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?

BOLIVIA CARANAVI

Bolivia Caranavi is the first certified Fairtrade and Organic at origin that we have offered for a while. It has become rare to find both certifications on a good coffee and this is certainly a good coffee. Initially sweet with a near Brazil nut flavoured finish in the lighter roast that we have used.

BRAZIL PULPED NATURALS

This bean has been sun dried and screened to 17/18 and roasts very evenly to produce a good bodied and balanced coffee in the cup that Brazilian origins are famous for.

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 HARAR STAR

This bean is produced by MOPLACO (MOcca PLAntation COffee) and is a dry-processed Harar and by far the most expensive one that we have ever landed. It roasts fairly evenly with only the odd yellow bean and produces a soft, mid-bodied cup with fruity berry notes. A great bean at a medium to dark roast depth.

ETHIOPIAN KUZA

This coffee comes from the south west of Ethiopia and is a very clean washed bean. It is high graded and screened to 16/17 which makes it very easy to get a great looking roasted bean. In the cup you'll find good body with a bold flavour profile with a very long and lingering finish.

HONDURAS LOS BANCOS

This bean is high grown, well processed, cleaned and washed without polishing. It produces a fair amount of chaff during roasting and the cracks are quite pronounced. In the cup it produces a clean, front palate coffee and is a good example of a quality Central American bean.

JAVA BLAWAN ESTATE

These washed and sun-dried beans from the Blawan Estate set in the stunning area of East Java surrounded by volcanoes and lush rain forests produces a mid-bodied, first class clean espresso shot with low acidity that responds well to the espresso process, quite sweet in milk yet slightly spicy as a straight espresso.

NICARAGUA DIPILTO ESTATE

Dipilto is located in the north west of the country and they produce a clean , hand-graded bean. In the cup you’ll find a great example of a well balanced single origin, mid-bodied with some initial sweetness followed by a slightly citrus acidity in the finish. A good example of a crisp, clean Central American coffee.

SULAWESI TANA TORAJAH KALOSI

This Torajah bean from the mountainous Trajaland area of Indonesia is grown around 1800m elevation and produces a rich, deep body with a low acidity in an espresso with a cleaner lingering finish than some of the earthier Sulawesi coffees. Due to Sulawesi's spice cultivation and limited area, coffee cultivation is somewhat limited but the fuller body, moderate acidity and spicy, grainy undertones make this the most exotic of Indonesia's coffees.

TANZANIA TUNDURU AA

A new crop that we have not had access to before. A large, well graded and washed bean that is easy to roast and produces a bright, crisp mid-bodied espresso with a strong flavour initially but the sweetness and winey flavours come to the foreground as the cup cools. A coffee bean that shows an abundance of chocolate character at a darker roast.