As a coffee destination, Seattle is a city with a big reputation. On the one hand, Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, that behemoth of all coffee chains, but on the other, Seattle is also home to a sophisticated independent specialty cafe scene. Quite a dichotomy, some might say. But then Seattle is a city which comfortably embraces the creativity and inherent diversity that thinking ‘outside the square’ can bring — two of its most famous children, Jimmy Hendricks & Bill Gates are perhaps testament to that.

Surrounded by lush evergreen forest with the snowy peak of Mount Rainier in the distance, Seattle is a vibrant city in a magnificent setting. Located on Elliott Bay, Seattle was founded by white settlers in the mid 19th century and went on  to become a primary hub for fishing (think Chinook salmon) and logging with a large number of immigrants attracted to the area. By 1910, about one-third of Seattle’s foreign-born residents hailed from Sweden, Norway, Denmark or Finland.
They played a strong role in defining the young city’s identity — a legacy that can still be seen today.

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During its early days it endured many hardships including a major flood, which forced the city to be relocated from Alki Point to its present day location and the ‘Great Fire of 1889′ which caused the destruction of much of the city’s predominantly timber-built structures. But its people were resilient, accustomed to the hardships of a life of physical labour; they set about rebuilding the city under a new ordinance of brick and stone buildings to replace the timber structures. In the year following the fire, the city’s population actually grew with the influx of people helping with the reconstruction. Seattle was soon back in business but it wasn’t until the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 that Seattle found itself on the national map as a transport and commercial hub. Still somewhat a ‘boom or bust’ city, the blue collars have been largely replaced by white as Seattle has gone on to become one of America’s major economic, cultural and educational centres. Its hard physical labouring heritage bears little resemblance to its modern day industries, with such omnipotent names as Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon.com as well as, of course, Starbucks.

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Like it or loathe it, the great Starbucks has been instrumental in popularising coffee houses as a place to work, rest, meet and hang-out. That ethos is very much a part of the fabric of Seattle. Starbucks opened its first store in the bustling Pike Place Market precinct in 1971 as a wholesale supplier of freshly roasted coffee beans, leaf teas and equipment. It wasn’t until the 1980′s, after Howard Schultz had joined the company , that he returned from a buying trip to Italy with the idea to offer espresso to customers in a cafe-style setting but the idea was not fully supported by the founding owners of Starbucks. Frustrated but not discouraged, Schultz left Starbucks and started his own coffee shop, il Giornale, in 1985. When the original Starbucks management decided to focus on their mentors’  brand, Peets Tea & Coffee, they sold the Starbucks retail unit to Schultz for $3.8 million. Schultz moved quickly to rename Il Giornale with the Starbucks name, and  the rest is the stuff of stock market legend. But we didn’t come to Seattle to expound the history of Starbucks. We were on a quest to seek out the artisan roasters and specialty cafes for which Seattle is renowned but we had one major problem to overcome before we could head off, leaving our incredibly stylish digs at Hotel Andra [see panel below]!

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Eventually dragging ourselves away, it soon became evident that style is an element that pervades Seattle, largely, it would seem, as a result of its European settlers with elements of post-modern European design frequently appearing, for those who know what to look for. Perhaps it’s also this early European influence which has helped shape Seattle’s inherent coffee culture.  As we marched up Olive Way toward our first coffee destination, we hung a left instead of a right and found ourselves in Capitol Hill, on the corner of Denny and East Olive Way. Deciding to check our location, we popped into the cafe on the corner to ask directions. It was to be a serendipitous moment, as we entered Arabica Lounge and immediately felt the desire to stay awhile. Furnished with a casual array of Eames chairs, vintage lounges, carefully arranged Objets d′art and acoustic guitar tunes wafting on the air, it oozed modish repose. Eyeing off a sumptuous slice of chocolate cake, we took the plunge and ordered a coffee and to our delight, it was excellent. Serving the House Blend by Stumptown Coffee Roasters, it was well balanced and sweet with a floral aroma and delicious choc-nut flavours. It wasn’t until we’d had our second espresso that we decided we had better head off before we were completely bewitched and settled in for the day.

