beauty. Mr Black is back to his usual tricks to spice up our coupes.

The Grind

B E N T L E Y C R E AT I VE

WTF… is Maillard?

High coffee

Look beyond the spin

Turkish Delight

Never miss an issue of the award-winning magazine for coffee lovers! Get every issue delivered direct to your door.

We hear from our expert barista hustler on how ‘new’ is not always better when it comes to brewing.

Visit caffeinemagazine.com.au for details

Industry news

The caffeinated tipple

IS SUE 03

WELCOME

AUSTRALIA

Editor & Publisher Steve Moore steve@caffeinemagazine.com.au Marketing & Distribution (Aus) Annie Moore annie@caffeinemagazine.com.au Partnerships Director (Aus) Amanda Atkinson amanda@caffeinemagazine.com.au UK OFFICE

Founder & Creative Director Scott Bentley Editor Phil Wain Printed by IVE Group, Sydney Cover image Bentley Creative Contributors David Burrows, Safia Shakarchi, Jem Challender, John Bradley, Don Mei, The Bitter Barista Thanks to Ed Cutcliffe, Paul Hallit, Ben Bicknell, Penny Wolff, Rian Murphy, Herbie Hancock and Rosalie the Comma Queen. Like us facebook.com/caffeinemagaus Follow us instagram/caffeinemagaus ©2021 Caffeine magazine, and all its associated trademarks, is the legal property of Bentley Creative Ltd. 13 Sherwood Way, West Wickham, BR4 9PB (bentleycreative.com). ©2021 Caffeine magazine Australia is published six times a year in Australia, under agreed licence, by EroomCreative Pty Ltd, 14 Macquarie Street, Belmont NSW 2280 (eroomcreative.com). Caffeine magazine Australia is printed on 80gsm uncoated paper by IVE Group Pty Ltd. Any material submitted to Caffeine magazine Australia is sent at the owner’s risk. Neither the publisher, nor its agents, accept any liability for loss or damage. Reproduction in whole or any part of any contents of Caffeine magazine without prior permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Caffeine is printed on FSC® certified paper. All details correct at time of going to press.

What’s your flavour? Coffee is all about personal choice. Sure, we love to share the experience with others, and our unique café culture fuels this passion, as well as being fueled by it. But the fact still remains, we all have our own particular way that we take our brew, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s all part of the richness, complexity and individuality that makes coffee such a creative and obsessive space for so many of us. At the centre of all of this sits flavour, and thereby exists an opportunity for exploration that we all enjoy. Taking our taste buds up to, and beyond the limits of our comfort zone can be fun; and our cover story, on page 20, toys with the notion of bringing imaginative coffee concoctions to the table traditionally reserved for high tea. Our resident foodie, Safia Shakarchi, then pairs them with some equally elaborate culinary creations. In this issue’s Blind Taste Review, starting on page 7, we step away from the espresso machine and enter the flavoursome world of filter coffee. Nine roasters from around Australia submit their specialty roasts to be assessed anonymously by our expert panel. The result is a menu of new coffee experiences that are intended to encourage you out of your coffee comfort zone. Plus, we have organised some healthy discounts to encourage you to break the mould and try something fresh. We go right back to the early days of coffee, on page 30, as Jem Challender takes a typically in-depth look at the cezve, or ibrik, which he believes to be ‘the oldest brew method and also the most delicious’. Who are we to argue? Finally, while Australia continues to dodge the extremes of the pandemic ‘bullet’, it’s easy to forget the plight of the already beleaguered communities that support the coffee world. On page 32, we witness the amazing work being done by one organisation to make a difference in the less-developed nations where coffee can be the solution. So, as we shuffle towards the winter months we hope that you get some warmth and enjoyment out of our latest issue. Until next time; stay safe, be kind and drink coffee.

Steve Moore Editor

Our featured contributors

David Burrows

Freelance writer and sustainability expert David has a degree in agricultural science. He specialises in environmental and retail topics and has worked for the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) covering waste and recycling policies. So, he’s well qualified to explore the global phenomenon that is greenwashing on page 22. What are you currently enjoying? A sundried natural Ethiopian Guji.

ISSUE 03

John Bradley

Born in Derbyshire, UK, John’s identity is almost as mysterious as that of the Bitter Barista whose column he illustrates on page 38. A fan of old school ink artistry and a good giggle, his influences include Steadman, Scarfe and Gillray. He has previously scribbled satirically for the likes of The Royal Shakespeare Company, Time Magazine, Punch, and now Caffeine. What are you currently enjoying? “I’m not a big coffee drinker. I prefer a nice cup of tea.”

Safia Shakarchi

Our resident food writer creates the regular Safia Makes column in The Grind. A baker, stylist and photographer, Safia enjoys creating visually striking food and coffee pairings with innovative flavour combinations. Our High Coffee cover feature was the perfect opportunity to let her creativity run wild. Follow her @dearsafia and read more at dearsafia.com. What are you currently enjoying? “I tried cascara for the first time while working on the cover feature and loved it!”

Don Mei

Don is owner of Mei Leaf and he has been travelling to East Asia to source tea direct for more than 17 years. In this time he has gained extensive knowledge of tea production, brewing and culture, which he shares a bit of on page 13 as well as the Mei Leaf YouTube channel. What tea are you enjoying at the moment? Golden Turtle Oolong – a rock oolong from the Wuyi mountains, with the bold taste of cherry cough sweets, varnish and burnt honeycomb.

Deliciously Dairy Free Made with whole rolled oats and no added sugar, Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend has a full-bodied creamy texture. It perfectly complements the natural flavour of coffee and froths and steams like a dream.

STEAMS REMARKABLY SMOOTH TEXTURE NO ADDED SUGAR NO GUMS

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Tried and tested in cafés across the world, these iconic machines deliver barista-quality coffee at home. European design, precision and reliability – available in 14 beautiful colours. For great tasting coffee choose a Moccamaster. Contact us for details

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Handmade in The Netherlands since 1968 – 5 year warranty for domestic use – 1 year for commercial use

Sifting through the sediment Edited by Phil Wain & Steve Moore NEW COFFEE

..FILTER BLEND

LEX THE WOOD ROASTER

L IT T L E B R OW N M OU S E

very issue, Caffeine Australia runs a range of specialty coffees past our Blind Taste Review panel. While it is not a competition there is often one stand-out coffee; on this occasion it’s a filter blend called Lex, from The Wood Roaster. Director, Kim Loupis, explains: “Lex is a blend that is constantly changing from crop to crop to make it better every time.” The current combination of Ethiopian and Colombian beans has a distinctly floral bouquet with a riot of fruit flavours and honeyed tones that are an attack on the senses. “Our beans are sourced directly from single estate, multigenerational farms that specialise in producing high flavour profile coffee,” says Loupis. “These farms are always experimenting with new and hybrid varieties and different processing methods to create amazing coffee.” Then comes the process that gives The Wood Roaster its name. Pneumatically temperature-controlled heat, created by burning Australian-sourced iron bark, is passed through a perforated steel drum to gently roast the beans. Loupis believes it to be ‘the ultimate and the best method to roast coffee.’ The green beans are slowly baked using approximately 60% convection, 30% conduction and 10% radiant heat, with the soft, dry convection heat penetrating easily into the core. The resulting flavour is ‘much richer and stronger than you’d get out of a traditional gas roaster.’ Our blindfolded reviewers unanimously gave Lex THEY SAY: the thumbs up saying it had ‘a very gesha-like aroma’ Passionfruit, guava, and was like ‘sucking on a Sherbies lolly!’ Those who berries, maple syrup enjoy slightly lighter-bodied, fruit-forward styles will and cocoa. really enjoy this one. Lex, $22 for 250g;

thewoodroaster.com

WE SAY:

A well-balanced lighter cup with lilac floral notes, hints of jasmine and rose jelly. Bergamot aromas join deeper melon, pawpaw and

soft lime flavours in a delicate, elegant coffee. A caramel, toffee, and chocolate aftertaste. Popping with sweetness.

FULL FILTER REVIEW Discover more beans that our panel of experts recommend for your hopper >> I S S UE 03

THE GRIND

Nine Fine Filters

NEW COFFEE

ustralia loves a milk-based coffee. Over 70% of us are taking our regular hit with some form of milk or dairy equivalent, and that's fine. Smooth, creamy, delicious, and comforting. What's not to love? The less popular brewing styles are where we like to think the gold is. Filter, pour-over, drip, or plunger, these less pressured techniques allow for lighter roast profiles, providing far-greater opportunity for the delicate notes, that are often lost in a darker roast, to come to the fore. We have gathered nine filter coffees – blends and singles – from around the country to put in front of our panel of expert reviewers. The fun bit is that they don't know whose is whose. Turn back to page 7 for their outright fave or take your pick from the eight below. They're all great in their own right and with an exclusive 25% Caffeine magazine discount on most of them you really have no excuse not to give them a try. Get prepared to challenge your taste buds.

Pssst! The first one’s on page 7

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Wolff Coffee

Unison Coffee

Coffee Supreme

Blacklist Coffee

Hummingbird $14.75 for 250g With their focus ‘squarely on the flavour in the cup’, this blend from Wolff Coffee Roasters in Hendra, Qld, proved extremely popular. A natural Ethiopian heirloom (a combination of coffee varieties) and a washed varietal called French Mission from Kenya, combine to make a delightfully fruit-laden brew. “There's a lot of flavours going on here,” commented Ben. “Perfect for a plunger on a sultry summer morning,” said Ed.

