There's nothing like a good coffee after a long arduous photo flight.

But we were so disappointed with supermarket blends that we set about sourcing better quality coffee. We soon discovered the wonders of roasting green coffee beans ourselves so we built our own roaster having secured a quality supplier of single origin green beans.

We then shared our quality coffee with our clients as Christmas gifts and were inundated with inquiries and orders so now a free bag of top quality single origin fresh roasted coffee goes out with every job we do for you as a "thank you" for using our service.

OUT OF COFFEE?
Not a problem, you can buy more of our coffee at very competitive prices for your office or staff because each month we get in new varieties and can supply your office with fresh roasted coffee that is truly a unique experience for the coffee snob.

We store the beans green and only roast as they are ordered so you get the freshest flavoured coffee imaginable - Scroll down to this month's offerings.

So how much do you know about the humble coffee bean journey to your cup?

Not much? . . . Then read on . . . .

Did you know that the coffee tree can grow to 9 metres and produces about 1/2Kg of beans per season?

The two main varieties grown are Arabica (cofea arabica) and Robusta (cofea canephora). Arabica forms 70% of the world’s production and comes from the higher altitudes and is a descendant from the original Ethiopian trees. It is more mild and aromatic than Robusta which makes a more bitter tasting coffee with 50% more caffeine than Arabica. Robusta forms 30% of the world’s production which is used primarily for instant coffee and cheap supermarket blends.

Coffee from Africa and Arabia are characterized as "complex, with intense berry or spice undertones." Coffee from Latin America is described as "clean-tasting, tangy and bright" while Asian coffees are typically "full-bodied and earthy."

What we call a coffee bean is actually the seed of a cherry-like fruit that turns bright red when ripe. The skin is thick and bitter but the fruit beneath it is intensely sweet with the texture of a grape. The beans themselves are covered by a membrane called the silver skin.

Once picked, they must be processed immediately. The wet or dry method is used for removing the cherry seed from the pulp. Did you know that it takes 100Kg of berries to yield about 15Kg of beans for export? Sun drying is the cheapest but slower method where they are raked and turned for 7-10 days until moisture has dropped to 11% when they turn brown and the seed rattles inside. The wet method is more expensive but removes the seed within 24 hours of harvest by fermenting the pulp directly from the seed in tanks.

The separated beans are then dried in the sun on tables or patios or mechanically in high rainfall areas and are finally stored in bags of jute or sisal ready for export.

Did you know that over 7 million tons of green coffee beans are shipped worldwide each year?
Roasting is where the coffee’s flavour is fulfilled. The beans are heated to a specific temperature and soon turn yellow then pop or “crack”, doubling in size and begin to brown as the oils within them start to emerge. This oil is referred to as coffee essence and the chemical reaction of the heat and essence is what produces the flavour and aroma of coffee. A second crack can occur which signals that the bean is fully roasted. Roasting is an art where sound, sight and smell are used to determine the perfect roast for every bean.

We roast single origin Arabica in-house because we like fresh and interesing coffee. We prefer to halt the roast just before or on the second crack to preserve the bean’s character rather than over roasting it to where the individual flavour is overpowered by the caramelised sugars and oils.

Did you know that dark roasting doesn't always mean more flavour?

In many cases it only means more ash. Everyone in the specialty coffee industry knows that freshness counts.

Did you know that only your neighbourhood coffee roaster who sells a limited variety of beans roasted in small batches daily can truly claim to offer fresh coffee?

All that “vacuum-packed” stuff at the supermarket is the result of large centralised roasting companies attempting to cut into the sales of the neighbourhood roaster. On the whole, coffee is better roasted and better packaged due to their efforts, but it is not fresh. Coffee is best 4 to 24 hours after roasting. During this time, coffee emits enough C02 to keep the oxygen at bay that will eventually make it stale. The essential flavour oils are delicate and fade quickly despite all our interventions.

Stored as whole beans in an airtight glass jar in a dark place, coffee can stay "fresh" for roughly 5 days.

Did you know that the humble coffee bean contains over 800 organic constituents with over twice the complexity of wine?

BRAZIL ORIGINAL BOURBON

This bean has been processed using the original pulp natural methods and then sorted and graded perfectly.

This varietal produces a lot of chaff during roasting and while it works through a range of roast depths, the darker roasts produce great dark cocoa, some sweetness and some stone fruit flavours with a heavy syrup texture that makes a great single origin.

BRAZIL CERRADO MONTE CRISTO

The Cerrado benefits from high altitudes, a stable climate, steady temperatures and a relatively dry harvesting season.

Plantation processes, combine natural and mineral fertilization, irrigation and soil protection programs.

The application of latest technologies and processes, combined with ongoing research, produce a high quality product.

This is medium rich bodied coffee with a hazelnut finish to add to its flavour.

ETHIOPIAN GAMBELLA NATURALS

It's back, the new crop of the ugly bean but this year it’s far less ugly. This year’s crop looks like a cross between a Yirgacheffe and a Harar with a long thin bean shape typical of the old growth Ethiopian trees.

Sun dried, dry processed it produces rich dark syrupy espresso shots full of earthy spice. Great as a bold single origin or add it to a base bean to tame it a little.

Ethiopian HARRAR LONGBERRY

This is a dry processed coffee and as soon as you open the roasted bag you’re hit with the fruity berry aromas that Harar is famous for.

Light in body as an espresso but with a tighter pour it will become a heavier shot and will still taste great in the cup.

Ethiopian YIRGACHEFFE

This natural organically grown single origin Arabica is from the Yirgacheffe region in southern Ethiopia from the mountainous regions at high altitude.

It is wet processed giving a typical winey fruity over tone and its intense complex flavour is highlighted in a slightly darker roast.

INDIAN MONSOON MALABAR AA

These beans have been left to dry in large warehouses that are exposed to the moist winds of the monsoon season.

This uique process leaves the bean with a reduced acidity, lighter colour and weight replicating the ocean jouneys made by the sailing clipper days utilising the monsoonal trade winds.

Huge body, miles of crema and an earthy spiciness that makes for a interesting single origin coffee.

PERU CEJA DE SELVA ESTATE

This high grown organically certified bean comes from an estae at the base of The Andes.

In the cup this washed unpolished bean produces a great smoothness and creamy body with a long mi-palate profile and a slightly sweet caramel aftertaste.