Back on course and this time, heading in the right direction, our next coffee stop was the iconic Bauhaus Books and Coffee on East Pine Street. Since it opened in 1993, it’s developed somewhat of a counter-culture following, with the retro faithful coming to immerse themselves in the atmosphere. With its quirky, shambolic decor and floor to ceiling bookshelves lined with a heady array of vintage texts, it’s a place to be yourself; to contemplate, to meet, to work uninterrupted, or of course to read (although these days it’s as likely to be on a computer as it is on paper). The coffee was by local artisan roaster Lighthouse Coffee and whilst not amazing, was very pleasant with notes of chocolate and berry. But it’s as a cafe destination that Bauhaus makes its mark — it’s uniquely individual and well worth a visit; you’ll probably find yourself walking out with one of their really cool t-shirts, just so you can show-off that you’ve been there!

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Feeling like we could squeeze in one more cafe for the day we made our way over to Victrola Roastery & Cafe, one  block over on East Pike Street. As we approached, we were met by an impressive 1920′s converted warehouse, beautifully restored to house their roastery, training facility, cupping room and showcase cafe. The space inside was light and airy with expansive windows, exposed brick walls and a clear view into the roasting room. It epitomised the post-modernist philosophy of form and function with industrial elements influencing the design of the space. The post-modern theme is of course integral to the Victrola image, with the stylised 1920′s phonograph as their logo together with coffee blends such as Streamline Espresso, Empire Blend and their Deco Decaf. We were served the Stremline blend which had a luscious caramel aroma with juicy berry flavours ahead of toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate with a smooth buttery mouth-feel. It was a fantastic way to end our coffee explorations for the day.

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We couldn’t help but feel we’d been on a stylish caffeine time-warp, with each of the cafes we visited capturing an aesthetic element of post-modern style and working it into their cafe space with incredible finesse.

As we went off in search of liquids of a different genre, we were to soon realise that coffee isn’t the only beverage that Seattle is passionate about with possibly more independent boutique beer brewers than any other city on the planet. If you’re short for time, you can head downtown to the Tap House Grill – what it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in beer, with 160 beers on tap from all over the globe! Each with its own pull-handle, they line the long wall at the rear of the bar in an impressive display – order a selection of 6 sampler glasses to get into the spirit. For a more authentic Seattle ‘exbeerience’ we suggest you head to the little bar at the back of the Athenian Seafood Restaurant in the Pike Place Market. Famous for its ice-encrusted beer mugs, it’s a local haunt and  a great way to enjoy a seriously cold local brew.

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Next morning we awoke to a serious downpour with the forecast to be much the same for the remainder of the day, but that wasn’t about to dampen our spirits as we’d arranged an audience with royalty, coffee-royalty that is. David Schomer, world-renowned coffee luminary and another of Seattle’s eminent children, had invited us to meet with him for a coffee at Vivace Espresso Bar, his legendary East Broadway Ave cafe. As we entered, we were met by a busy congregation of coffee faithful, patiently awaiting their morning ritual served up from one of the three Synesso espresso machines on the counter. In fact, a chalk board sign above the counter implored you to look upon your coffee as a transcendent experience and savour it standing at the bar before its fragile flavours dissipate, such is the passion of the Master. The cafe itself is spacious with a very relaxed atmosphere. Its signature Italian style stand-up bar is tempered by plenty of small tables and chairs for those wishing to hang out a while. Dominating the space is a huge original artwork, ‘An Italian in Algiers’ by eclectic artist Kurt Wenner, which Schomer commissioned expressly for the cafe. David has contributed significantly to the pursuit of coffee perfection; for him, it’s an art-form in itself. He had just been cupping a new blend and we were fortunate enough to have David make us an espresso. The coffee was sweet and full -bodied with subtle floral notes and delicate berry flavours – a defining highlight of the trip, I wished I’d had the gumption to ask if he’d make us another!

With the threat of any further coffee destinations paling into insignificance we decided to put one more essential stop into our Seattle coffee quest, the famed Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Whilst not originally hailing from Seattle, it set up operations here in 2007, in addition to its Portland home base and has been accepted into the fold, for very good reason. Their cafe on 12 Ave is stunning with a Kees Van de Westen ‘Mirage‘ on the counter and a Poul Henningsen light shade hanging from the ceiling, it was clear we had entered a space dedicated, not only to coffee, but to coffee in style. As the rain continued to pour down outside, we were very happy to settle in and watch the rain drops cascade down the expansive windows as we sipped on yet another excellent coffee. Their house blend was a Latin American and East African blend with a nutty fragrance and smooth milk chocolate flavours; easy on the palate with a sweet finish.