Kirasa Burundi $22 for 250g Unison Coffee founder Alaric ‘Al’ Daley has an ‘unquenchable thirst for fresh seasonal coffees’. This is beautifully demonstrated by this naturally processed Bourbon single origin. Responsibly sourced from Busenga, Muhuta in Burundi, Central Africa coffee is another tutti-frutti beauty. “Appley, sweet and mild,” said Jem. “It’s like a delicious apricot danish!” Ben added. THEY SAY:

Colombia El Tesoro $17 for 250g In 1993, Coffee Supreme set out to be ‘the greatest little coffee company in the world’. Almost 30 years down the line, they're doing a grand job. This washed Colombian Tabi (meaning ‘good’) is a hybrid of typica, timor and bourbon varietals produced by Victor Barrera Medina in Palestina, Huila. Well received by the panel, Jem noted a “red apple fragrance”, while Penny tasted "dry raisins and fruits with a clean finish.”

THEY SAY:

Mango, pineapple, jasmine.

THEY SAY:

Villamaria $21 for 250g The overall 2020 Golden Bean Champion, and winners of multiple awards over the last 10 years, Blacklist Coffee Roasters were someone we simply had to invite for review. Their submission was a washed Colombian that is a mixture of Castillo and Colombia varieties produced by Villarazo from Caldas, Villamaria. Ed commented on the “big natural flavours” which supported Ben's comment that it was “overall a pleasant, heavy-bodied coffee”.

Floral, gooseberry, white grape, white cherry, passionfruit, sugarcane and vanilla.

WE SAY:

Orange chocolate and toffee. Juicy and rich.

THEY SAY:

WE SAY:

A tasty drop with lemon and Assam black tea qualities. Simple butterscotch and juicy stone fruit make for an all-day easy drinker.

Winey and well-structured acidity, with aromas of grape leading into the cup. Mixed berries, dark plum, stone fruit, mixed spice and dry cocoa finish.

WE SAY:

A fun, full-bodied coffee. Bubblegum, purple grape, peach iced tea and florals lead into a nicely balanced cup.

wolffcoffeeroasters.com.au

ISSUE 03

Sweet aroma of pineapple, nectarine and apricot. Juicy stonefruit and light lemon acidity is paired with floral jasmine and an underlying toastiness for a beautifully balanced coffee.

unisoncoffeeroasters.com.au

coffeesupreme.com

Prune, Cherry, Orange Blossom.

blacklistcoffee.com.au

UP SAVE TO 25%

MEET OUR EXPERTS

ON SELECTED COFFEES

Jem Challender

As Dean of Studies at Barista Hustle in Melbourne Jem has authored 10 online courses about barista skills and coffee production. He was the 2016 UK Brewers Cup champion and a founder of Prufrock Coffee.

Ed Cutcliffe

Ed's coffee journey began with a “hole in the wall café” 10 years ago. Since then, his flavour-first philosophy has allowed The Little Marionette to organically grow and now includes outposts in both the UK and US.

Penny Wolff

Co-Founder of Wolff Coffee Roasters, Penny enjoys bringing a creative and educative touch to all things coffee. She was also the first certified World Barista Sensory Judge and World Latte Art Visual Judge in Queensland.

Caffeine Australia have secured a reader discount of up to 25% on seven of the nine coffees reviewed. Scan this QR code to be taken to our website. Choose your coffee and quote “Caffeine” when you check out. Valid until midnight on the 30 June, 2021, this discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers.

Ben Bicknell

Constantly curious, Ben’s worn many different hats at specialty roaster, Five Senses Coffee. The first Q Grader in Aus (now instructor) and WBC judge for a number of years, he'll take any excuse to drink more coffee.

% 10 FF O

% 25 FF O

Villino

Commonfolk

Chain of Origin

Two Before Ten

Colombia Rafael Amaya $20 for 250g A key influence on the Tassie coffee scene, Villino Coffee Roasters have a roastery and two cafés in Hobart. Owner Richard Schramm supplied the third of four Colombians in this review – a caturra, produced by Rafael Amaya in Huila, that has undergone an extended fermentation process to create super sweet, floral flavours. Jem said: “Nice roasting. The most rich and syrupy body of all the coffees tested.”

La Venus $19 for 250g The ‘Folker family’ are an unorthodox bunch. Celebrating diversity, enthusiasm and empowerment, as well as roasting a fine array of coffees. La Venus is a natural single origin that is made up of 100% Java from Nicaragua. Penny said it was a “pleasing cup with fruit undertones of blueberries, redcurrants, rosehip with black tea tannins.” Ed detected sweet sticky notes of “caramel, cola, and honey nut.”

Single Estate $31.70 for 250g Chain of Origin is Nestlé’s specialty coffee brand that is ‘dedicated to making supply chains better and providing more opportunity to those in rural environments.’ Their Single Estate roast is sourced from La Laguna Protección, Santa Barbara, Honduras. Ed described it as "old school robust" and many commented on it's well constructed acidity and dry finish.

THEY SAY:

Dark berries, cherry, peach, rose water, black tea.

Mandarin, rosé and fairy floss.

Caramel, chocolate and orange notes.

Juggernaut $16 for 250g The team at Two Before Ten started roasting coffee in 2011. Heavily focused on the sustainability model of their own business as well as the supply chain, they manually roast their coffee in small lots with a view to targeting the taste buds of their customers. Their house blend, Juggernaut, is a combination of washed and natural beans predominantly from Central and South America. Big, robust and strong flavours abound.

WE SAY:

Subtle lemon butter acidity, dark honeyed sweetness, and a creamy, mellow body make this a tasty, approachable coffee. Juicy acid and a clean finish results in a very satisfying cup.

A toasty aroma leading into a rich and heavy profile. The light caramel sweetness and underlying earthy tones would be enjoyed by those seeking a darker roast.

Orange and mango juice undertones with juicy lemon acidity that leads into a medium body and a rich fermentation flavour – in a good way.

villino.com.au

commonfolkcoffee.com.au

THEY SAY:

chainoforigin.com

THEY SAY:

Milk chocolate, malt, roasted almond. WE SAY:

A medium-bodied brew that soured a little as it cooled. Red cherries, complex caramels and a lingering dark cocoa finish.

twobeforeten.com.au

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THE GRIND

Good cup, bad cup

Exploring the ecological impacts of our coffee choices and how reusable cups play their part

ISSUE 03

Reusable cups are really handy, but how much good are they doing for our planet?

greenhouse gas emissions, meaning the devil really is in the dairy. So, reducing the number of milkbased coffees you drink, or substituting plant-based mylks, is one way to make a difference. Now, what about that reusable cup collection in your cupboard? Depending on what it's made from will dictate how many uses are required to offset a cup’s carbon impact. Plastic will take 20-25 outings to hit neutral, while a double-walled metal cup may take over 800 uses to cancel out the carbon produced in manufacturing it.

“ Cows, and livestock in general, generate 18 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions”

Most of us are guilty of owning more than one reusable cup. Based on that, you should not need to buy another receptacle for your coffee for at least a year, or two. As coffee drinkers we are responsible for most of coffee’s carbon footprint which has a knock-on effect. The more carbon that’s produced, the bigger the impact on climate change, which in-turn makes life even harder for the already beleagured coffee farmers. We the individuals have the power to change this. A few simple changes that we can implement at home could help. Don't overfill the kettle – boil what you need and save power. Keep using your reusable cup until it literally falls apart. Try mixing up your milk routine – switch to black coffee and develop a greater appreciation for the subtleties of different varietals. May be experiment with dairy alternatives, or incorporate something like ‘milk-free mondays’ into your weekly routine. Destiny is quite literally in our hands. Together we can implement change and make a difference. Adventures in Coffee is presented by Caffeine magazine founder, Scott Bentley, along with best-selling cycling author Jools Walker. It is produced by James Harper. Download it from wherever you get your podcasts, and tell your friends.

R YA N S O NG / U NS P L A S H

B E NTLE Y C RE ATI VE

eusable cups are everywhere. They come in all shapes, sizes, colours and materials. But are they good, or bad, for the environment? And, what else can we do as consumers of specialty coffee to improve our impact on the planet? It's a subject we discussed on a recent episode of Caffeine magazine’s podcast, Adventures in Coffee, with the expert help of Tim Ridley from United Baristas. Before we can talk about reducing coffee's carbon footprint, we need to understand what affects it the most. Studies show that emissions created by the growing, shipping and roasting of coffee, including the take-out cup component, accounts for about 5% of a single coffee’s footprint. Not much really. 20-25% of coffee’s carbon footprint comes from its production at origin and the exporting process – including the shipping – and about 5% is roasting the coffee. By far and away the biggest contributor to carbon emissions is the coffee making itself, the electricity to power the machines. Typically, this accounts for 50% of the footprint… excluding the milk. While disposable cups are a very visual problem, and as humans we don’t like seeing rubbish showing up in the wrong place, their journey to landfill is not the biggest concern. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major issue in play here, as this is what contributes to climate change, and we need to get a handle on that first. Think of it like this. A regular flat white or latte creates 250 grams of CO2e – the amount of carbon dioxide that would have the equivalent global warming impact. That means 250 grams of carbon floating around in the atmosphere every time you drink a milky coffee. Incredibly, 60-70 percent of this comes from the milk production itself. In fact, cows, and livestock in general, generate 18 percent of the world’s total

THE GRIND

TATJA NA PLI TT

Supporting the women at origin Jade Angelopoulos explains how Arte Coffee Roasters are doing their part

A whole new experience The new Victoria Arduino Experience Lab looks to change how Australians engage with the iconic Italian brand

he cool, urban streets of Brunswick, Victoria are prettymuch paved with coffee. Numerous big-name roasters all share the same postcode and now there’s another coffee name on the list. Italian espresso machine manufacturer, Victoria Arduino (VA), opened the doors of its new Experience Lab in March, with the intention of becoming a stylish and relaxed hub for both the industry, and coffee-loving public alike. This is the first time that the iconic brand has had a physical presence in Australia, and true to it's 116year history of innovation, it has taken a refreshing approach to its Aussie HQ. Designers have used a mixture of raw materials and iconic imagery, creating a unique environment that will showcase a full suite of VA machines and grinders, allowing visitors to get some hands-on action.

