TWO BEARDS AND A DASH OF SAINT

As far as world trends go, Namibia was a relatively late bloomer with regard to artisanal coffee roasters.

Coffee is a hell of a drug. Whether it’s as simple as helping you wake up in the morning or in extreme cases allows you to be less like the 2007 Britney Spears, we all have our reasons for sipping on that cup of black gold. It is no surprise that it competes with tea as the world’s most consumed beverage. Wait, actually it is a surprise, but let’s put the bias against tea aside for now.

As far as world trends go, Namibia was a relatively late bloomer with regard to artisanal coffee roasters. A trend that has been blossoming all over the world for quite some time. First, there was Slowtown Coffee Roasters and not long afterwards Two Beards Coffee Roasters brewed their way onto the scene in Namibia. The bearded father and son duo (guess where the roastery’s name originates) of Roy and Mark Stanton established Two Beards in 2016 in the popular tourist town of Swakopmund.

It all began when Roy purchased a roaster to pursue his passion for roasting coffee. Starting at home and without formal training, father and son brewed their first batch of Guatemala Antigua Pulcal on the 21 March 2012. Loads of trial and error, reading and research eventually gave them enough experience to perfect their roasts. This led to bagging their first commercial clients: local Swakopmund businesses that wanted individual and unique signature blends of coffee.

As with most artisanal goods the quality of the final product is highly dependent on the raw materials used, and coffee is no exception. The quality of coffee beans is subject to a variety of factors that include climate, altitude, soil and good farming practices. After sourcing the best green coffee beans and receiving them in hessian sacks filled with 60 kilogram each, the art and science of the roaster come in. Green coffee beans have a beany, grassy aroma but when roasted, it explodes into hundreds of different aroma and flavour compounds. The level of roasting affects the flavour profile that the beans will deliver once brewed. Boss-level roaster skills that Mark and Roy have mastered to perfection.

Two Beards offers the best in single-origin coffee. It is 100% Arabica and sourced from the world’s best coffee-producing regions such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Kenya and Rwanda. Try them on their own or as part of one of the perfectly balanced blends that Two Beards produces.

Two Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro, situated on the same premises as the roastery, is where you can enjoy a wide selection of coffees and some delicious gourmet, café-style dishes. The mastermind in the kitchen responsible for the gastronomic menu is Radley who is otherwise known as the Saint.

While the Bistro is closed during the current lockdown period, if you’re in need of a coffee fix, Two Beards is registered as an essential business and now delivers their freshly roasted coffee beans countrywide.

Contact them at coffee@2beardscoffee.com.na for orders. Two Beards Coffee Roasters and Two Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro is situated at Unit 6 Eastern Concepts, 5 Einstein Street, Swakopmund.

Le Roux van Schalkwyk