Cafes are an integral part of life in Seattle with a true symbiosis between its people and its cafes. Cafes always provide a space to meet and talk but most notable in Seattle were the number of people purposefully seated alone, deeply engaged with their computer or working with papers strewn across a table top. There was no presumption, by either the cafe nor the people occupying its seats, of staying only for the time it took to consume food and drink. The cafe is considered an extension of the home or the office; a space for study, work, relaxation, even solitude amongst the buzz of others coming and going. And with that, the cafes shares in the sense of community, more than a business, it’s a way of life.

Given only two days to explore Seattle’s cafe offerings, we were feeling cheated as we returned downtown to grab a bite to eat before packing our bags in readiness for our departure. There was so much more to see, do and experience and we hadn’t nearly scraped the surface of the city’s coffee offerings. But we did feel that, in our short time, we’d experienced the essence of Seattle’s coffee culture. There was only one solution, we’d have to come back — it’s a city where you don’t have to go in search of a good coffee, it finds you and yes, it’s served with defining style.
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Writer and Photographer stayed at Hotel Andra

Stylish, urban and sophisticated, Hotel Andra’s design celebrates the strong elements of the Northwest – water, woods and stone – along with a Scandinavian design influence. Entering the hotel’s living room, guests are greeted by distressed plank floors with hand-knotted wool rugs, warm walls, and rich brown woods. Relax in style in one of the hot orange Arne Jacobsen ‘Swan’ chairs or let the cares of the day melt away as you sit by the magnificent fireplace, made of local split-grain granite, with floor to ceiling golden maple bookcases on either side.

The 119 guestrooms and suites are decorated in warm tones set-off with striking alpaca wool headboards, and warm minimalist dark wood furniture.  The bathrooms are Icelandic blue with FACE Stockholm bath products to complete the indulgence.
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Hotel Andra
2000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle  WA 98121
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We have recently concluded a coffee-hopping trip [including the erstwhile capital of modern world espresso - Seattle] and we now firmly believe that Melbourne takes its place – not just as Australia’s but pretty much the world’s, coffee capital – and as you’ve probably guessed, we don’t make that sort of statement lightly!

However, coffee has got to such a stage in Melbourne, that there may not be much further you can go with espresso. The ‘third wave’ in coffee has seen more emphasis on brewing with different methods – syphon, pour-over, chemex, french press and clover – to the extent that some roasts are optimised for these brewing methods & may actually not be quite so good for espresso… a quandary that probably no other city in Australia may be experiencing.

This leads us to a second point, this review was done on the basis of espresso coffee. Many of Melbourne’s top cafes & espresso bars are actively experimenting with the delicate intricacies of single origin coffees, which can be best explored by non-espresso brewing methods – syphon being foremost amongst these – hence perhaps, the absence of a couple of the better known ‘big names’ in this review… of course, the ultimate is both – great choice in syphon and the perfect espresso!!

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1. Proud Mary
172 Oxford Street
Collingwood

Still relatively new on the scene, and rated no. 5 in our Best Cafes of Melbourne last year, Nolan Hirte and the team at Proud Mary have continued to push the boundaries and the results are stunning. With their custom-made, 6-group Synesso purring like a stretch-limo on the counter, Proud Mary is full-throttle coffee at its very best. Now roasting off-site, they offer their own blends (in addition to 5 Senses) and single origins available from the Synesso but for the more fastidious coffee-connoisseur, or
those wanting to audition their taste-buds, Nolan also roasts more exclusive coffees especially for the syphon bar, clover and other slow brew methods.

Whilst one of the earliest protagonists of the 3rd wave, Nolan continues to maintain a strong focus on offering single origins and blends optimised for espresso as well as exploring nuanced roasting for alternative brewing. The Kenyan ‘Gethumbwini’ Peaberry was the show-stopper with a luscious citrus acidity, blackcurrant notes and a creamy mouthfeel… distinctive and delicious.

When it comes to commitment in everything they do and an enthusiasm to share their knowledge, Proud Mary gets the number 1 podium spot from us and exceeds the already lofty benchmark for coffee excellence in Melbourne.