Planned collaborations with experts and champions will deliver masterclasses on multiple disciplines of coffee artistry. All of this will play out in front of a display wall of memorabilia and historic machines that illustrate the rich history of the brand. “We want to give all people the opportunity to have their own, customised experience,” explains André Eiermann, General Manager

Victoria Arduino Australia. He hopes that the Experience Lab will become a popular space for customers, coffee experts, baristas and business owners to engage with the VA brand and generally catch up on all-things coffee. This will likely become a popular meeting spot, so if you fancy a visit it is recommended to phone ahead as space is limited.

THE BABY EAGLE HAS LANDED

This pretty little thing is the all-new Eagle One Prima from Victoria Arduino. A one-group commercial espresso machine that makes a fairly deliberate nod towards the high-end domestic market. Using the same New Engine Optimisation (NEO) that VA uses on it's bigger machines, the Prima is designed to use less energy, be less wasteful and reduce it's environmental impact. Industry-leading tech in an aesthetically pleasing package will have savvy home baristas queing up. RRP $6,680 + GST victoriaarduino.com.au

Coffee farming communities across the world are vulnerable to poverty, food scarcity, rising production costs and have limited access to legal protection. Women producers bear double this burden as they are under-paid and under-represented in leadership and decision-making roles. The International Women in Coffee Association (IWCA) work to help reduce poverty, increase access to education, promote gender equality and foster economic growth in developing countries. IWCA founder, Maria Hill, explains: “Women at origin level make up approximately 70% of the labour force. Empowering women in coffee growing regions is essential to improving the sustainability and ethical practices of our industry at large”. As part of a campaign to encourage more meaningful conversations around the role that women play in the industry, Arte Coffee Roasters ran a series of ‘Inspired Chats’ in support of International Women’s Week. Available on Arte's Instagram channel (@artecoffee), the team chat with a variety of inspiring women over a coffee; discussing their personal journeys, their daily rituals to stay motivated, as well as trends and tips for the café industry. Guests have included; Isobel Marshall, 2021 Young Australian of the Year; Rebecca Veksler, founder of Sol Cups; and beauty blogger Rebekah Anne Williams. Arte Coffee will be donating a portion of all coffee sales to the IWCA. Jade Angelopoulos is Marketing Manager at Arte Coffee.

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RE Y NO LD ATAGORA N / GETTY IM AGES

THE GRIND

Coffee Aid

The specialty coffee world is pulling out the stops to help our troubled neighbours in Timor-Leste

t the beginning of April, tropical cyclone Seroja swept through the island nation of Timor-Leste (T-L), destroying property and decimating essential infrastructure. The subsequent flooding and landslides killed scores of people and have left over 14,000 people homeless. An estimated US$100 million of damage has been caused in the capital city of Dili, with the majority of aid currently being directed there, leaving the outlying farms and villages to fend for themselves. Many of these people were already existing below the poverty line, as well as dealing with the Covid threat. Their plight has attracted the attention of Raw Material (RM) – a not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to improve the fortunes of coffee-growing communities – who were already working with the local farmers. RM's efforts since 2018, have influenced a major improvement in coffee quality from the region; sparking an increased interest from Australian specialty coffee roasters. With the news of the need for support this new roasting collective is looking to donate to the cause. Five Senses Coffee have made a direct donation of US$2,800 to help purchase a motorbike for the members of

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Raimutin Village – where they source their coffee. Five Senses Director of Coffee, Matt Slater, thinks that unique flavours are only part of the story. “In pandemic times, the increased focus on the importance of people, connection, and collaboration in the world makes this even more pertinent,” he explains. There’s a growing list of smaller businesses following suit. Gina Di Brita from Numero Uno Coffee says: “We are contributing 100% of profits from sales of our Atsabe washed coffee to go towards the flood appeal.” Monastery Coffee will also be donating 100% of their proceeds. “If we sell every bag that will equate to around $4,000,” says Adam Marley, Head of Operations. Matthew Hatcher from Guerilla Roasters in Moruya, NSW, has a special connection with T-L as it was his first origin visit. They are giving back $10 for every kilo to support his friends in need. Other big-hearted artisans redirecting their profits include; The New Paradigm (pictured), Thirteen Coffee, Veneziano Coffee Roasters, and Grace & Taylor Coffee. Not only is this a great way to try out new coffee flavours, it's an opportunity to do some real good for a neighbouring nation in desperate need of support. You can donate directly to Raw Material's campaign by visiting donorbox.org/timorleste-floods-urgent-appeal

That’s Amaro! If, like all true lovers of a caffeinated tipple, your drinks trolley has a permanent place for Mr Black coffee liqueur, then it's time to make space for a new arrival. Yup, they've done it again with another tasty take on espresso and alcohol – Mr Black Coffee Amaro. Mr Black creator Tom Baker explains their reasoning: “Both coffee and amaro have long been prized for their qualities as digestif drinks enjoyed at the end of a meal. Mr Black Coffee Amaro is equally inspired by Italy’s after-dinner drink tradition, and Australia’s coffee culture.” Traditionally, amaro is a bitter-sweet Italian herbal liqueur produced by macerating herbs, flowers and citrus peel in alcohol. Amari (the plural of amaro) come in a wide range of flavours and Mr Black have carefully selected their own ingredients from the brand’s distillery garden in Erina, NSW. Using 100% specialty grade Arabica coffee as a base, the inclusion of native ingredients such as Illawarra Plum and Macadamia, impart a unique Aussieinfluenced flavour. Handily, the coffee roastery is also a world-class gin distillery, and Baker acknowledges Mr Black co-founder and award-winning gin distiller, Philip Moore's involvement in creating their latest coffee concoction. “We make coffee by night and distil botanicals during the day. Our Coffee Amaro is the extension of my love and worship of coffee and Philip’s 30-year botanical obsession,” says Baker. Search online for ‘blackjack amari cocktail’ and try a rich blend of cognac, cherry liqueur, cold brew and Mr Black Coffee Amaro. Dangerously tasty.

SE RGE Y NO RKO V / U N SP L A SH

THE GRIND

GETTING GREENER IN THE GARDEN TEA

Brewed to a tea Only the correct brewing method will bring out tea’s true flavours, says Don Mei

K E L S E Y B R OW N / U NS P LA S H

here’s a saying in tea, “Good brewing cannot save bad tea but bad brewing will ruin good tea.” Unfortunately, 99% of tea consumed in the West is brewed badly. This is because we’ve forgotten the methods of gong fu brewing, the standard method in China and Taiwan. Gong fu brewing is designed to extract the most enriching experience from the leaves. Some brewers like to turn these disciplines into an art form, but at its heart gong fu brewing isn’t ceremonial; it’s simply about getting the best out of your tea. In fact, gong fu brewing was borne out of frugality. Early in the Qing dynasty, which started in 1636, the people of south China were poor and tea was precious. So they devised a brewing method that maximised the potential of their tea leaves. Imagine tea leaves are musical instruments and tea farmers are the musicians. Your job as a tea brewer is comparable to a music producer – shaping and blending the notes to faithfully represent the qualities of the music being played. As a tea brewer, you have control of three parameters. The first is

water temperature. The many flavour compounds in tea are all extracted at different rates depending on temperature, so the temperature of the water affects the balance of compounds in the final extraction. The second is the length of brewing. Too short a time and the tea will lose definition; too long and it will be overextracted, distorting taste and texture. The third parameter is the leaf/water ratio. The higher the ratio (more leaf per 100ml of water), the richer the taste. Gong fu brewing is done in teapots of between 70 and 200ml. The teaware is packed with leaves and the tea is brewed in short infusions. The aim is to produce small sips of the finest tea liquor imaginable at the perfect drinking temperature. The leaves are infused multiple times to add to the experience. Good leaves have many infusions in them, the flavour shifting with each one. To truly build an understanding of the quality and flavour of most teas, they must be brewed gong fu style. Experiment and I guarantee you’ll be a convert to this style of brewing because it will reveal the true depth of flavour, texture and aroma good tea can offer.

Are your fingers are as green as your environmental aspirations? Then you need to be recycling used coffee grinds in your back yard... if you're not already. With so much coffee being drunk every day, there is a veritable mountain of spent coffee being trashed – a missed opportunity for any keen gardener. However, before you go dumping the contents of your cafetiere on you beloved cactus collection, it’s worth noting a few things. Unbrewed coffee is quite acidic, and while used coffee is far more pH-neutral any remaining caffeine could inhibit seed germination and growth. Plus too much in one place can starve your plants of air an water. Used properly though, coffee grounds can improve soil structure and might even help deter pests. Mix and mulch. Apply one part coffee grounds to four parts other organic material, and blend thoroughly. Make a coffee ‘tea’. Treat your indoor and container plants using one cup of grounds to 10 litres of water, steeped overnight. Feed the worms. If you’re a keen worm-farmer then your little wrigglers will love a bit of coffee to chomp on. As with all general advice, we recommend doing everything in moderation. Also, check the acidity of your soil and your plants’ preferred diet. The last thing you want is your Fiddle Leaf Fig going floppy!

IS SUE 03

THE GRIND

Janu ary

r be em

Fe b

Au g

June

July

Knowing exactly when your favourite coffee is at its freshest will make a huge difference in your cup. This graph can help you figure out when to buy the coffees you love

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n Harvest

Picking and selection

n Arrival At the warehouse

S O UR C E : N OR D IC AP P R OAC H. I LLU ST R AT ION: B E N T LE Y C R E AT I V E. P LA NT GRA PH I C : TU TU K I STU NI NGRU M

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PAIRINGS

W OR DS, ST Y LI NG A N D P H OTO G R A P HY BY S AF IA S HA K A R C H I

Pear, olive oil & chestnut cake with chestnut coffee cream When cooking and baking it's always a good idea to think about the foods that are available at the time. There are so many benefits of eating with the seasons, including the fact that it allows us to get the most out of the flavours in our coffee pairings. This recipe brings together two of winter's best ingredients: pears and chestnuts. You may have only ever had chestnuts whole and roasted, but this cake takes the nut to another level by incorporating lesser-known chestnut flour and chestnut purée. If you’re brave enough, you can grind your own chestnut flour from dried, roasted nuts, or you can buy it online or in health food shops. It’s a great ingredient for baking, and gives this cake a subtle, almost smoky flavour. Pair it with a medium to dark roast coffee to bring the deeper flavours of both to the foreground. The combination of pear and chestnut will also work wonderfully with sweet, nutty profiles – perhaps a Central or South American variety.