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2. Dukes Coffee Roasters
169 Chapel Street
Windsor

There is a certain element of fate when it comes to opening up a new business, especially a cafe in the already over-caffeinated Melbourne. For owner Peter Frangoulis, Dukes is one of those places that was simply ‘meant to be’; originally the cafe was to be located at the Duke and Orr dock at South Wharf, giving rise to the name ‘Dukes’. Although securing the location fell through, Peter had already become attached to the name and so, launching forth in search of premises, as fate would have it they landed in Windsor, up the road from the Duke of Windsor Hotel and across the road from Duke Street.

Using only single estate or co-op beans, roasting is in-house with a 15kg Joper. They also roast smaller batches (on a US Roaster Corp 1lb sample roaster) which are used for filter coffees, Syphon and French Press. Their house espresso maintains a base of Brazilian natural processed coffee; when we visited it was blended with a high grade Kenyan, a single estate El Salvador and an Indonesian from Aceh – with a deliciously sweet choc-nut flavour and notes of caramel and spice, it packed a punch with a creamy finish leaving us wanting more; the Ethiopian Guji offered the aroma of jellybeans that gave way to flavours of tropical fruit and apricot acidity. The name was perhaps an omen – that it was meant to be – that was 2 years ago and today Dukes Coffee Roasters is a buzzing showcase of great coffee.

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3. Axil Coffee Roasters
322 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

In botanical terms, the axil of a plant is the point at which a leaf or stem springs out of the branch from which it grows. Perhaps, this also symbolises David Makin’s development and growth from the fold that is the Melbourne coffee scene. David (ex Australian Barista Champion and silver medalist in the 2008 World Barista Championships) along with his partner Zoe Delany, also a noted barista, have recently opened a showcase cafe at the roastery site on busy Burwood Road in Hawthorn.

Not one for hiding his light under the metaphorical bushel, David is often the one to greet you as you enter the cavernous warehouse cafe space – it’s bold, vast and strikingly decorated in black, definitely a statement by design. The botanical reference continues as the spacious seating area is separated from the ordering counter by a suspended trestle holding terracotta potted ferns. The single origin Tanzanian impressed the most – offering aromas of marzipan and almond, there was citrus acidity on first sip, with a delicious creamy mid-palate, good acidity at back of mouth and a nice silky finish. This is a hot house for coffee excellence and they demonstrate their passion for espresso with outstanding coffee and great service, and their almost
unheard-of leap directly to no. 3 position in Melbourne’s Best Cafes.

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4. Dead Man Espresso
35 Market Street
South Melbourne

Warm and inviting, with large windows and a stylish timber decor, this funky cafe seems somewhat at odds with its name. ‘Dead Man’ I’m told, is a reference to the gold rush times of the 1850’s when this area of South Melbourne was a dangerous place with men being murdered for their spoils. It is perhaps a reflection of the current dynamism of the Melbourne coffee scene that these guys, having only been open a little over a year, have already lost their tag of ‘new kids on the block’. With a little help from their friends [including chef Nitish Kissoondhery], owners Luke Mutton and his wife Kylie Mackinlay are using their considerable collective experience and putting it into a well crafted combination of food, ambience and of course, coffee.

Both former baristi, they have maintained a close association with Mark Dundon from St Ali days, so it’s not surprising that the coffee here is roasted by Seven Seeds. At the time of our visit, their house blend was comprised of Brazilian Fazenda Do Sertao pulped natural yellow bourbon, Fazenda Ambiental natural bourbon and a Colombian microlot Los Idaos – lovely almond tones with a caramel sweetness and a long chocolate finish.

We’d say it’s ‘to die for’ but we suspect they may be hoping you want to come back!

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5. Monk Bodhi Dharma
202 Carlisle Street
Balaclava

By repute, Bodhi Dharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century and is traditionally credited as the leading patriarch and transmitter of Zen, and if it wasn’t for the banging tunes coming from the Bose speakers you could be forgiven
for thinking that you’d entered into a temple – the contented cogniscenti happily gaze into their lattes, quietly contemplating the ‘god shot’ required to produce such an ethereal beverage.

Dark timbers and cosy tables further reinforce this image, as do the long haired, bearded baristi, circling silently behind the coffee machines – who are surely the prophets of the modern era. Certainly, it almost takes a pilgrimage just to find the place, hidden away as it is among the confines of a disused alley, but the faithful few are rewarded for their efforts with superbly crafted coffee, roasted mostly in-house.

We tried the Nicaruagan Cup of Excellence offering a nose of roasted figs, the palate syrupy with lemon and sour cherry flavours predominating. The house blend was rich and creamy with a nose of almonds, dates and sweet flavours of sticky date pudding on the palate. Zen and the art of coffee roasting.

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Our sincere thanks to our judges: Andreas Martinu, Patrick Sloane, Kris Wood & Mel Caia; for more on methodology & judges’ backgrounds go to the Forum

And the good news is this: from an espresso coffee point-of-view, the Brisbane espresso ‘scene’ rocks, supported by many enthusiastic young professionals eager to share their coffee knowledge and passion. One quick note: it’s not in necessarily in the CBD itself, but in the inner suburbs that you find the best coffee… suburbs like West End, New Farm, Spring Hill and even the formerly seedy Fortitude Valley!

Just a quick note on our methodology – as usual, we convened a panel of coffee professionals and serious consumer ‘geeks’ and over a period of several weeks, these judges tried a shortlist of highly respected cafes and then their results were averaged. While coffee from any one cafe varies slightly day-by-day and barista-by-barista, over the years, we have found this is the best way to get fair and objective ranking. That said, these are all excellent cafes and any one of them could be No. 1 on their day! When it comes to espresso coffee, Brisbane is a city that has truly come of age…

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1. Cup Specialty Coffee

85 Russell Street, West End 

Josh Russell’s place in trendy West End is spacious and cool, and just off the main road in West End, we found it an ideal location to sit back and savour our espresso. There was a funky La Marzocco on the bench, although it’s actually a temporary replacement for their pricy and rather famous [amongst the aficionados, at least] Slayer espresso machine.

The blend we tried was a combination of Indian Balmaadi, Indonesian Flores and washed Ethiopian Sidama – buttery, sweet, fruity bright [but smooth] acidity. Another on the panel described his coffee as a “well balanced cup with fruit on the nose, light yet syrupy mouth-feel, fruits in the front, spice in the middle and hints of savoury notes in the finish”.

Roasting his own origins & blends, they also have a 5 star blend that changes frequently, as it’s roasted and blended due to seasonal factors in specialty coffee. With a young, enthusiastic team behind the machine this is one of the coffee highlights of Brisbane, and should be on any espresso enthusiasts must-do list!

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2. Dandelion & Driftwood

Shop 1, 45 Gerler Road, Hendra

When you first walk in to Dandelion & Driftwood in Brisbane’s upmarket suburb of Hendra, you are struck by the almost equal dichotomy between the pretty interior decoration [some would call it 'fussy'] and the profusion of coffee-related paraphernalia around the walls.

Coffee is by Wolff Coffee Roasters, a new up-and-coming blend from Peter Wolff, one of Brisbane’s most experienced coffee people, and his partner Penny [owner of Dandelion & Driftwood] is an experienced coffee person in her own right, so it’s no wonder the coffee is good. The single origin we tried gave sweet citrus notes in the front, berry fruit and caramel in the middle palate, with a clean and pleasant finish. As well as espresso, they also have other brewing methods that you can try.

One of our reviewers felt the tight space was a little limiting, and you certainly wouldn’t want to come at lunchtime if you didn’t have a reservation. However, if you manage to come off-peak, you’ll find extremely knowledgeable staff and some of the best coffee in Australia.

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3.One Drop Specialty Coffee

5/515 St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley

There are two shiny, glass & mirror cafes at the bottom of an office block right next to the showgrounds in Fortitude Valley. One Drop is the second, owned by Ben Graham and Blaine Swanborough. As you walk in, the first thing you notice is the clean and tidy space with the shiny, white La Marzocco FB 70 on the bench.

As well as making great coffee, it’s a friendly cafe environment, offering good food and a pleasant atmosphere, if a little ‘plasticky’, because of the location. But the main thing is that staff are passionate about coffee and are missing that ‘attitude’ that some cafes who are serious about their coffee suffer from. They also make a point of remembering customers, and the coffee they like.

Offering a sweet, clean shot that had gentle body and dominant spices, the result was a little light on ‘mouthfeel’ but nevertheless pleasant in the cup. Overall One Drop offers a great coffee product, although some would feel that the location [and lack of parking] mean that it misses that special something in ambience that a truly great cafe would be able to offer. However as a coffee ‘destination’, it’s hard to beat!