For the cake

240g plain flour 100g chestnut flour 260g soft light brown sugar 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 3 eggs 190ml olive oil 70g thick Greek yoghurt 50g chestnut purée 50g roasted chestnuts, roughly chopped 3 medium pears, cubed (1 peeled, 2 with skin on)

For the chestnut coffee buttercream 2 egg whites 125g caster sugar 125g butter 2 tbsp chestnut purée 2 tbsp freshly brewed espresso

Combine the flours, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Run your fingers through the mixture to break up any large clumps of sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, Greek yoghurt and chestnut purée. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet in three batches, working in a figure-of-eight motion from the bottom of the bowl to the top. When the dry ingredients are almost fully incorporated, fold through the cubes of peeled pear, along with the chopped chestnuts. Pour the batter into a greased and lined deep 20cm cake tin and scatter the skin-on pear cubes over the top. Bake in the oven at 180°C for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make the filling. Whisk the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer

until a little frothy. Use the bowl to create a bain marie, sitting it on top of a small saucepan of water over a medium heat. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Continue whisking the eggs and sugar by hand until the mixture is too hot to touch. Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and whisk until soft, glossy meringue peaks form and the mixture has doubled in volume. When the bowl is back at room temperature, replace the whisk with the paddle attachment and gradually add the butter in small pieces. When all the butter has been added, pour in the espresso and continue beating until the buttercream is light and fluffy. Finally, fold in the chestnut purée. Divide your cake horizontally into two layers or use a cake leveller. Spread or pipe the buttercream over the bottom half of the cake and then sandwich the top layer onto it. Serve as it is with a little dusting of icing sugar, or decorate with chocolate curls, tuile biscuits and a few more dollops of buttercream for that finishing touch.

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THE GRIND

Can’t stand the heat

From the temperature of the brewed espresso to that of the textured milk he adds to it, Alex Sargeant seeks a delicate balance of taste and flavours. So best not ask for something ‘a little hotter’ I LLU STRATI O N: B E NTLE YC RE ATI VE

t’s Sunday morning. Once again I find myself in the café, only this time we’re closed. The hustle and bustle of customers coming and going has subsided and the shop is quiet save for the gentle hiss of our San Remo Verona that is waiting patiently in the background. With a moment to reflect, I sit and think about a subject that becomes more prevalent as the weather gets colder. When I ask customers, “how was your coffee?” every now and again, someone will say “delicious, but it could have been hotter”. Now I’m sure many a barista has had this response, but it makes me wonder whether that coffee would have been as delicious had I served it any hotter. The question of what temperature I serve a coffee at is one I’ve experimented with a great deal. From the temperature of the brewed espresso to that of the textured milk I add to each cappuccino or latte, it’s no secret that temperature directly correlates to taste. Personally, I like to use whole milk in the shop. I’m not worried about calories, I’m worried about taste and texture when I add the milk to the espresso. When textured well, whole milk brings unrivalled creaminess and luxury to the cup. When it’s the right temperature, it brings a wonderful sweetness that balances with the espresso I’m using. I always make drinks that you can consume immediately unless the customer specifically asks for extra hot. I do this because beyond this point a number of things will happen. As the temperature increases, fats in the milk will melt away from the microfoam, taking moisture with them and leaving a

“ Because for me, it’s about taste over temperature every time”

dry head of foam on top of an overly milky coffee. Sweetness disappears, and instead of the milk balancing and complementing the correctly prepared espresso, the bitter notes become more apparent. Lighter-roasted specialty coffees will lose their complex and subtle flavours as your palette is overwhelmed by heat. The result is that all of the hard work to produce the coffee – from the farmers to the roasters and all the months it took to grow – will be destroyed in just a few short seconds by a lack of thought and a jug full of super-hot milk. So, do I change my standards to avoid the odd customer mentioning the temperature of their coffee? Do I stand behind the coffee machine using the steam wand as an instrument of torture, making the milk scream in the pitcher in an attempt to achieve a hotter brew? The answer is probably not, no. Because for me, it’s about taste over temperature every time.

Bellissimo Bellezza comes to Australia Launched in 2017, Bellezza is established on the 40-year reputation of Heinz Berberich – whose impressive list of coffee collaborations include Brasilia, Elektra, Wega, and Rancilio. Bellezza's range of hand-made, classically styled machines and grinders are designed and developed in Heidleberg, Germany. DiPacci Coffee Company owner, Michael Rababi, is excited to bring the brand to the Australian market, having first seen them in Milan. He believes that their impeccable heritage and exceptional build quality, occupy an important price point in the market. Brimming with high-end functionality, even the entry-level Chiara model (left) offers a full heat-exchanger boiler system with PID control for around $2500. The newly-arrived Bellezza Piccola Titanio 60 V2 grinder presents equally good value. This compact unit is impressively specced. 60mm titanium flat burrs, with step-less micro-metric adjustment, along with a touchscreen digital display and a glass hopper with timber lid make it well-worth a look for $749. dipacci.com.au

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THE GRIND

Kool cafés

on the block

Manchester Press A round-up of some interesting coffee spaces across the country

Dark Arts Café

White Whale

Quiet Life

Cox Lane, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Coffee, craft beer, wine, cocktails, and great comfort food; what more could a caffeine-hungry fiend possibly want in a café? Tucked away behind the local tenpin bowling alley, the unassuming entrance conceals an expansive world of gothic-inspired graffiti and retro furniture. Their own-brand coffee is ethically sourced, locally roasted, and served how you like it. Open for dinner at weekends so fresh coffee cocktails are definitely on the cards. darkartscafeandbar.com.au

2/4-16 Tingira Street, Portsmith QLD 4870 The business was rebranded in 2019 to White Whale Coffee Roasters (formally Industry One) as a nod to a founding principle of the business - to give back. With a mission to roast and serve the very best coffee in Cairns, they donate a percentage from every sale to the Reef Restoration Foundation. The team (or 'pod' as they prefer to be known) is focused on delivering a premium experience. They tell us: “There are no big egos here, just a group of people who love coffee.” whitewhalecoffee.com.au

287 Marine Terrace, Geraldton WA 6530 This gorgeous little venue serving specialty coffee and great food has the attention of local caffeine fans. Serving their own brand of faultlessly calibrated coffee and cold brew, you’d be foolish not to put this cafe on your list, should you find yourself near Geraldton. They're good-dog friendly too. quietlifecoffee.com.au

The Foreshore Café 259 Casuarina Drive, Nightcliff NT 0810 Boasting one of the best views of Darwin’s amazing sunsets, the Foreshore Café will keep your palate engaged with fresh Aussie produce and local seafood. Locally roasted coffee by Christos Panas from DTown Coffee Roasters is joined on the menu by cold brew from Cartels, whose Espresso Martini is to die for. foreshorecafe.com.au

8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Taking it's name from the printing press that originally stood here, this spacious, light-filled venue typifies all that is good about Melbourne’s laneways. Serving Instagramworthy eats and pouring a variety of specialty brews from the ONA collection, this a stylish and chilled place to while away a few hours in the windy city. @manchesterpress

Grouch & Co

Barrel One

Unit 1/45 McCoy Street, Myaree WA 6154 Grouch is all about inclusivity and pushing the boundaries. Hunting down coffee that excites and inspires, and roasting only specialty grade green, they work hard to ensure that all of their products are recyclable and carbon neutral. Most importantly, the coffee and the vibe is good. grouchandco.com

22 Orchard Road, Brookvale NSW 2100 Barrel One’s penchant for refurbed suburban warehouses permeates through all three of their Northern Beaches cafés. The New York deli-style food and locally renowned grilled-cheese sarnies are partnered by their fine selection of responsibly sourced blends and single origins. barrelonecoffee.com

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THE GRIND

bound water is to the coffee bean. Water content and activity levels can either inhibit or promote the speed and pattern of Maillard reactions, affecting the formation of aroma and flavour.

Roast with the most

...is the Maillard reaction? It’s just one of the elements you need to know about if you’re going to roast coffee successfully, as Edgaras Juška explains

hen our ancestors discovered fire, and someone had the bright idea of throwing food on it, our expectations of aroma and flavour were changed forever. As food is browned, new molecules are created and enticing flavours come to life. This process is referred to as the Maillard reaction. In the case of coffee, this reaction is what unleashes the varied and delicious flavour notes we know and love. Louis-Camille Maillard was the French scientist who in 1912 first described the process whereby amino acids, carbonyl compounds and sugars react to produce new molecules, which in turn react to form newer, often volatile compounds. In the real-world coffee roasting process, there are additional levels of complexity: intermediate molecules are produced, which are the precursors for further reactions. The Maillard reaction is a cascade of consecutive and simultaneous reactions that occur in many parallel pathways.

Maillard process in coffee arises partly from the huge variety of chemical compounds in the raw coffee bean – even leaving aside compounds that do not directly participate in the process, although they undergo their own specific transformations and contribute to the flavour profile. Poor-quality raw coffee contains lower amounts of critical flavour precursors and is likely to develop flavours poorly during roasting. A coffee roaster will also pay attention to the water content of the raw coffee as well as the water activity, a relatively new concept referring to how tightly

The coffee roaster can’t control green quality or moisture content. Their role is to manipulate the application of heat to control the process of roasting, and their precision makes the difference in the quality and intensity of the aromas and flavours developed as the Maillard reaction is controlled. As heat is applied and roasting progresses, gas pressure inside the coffee bean rises dramatically. This creates conditions for the chemical reactions to take place at a different pace or intensity, which can produce vastly differing results. The speed and intensity of the Maillard reactions have a huge impact on the quality and intensity of odour and flavour in the roasted coffee. When drinking coffee, what you’re tasting is a sensory impression triggered by various volatile compounds that you inhale and ingest. It’s the roasting process that produces aromatic molecules (particularly some esters, aldehydes and ketones) to give those fruity, nutty, caramel, chocolate and floral flavour impressions. There’s more to flavour than the Maillard reaction, but it plays a key role in creating the flavours in your coffee, and the skill of the roaster is in how those flavours are developed. Edgaras Juška is a freelance coffee roaster and consultant.

When coffee is roasted, Maillard reactions take place on the surface and in the interior of each bean (or to be more precise, inside each cell). In a sense, every bean is a micro-laboratory that’s an enclosed system. Each cell contains hundreds of compounds, including amino acids, proteins and sugars – the precursors of colour, odour and flavour. The dizzying complexity of the

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U N S PL A S H

Lab conditions

Newy Brews

The best places to get your Newcastle coffee hit Australia’s second oldest city is changing. Renowned as an industrial centre for coal and steel the development wheels are turning fast to revamp it for the next generation. There has never been a better time to pay a visit, and the coffee scene is as vibrant and varied as any in Australia.

The Press Bookhouse

462 Hunter Street Newcastle, NSW, 2300 A second-hand book store and coffee shop that claim to serve the best toasties in town. We can't attest to the toastie claim but this is a unique space to enjoy a cup of Sweet Georgia Brown coffee from Gridlock. @thepressbookhouse

Ka-Fey Café

148 Hunter Street Mall Newcastle, NSW 2300 A friendly, family-run, 'down to earth café' with community values. Creative offerings include homemade kombucha and a new keto menu, plus they're the only place in town pouring A.R.T. Espresso from Allpress – big, fat, chocolatey and delicious. kafeycafe.com.au

Bolton Street Pantry

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CAFOZ03_07-18_Grind_.indd 21

45 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300 Serving great food and using Single O coffee for milk-based drinks, there's also a rotating range of specialty single origin options. Specialty tea gets a shout courtesy of Newcastlebased experts, The Tea Collective. boltonstpantry.com To discover more great places to grab a brew in Newcastle pick up the latest copy of COAST magazine. coastmagazine.com.au

IS SUE 03 caffeinemagazine.com.au @caffeinemagaus

Afternoon delights Safia Shakarchi revamps high tea for the modern day by losing the cucumber sandwiches and adding coffee (and more)

n early 19th century Britain, the advent of gas lighting allowed dinner to be served later – but this technological advancement made for a long stretch after lunch with no meal. Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford and a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria, discovered that finger sandwiches, cakes and pastries, washed down with a cup of Earl Grey, darjeeling or assam, were the perfect way to bridge the gap. She started inviting her friends – and the British concept of afternoon tea was born. The tradition soon made it’s way to other parts of the Empire; and while it’s still going strong in Australia, it’s fair to say that the majority of us prefer a coffee these days – and usually crave a little something to go with it. Fortunately, coffee’s flavour profiles lend it to endless innovative pairings with both sweet and savoury dishes. So we decided to bring afternoon tea into the 21st century with six striking, contemporary dishes, each paired with a caffeinated drink. It’s a spread that would make the Duchess proud.

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Beetroot devilled eggs with cold brew and tonic We have clearly become much wiser since the Duchess of Bedford’s day and now commonly start afternoon tea with a glass of bubbles or a cocktail. It’s only right to treat all that food and drink ahead as cause for celebration. Our afternoon coffee begins with a refreshing cold brew and tonic, injected with a drop of Patrón XO Cafe liqueur and paired with a bright pink beetroot devilled egg. The bite-size, zingy and slightly sweet pickled eggs are a twist on the traditional egg sandwich, a staple of afternoon tea menus. They are the perfect complement to the bittersweet coffee liqueur, with its hints of chocolate and sharp, acidic tequila. It’s a fun, retro-inspired coffee and canapé combo to whet the appetite for the feast ahead.

HIGH COFFEE

Coffee cream cheese, smoked salmon and black sesame with cold-brewed gyokuro tea This dish pays homage to the classic pairing of caffeine and smoked salmon – whether it’s on sourdough or a bagel with coffee for a classic New York breakfast, or the traditional smoked salmon sandwich with afternoon tea. The coffee-infused cream cheese here adds a buttery warmth to the salty salmon, which pairs with the thick, umami cold-brewed gyokuro tea. The tea we’ve used is an Okumidori varietal from Zen Wonders, sourced from the Kyoto area, Japan. The highly-prized green tea is spring-picked after shade-growing for around 30 days and is then brewed at room temperature for 14 minutes. The notes of sweet taro, parsley and nettles complement the smoked fish, particularly with the hints of nutty black sesame and earthy alfafa sprouts on top. Asian flavours tie this course together, but it’s the luminescent green tea’s striking visual contrast to the vibrant orange salmon that entices you. After all, we do eat with our eyes first. Gyokuro - Okumidori | $25 for 30g | zenwondersmatcha.com.au

Blood orange and rose cascara lollipops with sparkling cascara

If you want a literal link between afternoon tea and afternoon coffee, here it is: cascara, the tea-like drink made from coffee cherries. Its refreshingly intense flavour is down to the quick drying process of the cherries, which are ground down in a mortar and pestle then chopped finely before being brewed with hot water. We’ve cooled our cascara – Cascara Coffee Tea from Market Lane Coffee – and topped it up with sparkling water to add some fizz. The brewed cascara is also used in the lollipops themselves, which are lightly infused with blood orange and rosewater, enhancing the distinct floral and fruity notes of the dried coffee cherry skins. Pairing the drink with the sweet lollipop creates a sensation akin to something many of us did as children – dipping a lolly into sherbet. It’s a real party (or par-tea) on your tongue! Cascara Coffee Tea $12 for 80g marketlane.com.au

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HIGH COFFEE

Saffron cheesecake, espresso crumb, pistachio meringue and saffron fairy floss with filter coffee

The origins of coffee can be traced to the Middle East and many stories lead back to Yemen. In our last issue we reported on the discovery of an entirely new genetic coffee group, which underpins the importance of this region to the wider coffee landscape. With the coffee’s origins in mind, we’ve paired this Yemeni Valleys filter roast from Sufi Monks with the most regal of Middle Eastern spices, saffron, and the king of nuts, the pistachio. The smooth, floral and creamy saffron complements the notes of earthy sweetness in the coffee, and the espresso crumb and pistachio meringue add a contrasting crunch. In the Middle East, strong coffee is almost always enjoyed with something incredibly sweet, and the wispy saffron fairy floss here adds a sugary kick to the light cheesecake. Yemeni Valleys Coffee | $26 for 200g | sufimonks.com

Chocolate choux with coffee hazelnut praline cream and sesame nougatine with single espresso Our afternoon coffee wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from chocolate and praline. The combination of chocolate, nuts and coffee is a classic. This crisp, dark chocolatedipped choux bun is filled with a rich, coffee-infused hazelnut praline mousseline cream and topped with a shard of sesame nougatine. It’s a necessarily indulgent addition to our menu. We paired these little fancies with a single espresso made with A.R.T. Espresso Roast from Allpress – an air-roasted three-origin blend of beans from Brazil, Colombia and Papua New Guinea with hints of milk chocolate and dried fruit. The rich chocolate tones in the coffee combine beautifully with the deep caramel flavours of the pastry. Thought praline was just a Christmas treat? Think again… A.R.T. Espresso Roast $15 for 250g allpressespresso.com

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The combination of chocolate, nuts and coffee is a classic... ...a necessarily indulgent addition to our menu

HIGH COFFEE

Burnt cardamom marshmallow on oat shortbread with oat milk cortado

Food styling: Safia Shakarchi Drinks pairings: Phil Wain Creative direction and photography: Scott Bentley & Safia Shakarchi

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Baristas and coffee drinkers will often tell you that of all the alternative “mylks”, oat milk is the most complementary to coffee. Its subtle flavour, light sweetness and creamy consistency make it a perfect fit for coffees that are served with milk. Oats themselves also inject a whole new level of flavour to food. Oat flour brings a unique cereal nuttiness to the shortbread base in this take on a classic marshmallow tea cake – or as we should perhaps rename it, coffee cake. The burnt, caramelised outer layer is what hits you first, and the not-too-sweet buttery shortbread then cuts softly through the flavours of the spiced cardamom marshmallow. The espresso in this oat milk cortado is from 23 Degrees in Melbourne. This naturally-processed Yirgacheffe Aricha Grade 1 from Ethiopia is rich and full-bodied, with strong juicy, fruity notes – especially good when paired with the creamy oat milk in the cortado. You’ll certainly want more than one of these moreish little morsels. Ethiopia Yirgacheffe | $17.50 for 250g 23degrees.com.au

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Looking beyond the spin I

n 2013, researchers at the University of Gävle in Sweden conducted a social experiment ‘for fun’. In it, students were given two cups of coffee: they were told one was ‘eco-friendly’ and the other was not. Most said they preferred the taste of the eco-friendly one. Both coffees were, in fact, identical. But the label didn’t just make drinkers think it tasted better. Half of the participants were told they had preferred the non-eco-friendly option and those that placed a high value on sustainability

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said they’d still pay more for the ecofriendly option – even though they didn’t like it as much. Mattias Holmgren, one of the Swedish academics involved, said that the study not only showed the power of eco-labelling but also the “greenwashing potential”. Indeed, those involved in the experiment were hoodwinked into thinking one coffee was ‘greener’ using a simple label. But does such greenwashing happen in the ‘real world’, and if so are we lapping it up? Yes and yes. First, it helps to understand what greenwash is. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it is ‘disinformation

disseminated by an organisation so as to present an environmentally responsible public image’. The Cambridge Dictionary offers an example, which is “…when businesses use terms such as ‘environmentally friendly’ and ‘green’ they are often meaningless.” Ambiguity is a tell-tale sign and the vaguer the claim is, the harder it is to substantiate that what is being said is true. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) states that ‘businesses have an obligation not to engage in any conduct that is likely to mislead or deceive consumers.’ It also states that ‘misleading conduct can include silence.’ So, saying ‘made from recycled materials’ when only a part of the product qualifies, is not acceptable.