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4. Campos Coffee

11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley

Walk up the laneway and you’re not quite sure what to expect… it’s almost a surprise to find a cafe amongst the smelly warehouses and fish market paraphernalia, but reach the end and there it is … a funky, busy cafe with two huge fan contraptions [complete with decorative monkey!] completing an interesting decor.

The Brisbane offshoot of a Sydney-based brand name, from a coffee point-of-view Campos offers a tried & true formula, typically serving a ‘punchy’ shot, perhaps lacking in subtlety for a short black, but tailor-made for milk-based coffees, with of course, their trademark rosetta.
On the day we called by, the espresso demonstrated a gentle acidity, a smooth body with just enough mouthfeel, lots of stone fruit and cheery with lovely cocoa on the finish. Serving good food and a consistent experience, it ticks all the boxes.

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5. Bunker

Railway Tce, Milton

Bunker has received a lot of exposure in the Brisbane press for its unique concept and it probably is unique, in that it’s a café inside a converted domestic garage, made of concrete [hence the name].

The interior space is covered with ivy and the La Marzocco coffee machine sitting on the bench is testament to their coffee credentials. It’s interesting to note that they make a point of making only ‘naked’ coffee  – ie using a naked portafilter [see Crema Winter 2007].

As one of our reviewers said: “the care taken can be tasted in the cup; cleanliness and brightness in the shot open up the palate for a rich fruit and caramel middle palate, with a slight sharpness in the finish”. The other point to mention is that it’s quite small with limited seating. An unusual spot with an unusual location, but certainly a place worth coming back to.

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Best Up & Coming

Corner Store Café

113 Sylvan Road, Toowong

Only recently opened on the corner Sylvan Road & Quinn St the interior retains part of the feel of an old corner store but that’s where the similarity ends. It has a beautifully renovated white tile bench with an open plan kitchen area and spacious outdoor terrace seating.

Their 3-group Synesso testament to their seriousness about coffee and we were offered a wel- balanced shot with heavy cocoa again and notes of caramel. There are few cafes which do great food as well as good coffee, and this is certainly one of them.

However in the last couple of years, that has changed and Melbourne is firmly re-established as the nation’s coffee capital! Some of the things that distinguish our top cafes are the same that we pointed out in our last ‘Best cafes of Sydney’ issue [Crema Summer 2009] – namely that our top cafes generally roast their own coffee and that they all have an uncompromising attitude towards freshness and coffee quality.

As these innovative purists continue to set the bar even higher, the coffee consumer and cafe patron are being educated, whether knowingly or not, as to how great their coffee experience can be.

Although it’s difficult to keep churning out great coffee time-after time, these cafes have a commitment to quality and a pursuit of excellence that makes it not just a possibility but a reality. This new breed of Melbourne cafes are riding the ‘wave’ and leave many of the old names in the dust, and we firmly believe they are the equal of any in the world – enjoy!

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1. Auction Rooms

103-107 Errol Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051

Tel: 03 9326 7749

Although Andrew Kelly at Auction Rooms comes across as being very laid-back, his relaxed attitude belies a serious commitment to high-quality coffee. One of a new breed of espresso purists he was  searching for opportunity  to open a cafe of his own and to find ways to ‘push the boundaries’ of espresso coffee.

After finding the site of Auction Rooms in early 2007 [in what at that stage was the 'sleepy hollow' of North Melbourne] he set about renovating and remodelling  the original old auction rooms into a light airy space reminiscent of ‘installation art’, using recycled materials wherever possible. This turned out to be a bigger task than he expected, but in April 2008 Auction Rooms was opened, and has never looked back. He has recently opened a roastery [just down the road] called ‘Small Batch’ which re-inforces his roasting ethos of taking extreme care over roasting small lots of exceptional coffee.

Examples include ‘Cup of Excellence’ coffees such as Lot 21 Helcio Carneiro Pinto Junior – Sitio Monte Verde from Brazil and Nicaraguan Lot 19 Esperanza del Carmen Tercero Monca – La Esperanza, which will be arriving in the country late July. These to complement fine ‘regular’ origins such as Ecuador El Guabo -Teofilo Jimenez Microlot and Costa Rica Lourdes de Naranjo – Finca Genesis. You might at first think that a cafe that prides itself on excellent coffee couldn’t possibly do great food as well, but Auction Rooms cracks this pre-conception wide open. Superb.