IL L UST R AT ION : B E NT L E Y C R E AT IV E

False marketing, or ‘greenwashing’, is plaguing the coffee industry. David Burrows looks at how to spot it, and what’s being done to stop it

G R E E N WA S H I N G

Reported breaches are taken seriously and hefty penalties apply. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently started a project to clamp down on greenwashing. They had noted a quadrupling in the size of the ethical goods and services market to £41 billion (AU$73 billion). David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg, and Covid-19 have all created more appetite than ever for sustainable products, but this is also feeding greenwash – people want to buy green products and they’ll pay a premium for them. The International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is a global organisation of over 65 countries, including Australia, that facilitates the enforcement of fair trading practices across international borders. An annual sweep, commissioned by ICPEN and led by the CMA, scanned 495 websites. 40% of them “appeared to be using tactics that could be

There is a strong consumer expectation and a marketing advantage to any businesses claiming accreditation or ‘Green Status’. Kieren Westlake, President of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) says that greenwashing is ‘a frustration to the industry’ and he is an advocate of blockchain technology to provide a solution (as reported previously in Caffeine Australia). “It’s important for the industry to get a better understanding of the situation and provide a way for consumers to validate the truth.” Producing guidelines is all well and good. However, providing third-party trusted validation is very hard. Westlake strongly believes that the problem will be fixed by the passionate people operating in the industry. Speak to those in specialty coffee and their answers are as diverse as the

The grey areas are where the greenwashing spreads. Compostable, biodegradable, reusable and recyclable, the majority of consumers are not aware of the differences, and in a large number of instances there will be an element of plastic in the mix, and that just doesn’t break down at all. While many café owners are trying to do the right thing it’s hard to cover all bases. Melissa Floreani of Clark St Coffee Roasters is passionate about taking plastic out of the supply chain entirely. “The coffee industry is responsible for putting so much packaging out there, so we really have to be doing the right things ourselves,” she says.

“Ambiguity is a tell tale sign and the vaguer the claim is, the harder it is to substantiate that what is being said is true” considered misleading and therefore potentially break consumer law”. Vague claims such as ‘eco’, ‘natural’ and ‘sustainably sourced’ were commonplace. Details and data to back up claims were also often missing in order to “appear more eco-friendly”. The report hasn’t said which products or services are most susceptible to greenwash. However, it’s no secret that the coffee sector is rather addicted to ethical claims. Fair pricing. Compostable packaging. Organic production. The sector is awash with claims (and it isn’t the only one: according to the Ecolabel Index there are currently 456 ecolabels covering 25 industries and 199 countries). But can we trust them?

claims. Howard Barwick from Olam Specialty Coffee reckons greenwashing exists but is inadvertent. He has a point. “Most greenwash is due to ignorance and/or sloppiness rather than malicious intent,” noted the sustainability consultancy Futerra in its guide to the subject. Although it was published 10 years ago, the point still stands today. Take packaging: an issue currently at the top of the sustainability agenda. Coffee shop owners are expected to unpick the pros and cons of different materials and formats to find the bag or box with the least impact, but can often go round in circles. Hence, they go for the option that appears ‘greenest’ – which currently is compostable. Unfortunately, it’s rarely that black and white.

“We know of some cafés using cups lined with compostable film, but they’re still using plastic lids. These can be recycled in some situations, but most people just chuck them in land-fill bins.” The challenge is that ‘specialty’ is a sector that relies on small companies, most with a passion for coffee and few who set out with bad intentions. “As Australians, we tend to view big companies with an element of mistrust,” says Chris Tate, Operations Manager at Pablo & Rusty’s. This situation is accentuated by having an industry that’s rife with people throwing around buzzwords. “Unless there’s independent and verifiable certification in place [such as B-Corp], we would advise consumers to look beyond the marketing spin and

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G R E E N WA S H I N G

Brands can all too-easily use ecological messages and icons to convey their green status

delve into what makes a particular company tick.” Tate explains that B-Corp isn’t just for the big boys, saying that the beauty of the system is that it’s scalable. He encourages all coffee companies, of any size, to consider it.“It forces businesses to think differently and join a community that can help them improve through shared resources and a combined enthusiasm to make a difference.” In a survey by Compare Ethics last year, it was found that 83% of people are more likely to trust a sustainability claim if it’s backed by a reputable

third party. Certification schemes can have their flaws, of course. Many in the specialty sector feel their emphasis is on making coffee drinkers feel great rather than making great coffee. Many specialty roasters have, therefore, shifted to ‘direct trade’ models, which has brought accusations of greenwash. “It’s rampant,” suggests Alexander Barrett, founder of iFinca, whose aim is to empower consumers and producers by building a more ethical supply chain by leveraging innovative technology. “People are doing it and they don’t even know they are doing it.” Direct trade is what the roaster, the coffee shop, or the consumer perceives it to be. There is no legal definition, certification or verification. However,

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it’s a powerful sustainability sound bite that has stuck. “It implies a good price and direct communication – and that may or may not be the case,” says Olam’s Barwick. “In my opinion, it’s not enough by itself.” The likes of Olam – with its ‘at source’ tool that collects data and insights on product impacts up and down the supply chain – and iFinca – which is using blockchain to record every step of the supply chain process – are hoping to improve transparency and trust in the claims being made. But this isn’t easy. “The problem is not all of us are very educated about what we can do to help, about what we should not do, and how we should talk about this topic constructively with one another,” says

Andrea Otte, head of coffee at Caravan Coffee Roasters. As she admits, it takes a lot of time, patience and humility to deliver a sustainable product, but in the end, someone else might just “bluff it, put something on the front of a bag and wind up with a sale anyway”. This is where the CMA wants to step in. Their guidance for businesses on how to avoid greenwashing – to be published this winter – will not be out to bash businesses, but regulators in each country have powers under consumer law, and scrutiny will increase. Otte thinks consumers are more aware too and should be encouraged to ask more questions about the claims being made. “I think people are beginning to pay a lot closer attention,” she says.

MA R C E L L V IR AG H & TOA HE F T IBA – UN S P LA S H

“The CMA has scanned 495 websites. 40% of them “appeared to be using tactics that could be considered misleading”

If your coffee could talk, what would it say? When it was farmed

When it was roasted

How it was packaged

Ideal time to consume

www.chainoforigin.com

In with the

old & new out with the

The cezve (or ibrik) has so far been neglected by the third wave coffee movement. Jem Challender of Barista Hustle argues the case for bringing it back

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BRING BACK THE CEZVE

rewed coffee falls into either of two categories: drip or immersion. Somehow, with the notable exception of the AeroPress, third wave coffee has ended up prioritising drip brews. But if the family tree of coffee brew methods were an actual tree, it would probably fall over. Drip is a spindly little branch close to the ground, while immersion’s broad and noble boughs reach high across the canopy. Over the course of history, coffee preparation methods overwhelmingly favoured immersion brewing. The cezve (pronounced jezz-vey) was invented in Turkey in the sixteenth century, soon after Ottoman armies brought coffee back with them from Egypt. The syphon dates back to 1826, when German physics professor Johann Nörremberg gifted the design to his caffeine-crazed students. Cowboy coffee harkens back to well before the American Civil War. In fact, it could rightly be called ‘cockney coffee’; being the preferred brew method for more than 550 coffee houses in eighteenth-century London and Oxford. The French press was first patented in 1852. Cupping – which was originally called liquoring – has been practiced in Kenya since well before World War I. After a year of research and experimentation, Barista Hustle has published an online course called Immersion. The course elaborates on immersion brews, which are immune to channelling and many of the other problems that plague drip brewing methods. Of the many immersion brew methods we researched and wrote about, without any doubt our favourite has been cezve (ibrik in Arabic). It has been intriguing to test; it has yielded some surprises. It’s the oldest brew method and also the most delicious. And yet, somehow, the cezve has been totally neglected by the third wave. Are you a Nespresso-style coffee drinker? Are you a cafe owner vexed by the number of your customers drinking capsule coffee at home instead of coming to you in the mornings? Are you a barista annoyed with your boomer parents for creating so much microplastic pollution with their capsule machine? Cezve coffee might be the answer. The cezve makes coffee remarkably similar in proportions to capsule coffee, except that it’s miles nicer and much greener. A cezve brew doesn’t knock your socks off for strength the way an espresso can, but neither is it a giant, boiling-hot, watery mug of grainy plunger coffee. The best Turkish cezveler (plural of cezve) pots are hand-cast and hammered using fabrication methods that haven’t really changed since the Bronze Age. The finest and most coveted ones are made of pure silver, the most conductive metal in the universe. High-end capsule machines, by comparison, are fabricated from… pure plastic crap. You can pick up a silver cezve for a quarter of the price you’d pay for an entry-level, prosumer espresso machine. If you’re on a budget, you can buy a copper cezve lined with silver for under a hundred bucks that still has extraordinary

powers of conductivity. Copper’s thermal conductivity exceeds 400 watts per meter-Kelvin (W/mK), compared with stainless steel’s 14 W/mK. Greater conductivity means greener performance – it allows for faster heating and the ability to brew a cezve coffee in little more than 60 seconds. Cleaning and maintenance are simple. A cezve needs only a quick rinse with water and a dry wipe between brews. A rub with lemon and salt now and then will make your copper cezve gleam, not to mention silver has antimicrobial properties. Sara Alali, World Cezve / Ibrik finalist, shared her cezve brew recipe with us. Sara almost always begins with a brew ratio of 1:8–1:8.5. That’s virtually the same ratio you get when you push the little button on a capsule machine. World Barista Champion Gwilym Davies, who performed our cezve experiments, made a serendipitous discovery: with the cezve, grinds are traditionally added to cold water and then brought up to temperature (88-93°C) before decanting into a cup. The heating process can take seven or eight minutes. Gwilym found that preheating the water to 60°C made virtually zero difference to the final extraction yield of a brew – but it reduced the preparation time by 40 percent while producing a brew tasting just as good as one made with cold water. ‘The preheated brews [made it] easier to control the contact time,’ Gwilym explained. He added that ‘because contact time had very little influence on total dissolved solids, you might as well choose the fast option’. Turbidity (as discussed in issue two of Caffeine) might be one reason that the third wave seems to have discounted this ancient brew method. If you’ve ever brewed a plunger coffee that seemed a bit cloudy and decided to pour the whole thing through a filter paper to clean it up, you might have found that half the brew passed through the paper quickly, but the rest took ages. This happens because all that churning up of the slurry makes it easier for ultrafine particles to lodge in the pores of the filter. With ordinary pour-overs, fines get conveniently trapped higher up in the coffee bed, preventing them from muddying the paper. ‘Polishing’ a cezve through a filter paper works perfectly, though. The cezve recipe involves much less liquid than a pour-over, so even with a little muddying, your whole brew will percolate through in less than a minute. In with the old and out with the new. Let’s get the original and best immersion brew method, the cezve, on the menu in specialty coffee shops – and at home, too. With a cezve, in just minutes you can brew a potent, yet non-alcoholic digestif featuring an elegance and flavour clarity that would have George Clooney looking around his kitchen, saying, ‘Oh brew, where art thou?’

“It’s the oldest brew method and also the most delicious”

Jem Challender is the Dean of Studies at Barista Hustle (BH) in Melbourne. He’s a former UK Brewers Cup Champion and the author of 10 online courses about coffee production. Scan the code to get 20% off the first three months of a Barista Hustle Education subscription – details on page 25.

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The completed community wet mill at Atsabe has had a direct effect on coffee quality

Disaster-stricken Timor-Leste is looking to specialty coffee to turn their fortunes around. Raw Material is a social enterprise helping to make sure it happens

ituated just a one hour flight from Darwin, surrounded by coral reefs and featuring a picturesque landscape dominated by rugged mountains, the island nation of Timor-Leste is a traveler’s dream location, and one that is steeped in coffee-cultivation history. Discovered in 1927, the Hibrido de Timor varietal – a cross-pollination of fragile arabica and the more diseaseresistant robusta – provided the solution in the battle against leaf rust that threatened the global coffee world in the 1940s. As a result, a lot of the arabica coffee that we drink today will have been cultivated from this one variety, and remarkably the original tree still exists today, with a protective fence around it to ensure it stays that way. However, island history has not always been rosy. Bloody conflicts to release themselves from centuries of Portuguese rule, and the subsequent 25-year Indonesian occupation, have left huge scars on both the landscape and

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the people. Recent natural disasters, and the fact that the oil driving 95 percent of the country’s economy has all-but dried up, is pushing the country to the brink of economic and humanitarian disaster. The nation’s second biggest export is coffee. Generations of Timorese have derived their income from farming it, and with careful restructuring and management the humble bean could provide a potential solution to the impending crisis. Enter Raw Material: a not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to turn the fortunes of coffee-growing communities around by improving price stability and household incomes. “Approximately sixty percent of the world’s coffee is produced on approximately 12.5 million family farms that are smaller than five hectares,” explains Matt Graylee, Founder and Director of Raw Material. “Almost half of these smallholder farmers live below the poverty line, and just shy of a quarter of these live in extreme poverty,” he adds.

This statistic is alarmingly evident in Timor-Leste, where 37.6 percent of all households currently depend on coffee for their primary income. Producers are subject to volatile and low prices, and often the price that they receive is lower than the cost of production. This can lead to cycles of debt and extremely limited opportunity. By improving the quality of the end product, Matt believes that this imbalance can be reversed.

Finding focus

The municipality of Ermera has the island’s largest volume of coffee production, the second highest rate of poverty and the lowest average annual spend per capita. Unsurprisingly, Raw Material saw this location as the biggest opportunity to effect change. Funded by the proceeds of Raw Material’s coffee trading activities around the world, the first community wet mill was built in Atsabe, in 2018. “Knowing that roasters were waiting for this coffee gave us the confidence to commit the finances,” says Matt. This new mill provides a managed processing and drying station for surrounding smallholders, as well as a hub for training courses that have

Fixing theSystem

The Atsabe wet mill from above showing the dramatic terraced landscape

INDUSTRY

Top to bottom: Ameta (left) and Marta drying coffee; getting hands-on; the training guides video crew; judging table at the coffee quality comp; Miguel from Raw Material Colombia teaches cherry sorting

been developed to improve the general Ameta acknowledges that they will level of knowledge and expertise. never compete on scale with other Education is supported by an 11-part, countries, but is confident that they can situation-specific video guide on coffee hold their own in the quality stakes. production best practices. The improved product is then A bright future awaits promoted by entering the national 2019 saw work commence on two production competition to increase further community wet mills in Malabe awareness, grow the reputation of the and Koileki, plus a new cupping lab in region, and ultimately attract interest Atsabe; this time in collaboration with from prospective importers of high quality the Market Development Facility (MDF) green beans. One hundred percent of any that are supported by the Australian profits go directly back to producers, by Government. Matt hopes that this lab means of payments for coffee and through will shift the power dynamic from the community-level investments. men to the women. “By encouraging Specialty production techniques women to get involved in cupping we were widely distributed by can empower them to take the creation of a coffee TV the lead and become the game show produced by key person to access the the newly-founded Coffee marketplace in the future.” Association of TimorLong-term supply to Leste Community. Teams roasters is another critical A few places consisting of one barista growth factor. NZ roaster already roasting and one farmer wearing Flight Coffee’s commitment to use a washed Atsabe matching coloured shirts, Delano Coffee in its signature blend, has compete on a variety of delanocoffee.com.au resulted in over two million coffee farming-related tasks, Five Senses Coffee cups of Timor-Leste coffee such as cherry picking, fivesenses.com.au being served to Kiwis every washing and sorting while Grace & Taylor Coffee year. Aussie interest is also a presenter commentates on graceandtaylor.com.au gathering pace. Driven their antics and pokes fun at Guerrilla Roasters in part by the minimal their inevitable mistakes. guerrillaroasters.com shipping distance and its Monastery Coffee positive effect on carbon Maintaining monastery.coffee emissions, the attraction momentum Numero Uno is the incredible variety of Local representation is numerouno.com.au flavour profiles inherent in managed by young local the coffee that is well-suited farmer, Mariano ‘Ameta’ The New Paradigm thenewparadigm.com.au to Australian tastes. Boozy, da Costa Alves, who fruity, chocolatey and rich – came from very humble Thirteen Coffee how can anyone resist that? beginnings and is now a thirteencoffee.square.site The recent floods have hit full business partner in Timely Coffee the country, and the farmers Raw Material. timelycoffees.com.au hard; thousands have been Under his management, Veneziano Coffee left homeless, with critical the wet mill was completed venezianocoffee.com.au infrastructure destroyed. in rapid time and under However, the positive coffee budget. The remaining news is that the 2020 harvest will money was then used to purchase and generate enough profit to pay back Raw process cherries to produce specialty grade coffee just in time for that year’s Material’s initial investment. This is an annual coffee competition. incredible achievement, and one the Assessed by independent judges, team are understandably proud of. “Our coffee isn’t regarded as ‘specialty’ until it ultimate goal is to not be needed,” says scores over 80 points. Incredibly, Ameta’s Matt; and while there may still be a lot naturally processed coffee scored 86.13 to do, there is a renewed confidence points to win the competition and set a and determination, among the people of new record for coffee quality, with Atsabe Timor-Leste, to turn this ship around. also taking third and fifth spots. This success has continued, with Raw Material Raw Material is raising funds for over placing in the top two every year, and 14,000 Timorese left homeless by floods occupying seven of the top 15 places in and landslides. Donate at donorbox.org/ 2020, including first! timor-leste-floods-urgent-appeal

get a taste of timor-leste

I S S UE 03

Champions of coffee

The 2020 Condesa Co Lab Australian Coffee Championship finally ran in March 2021 and for the first time ever it was live streamed to the world

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streamed to a global audience. Performances of skill and judgement got closely scrutinised by a panel of industry experts as competitors were whittled down to finalists, and eventual champions. Canberra’s ONA Coffee place great importance on competitions, and its founder, former WBC champion Sasa Sestic, has played mentor to an impressive string of winners. Multiple Aussie barista champ, Hugh Kelly, is one such protégé, having secured back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, as well as taking out this year’s top spot. He also placed fifth in the 2017 world comp and hopes to improve on this, should the WBC take place this year. “I worked alongside Sasa in 2015 when he won [the WBC], and he has worked with me since then,” says Kelly. Contestants will go to great lengths to try and impress the judges. Sestic’s winning routine involved carbonic maceration – a fermentation technique adapted from wine-making. At the time, it wasn’t connected to coffee, now it is a definitive part of the landscape. Back in 2011, Matt Perger – founder of Barista Hustle and now of Sensory Lab – used a modified Mahlkonig EK43 grinder to make espresso in his WBCwinning routine. Originally intended for grinding and milling spices and grains, EK43s started to appear in cafés all over the world. In fact, methods considered crazy a few years ago – like freezing coffee – are now in existence courtesy of competition-focused development. “ONA now has reserve menus featuring 50 different coffees at our Marrickville shop, all sealed down at their peak point after roasting to preserve them,” Kelly says. Realising the potential impact that a routine could have is arguably a little daunting, but Hugh thrives on it and is

Toby's Estate's Carlos Escobar

keen to keep on pushing boundaries. “This year we have been a lot more origin-focused which is where I am finding that my interests lie,” he says. “We’re exploring putting pieces together in different ways, starting different projects in different countries, and leveraging what we’ve learned through competitions over the years.” Another serial winner from the same stable is ONA head roaster Danny Wilson – this year’s Australian Coffee in Good Spirits champion (CiGS). Creatively combining coffee and alcohol, he won for the third year running and has previously finished third in the 2018 World Championships. After five years competing in barista competitions, Wilson felt that there was more freedom for self-expression to be had in the CiGS category; but his initial foray into the spirit world was far from an instant success. “The first time I competed was in 2015, and that went terribly badly – I didn’t have any idea what I was doing back then,” laughs Wilson. Undaunted, he has stuck to his task and learnt to enjoy the experimental evolution required to succeed. “You’re not limited by ingredients and get

IM AG E S : AU ST R A LI A N S P E C I A LT Y C OF F E E A S S O C IAT I ON

ack in 1998, the concept of competing baristas made its initial steps on the road to becoming a global phenomenon – in the coffee world, at least. The brainchild of Norwegian coffee-obsessive Alf Kramer, this first event took place in Norway and was a trial to see if coffee could emulate the competitive successes of the culinary world. Evidently, it could, and within two years the inaugural World Barista Championships (WBC) was held in Monte Carlo, with 14 countries sending representatives to do battle at the group head. The first champion was another Norwegian, Robert Thoresen. These competitions are not about bravado and bragging rights, though. They serve a far greater purpose in pushing the boundaries of coffee preparation, as well as furthering the reputations of those that succeed. The first Aussie to be crowned world champ was Paul Bassett, in 2003. He now has his own line of coffee, plus a TV show and a 100-store coffee chain in Asia, all bearing his name. From experimental beginnings, the WBC has since grown to encompass a wider variety of café-related disciplines. Latte art, brewing, tasting and mixology (coffee cocktails) titles are now included. In all instances, wannabe heroes must first work their way through regional and national comps, to qualify for the worlds. Covid-19 wiped out the 2020 schedule; but after extensive planning by event organisers – the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) – the 2020 Condesa Co Lab Australian Coffee Championships finally played out in March this year. A gruelling three days of competition were hosted at the Batman Royale in Coburg, Victoria; and, for the first time in the event’s history, they were live-

INDUSTRY

THE 2020 AUSTRALIAN COFFEE CHAMPIONS

Team ONA Coffee L-R: Danny Wilson, Devin Loong, Charlie Chu, Hugh Kelly and Victor Vu

a good scope. Apart from a few guidelines, you can pretty much do whatever you want,” he explains. Should the world event go ahead, Danny intends to hang up his cocktail shaker after these ones, so would dearly love to go out with a bang. “I have thrown everything at it for this year and am fully committed to going for that top spot.” The only 2020 competitor to prevent an ONA Coffee whitewash was Carlos Escobar of Toby’s Estate. Combining traditional hand brewing skills and storytelling he snapped up the Australian Brewers Cup title. Having competed at a state level for four years, this was Escobar’s first time at the nationals and he is understandably very proud of what he and Toby’s Estate team have achieved. “The standard in Australia is very high; and the investment made by Aussie companies to succeed, takes the quality to new levels,” he says. “Competition is the perfect platform to have an impact on the industry, and this victory is an example to all baristas that an underdog can still be the one to watch. This is my dream come true” Escobar explains that preparation takes months of work, money and energy; but stresses that it’s an excellent platform for knowledge. He hopes that his success will motivate and inspire others to give it a go.

The Condesa Co Lab Australian Coffee Championships results in each competition. ____ BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Hugh Kelly Ona Coffee 2 Anthony Douglas Axil Coffee Roasters 3 Lena Richrath Five Senses Coffee ____ BREWERS CUP 1 Carlos Escobar Toby’s Estate Coffee 2 Devin Loong Ona Coffee 3 David Train Langdon Coffee Merchants ____ LATTE ART CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Victor Vu Ona Coffee 2 Zhao Ting Wu Cote Terra Coffee Roasters 3 Jibbi Little Jibbijug ____ CUP TASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Kyoungha “Charlie” Chu Ona Coffee 2 Frankie Shi 3 Sheng-Wei Wu ____ COFFEE IN GOOD SPIRITS CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Danny Wilson Ona Coffee 2 Mook Liengraksa 3 Corey Williams

wac is back for 2021

If you like your coffee competitions to be more free-form hiphop jazz-funk, and a little less straight-laced and structured, then the World AeroPress Championships (WAC) will push all of your buttons – or should that be plungers? After what has been a rubbish 2020, the great news is that WAC is back and raring to go for its thirteenth season. The cult-like event attracts more than 3,500 competitors from over 60 countries, and even with a re-worked format, it is expected to be as hotly contested as ever. “The enthusiasm from our community of competitors, hosts, and sponsors suggests a great season ahead, but above all else, it’s a privilege to be able to rekindle the spirit of the event and reconnect with our coffee-loving community in a safe and responsible way,” says event organiser Tim Williams. The season is comprised of a series of regional and national competitions, run by independent hosts in each country, which culminates with the World AeroPress Championship final. In a slightly re-worked format intended to accommodate global travel restrictions, this year’s season finale will be competed for remotely but judged in Melbourne. The event organisers are confident that the remoteness will not be an issue. Each nation’s champion will work on their recipe from home and on the day a surrogate barista will precisely brew each recipe for a local judging panel to assess. The event will be live-streamed around the world, and with around 30 nations already pre-confirmed, the season is well and truly on track for a great level of participation. Follow WAC on Instagram – @aero.press – or visit their website worldaeropresschampionship.com

2020 World Coffee Championships details are yet to be confirmed. You can catch up with the World Coffee Events YouTube channel and their excellent WCE AllStars Online series featuring an interview with Danny Wilson.

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C I NODCUKSTA T RI YL

the caffeinated tipple

Created by legendary bartender Jon Santer at the popular San Francisco bar Bourbon & Branch, this simple recipe is the perfect introduction to coffee cocktails

Revolver 60ml bourbon whiskey 15ml Mr Black coffee liqueur 2 dashes orange bitters

BENTLEY CREATIVE

Method Choose a dry spicy bourbon such as Bulleit (from which this cocktail gets its name) or Knob Creek. Combine all the ingredients over ice and stir for around 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with orange peel. For extra showmanship, flame an orange twist over the cocktail before serving.

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THE BRAND THAT TOOK EUROPE BY STORM

exclusively available at

top3 by design sydney | melbourne | canberra top3.com.au

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Bitter Barista C

offee should taste like coffee – that seems like a fairly harmless sentence, a statement that you would think leaves little room for further question and intrigue. Even the most contrary of individuals would struggle to argue that coffee has a distinct flavour, right? We have coffee-flavoured and coffeescented everything nowadays. Icecream and chocolate to candles, soaps and even perfume. This begs the question: What is this uniform coffee taste? More and more, coffee roasters are bringing this into question, as they produce ever-more exotic, if not peculiar, flavour notes with their beans. It’s not enough, it would seem, to just make classy coffee. Now you must strive to make your product unique. These über-trendy, third wave roasters proudly display their “flavour profile” descriptor cards on their coffee bags as proof of their genius, and to be fair, it is quite incredible that these wizards can make a flat white taste like a fruit smoothie. But, is this objectively good, or somehow pointless and harmful to the coffee drinker’s experience? While sitting quietly at a trendy café, there is every chance you will hear someone say something to the tune of: “I’m getting guava, yes guava and marzipan.” “Oh really, I can smell the guava, but it’s overwhelmed by the raspberry.” No, they haven’t ordered a fresh juice. They’re discussing the flavour notes they’re experiencing in their coffee. At this point I should say, I’m not against this at all. There’s no better experience than sipping espresso at a local roastery and gazing at the magicians who concocted it, wondering how they packed so much tongue-tingling life into a shot of coffee.

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I love that the general standard of coffee production has been pushed to such a level, that we can experiment with introducing ever more wacky combinations of flavour; but it can go too far. It’s a function of creative success, I believe. You see this trend in roasteries where they achieve the perfect blend, get bored and try to push it to a newly-improved fruity, spicy cup of nonsense that goes against everything that made them great. They’re like a world-renowned rockband going all experimental. Like wine, like music, coffee will always encourage some people to look down on you if you don’t appreciate the more obtuse offerings available.

You may be castigated for your simple palate if you suggest miso soup is gross for example, or that a beer which requires an orange slice to be enjoyed needs to be re-evaluated. I’m happy to be wrong, but I don’t think I am, and that’s not a sin. Flavour is not just an equation, and some things just work. ‘Vodka + soda + lime = good’ won’t appear in your child’s maths homework, but the calculus checks out. It’s simple, it’s unimaginative, but it hits you in that way that makes sense. Coffee follows this same logic. Perhaps I’m closed-minded to bean variants. I may be uneducated in the value of acquired tastes, but I’ve acquired the taste for coffee, and I’m happy with my lot. I’m happy for my flat-white to taste just like a flat-white, without any extra fluff. If I’m enjoying a nice black coffee, or a double espresso, then sure, throw some lemon and star-anise in there, get funky; just don’t overdo it. Most roasters do this. There isn’t some epidemic of fruit-flavoured flatties taking over Coogee Bay. It’s more about avoiding the need for bad experiences. We have perfected coffee in this country. We do it better than anywhere else in the world. For the most part, you can walk into any local joint, order a coffee and you will have a pleasant experience. It’s only when they try too hard that the trouble starts. So, coffee roasters of Australia: give us chocolate, almonds, vanilla, all that good stuff, for our milk blends and stay within the bounds of acceptable quirk for the black stuff and we will all continue to wake up two hours after waking up, with a smile on our face, and with the warmth of coffee oozing through our bodies.

IL LU STRATI O N: JO H N B RA DLE Y

Our opinionated columnist turns his poisoned pen on the flavour junkies that are messing with his brew: but secretly he quite likes the experience

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HAND ROASTED SPECIALTY COFFEE