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2. Maling Room

206 Canterbury Rd (Cnr Maling and Canterbury Rds)
Canterbury VIC 3126
Tel: 03 9836 9889

We’ve rated Maling Room very highly for a number of years, more for its coffee than its food, although its breakfast menu is also highly creditable. Housed in a former post office, The Maling Room has played a significant role in developing  specialty coffee as it is in Melbourne today. Roasting on-site on a 5kg Renegade roaster, using a pair of Synesso espresso machines and an original 1957 Faema lever, an ever changing offering of single origins are served alongside a seasonal house blend which are all available to take home.
With its recent participation in a group buy of a Nicaraguan Cup of Excellence lot, barista competition involvement and their continued passion for specialty coffee, The Maling Room will be shaping Melbourne’s coffee landscape for years to come.

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3. Market Lane

Shop 13 Prahran Market
163 Commercial Road
South Yarra VIC 3141

Tel:  03 9804 7434

Few cafes can legitimately lay claim to being at the cutting edge of Melbourne’s coffee evolution but Market Lane is a genuine contender.

Perched on the ‘edge’ of the Prahran Market precinct, they have a focus on alternative preparation techniques such as ceramic pour-over, and a keen eye for sourcing and roasting enticing beans. Recent examples on the menu include Carmo Estate from Brazil – with notes of blackcurrant and cocoa and Kenyan Mbee – sweet and complex, with notes of passionfruit, vanilla and rose hip tea. They also do 10.00am cuppings for enthusiasts.

Head barista and co-owner Jason Scheltus heads up an impressive team that includes co-owner Fleur Studd (Melbourne Coffee Merchants), and recent recruit Toshiyuki Ishiwata (Toshi), arguably one of the country’s finest roasters. Highly recommended.

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4. Seven Seeds

106 – 114 Berkeley St
Carlton VIC 3053

Tel:(03) 9347 8664

Mark Dundon’s latest effort brings new life to the warehouses of inner Carlton. Behind a slightly unprepossessing exterior lies a stylised and slightly cavernous cafe space, with the roastery visible through viewing windows out the back. The decor is quite striking, with a bare, almost minimalist effect  and metal chairs and military stencilled cutlery boxes giving unique utilitarian undertones. There’s nothing utilitarian about the coffee though, which like the simple but delicious food, is of a high standard.

With a selection of single origin and blends to chose from, the Rwandan Musasa had a juicy fruity acidity, a round, low body with a lovely aftertaste, while the flat white [Seven Seeds blend] enjoyed a velvety mouth feel with a full bodied flavour, hints of chocolate and nuts, a soft finish and a dark crema. After hugely successful achievements in the Melbourne cafe scene [most recently Brother Baba Budan and St Ali] Mark’s latest venture doesn’t disappoint.

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5. Proud Mary

172 Oxford Street
Collingwood VIC 3066

Tel: 03 9417 5930

One of Melbourne’s newest specialty coffee destinations, owner Nolan Hirte has expanded on what he began at Liar Liar to make his new cafe a benchmark for others.

Greeted by the world’s only 6 group Synesso you would expect espresso to be the main focus at Proud Mary. But you will soon discover a Clover machine, syphon bar and an Über boiler used for the several other filter brewing methods available. This sort of range of coffee offerings gives customers a breadth of coffee experience and an education for the coffee palate like no other.

A range of single origins are on offer and roasted in house by Nolan on a 1kg Giesen roaster with blends roasted by Five Senses. These guys just seem to nail it time after time and are poised once again to leap to the forefront of coffee excellence.

by Emily Oak, Director, WBC and AIR Training & Development Manager

From June 23-25th at Olympia, in Kensington London, the world’s best baristas and coffee professionals gathered together under one roof to celebrate all facets of the specialty industry. Baristas from more than 50 countries represented their individual nations competing against each other in a bid to win the global title.
This year was fresh and even more interesting for two main reasons. Firstly, it was the first time a semi final round was introduced into the competition. This added a layer of complexity and difficulty for competitors and judges. Secondly, there were more than 15 second or third time champions competing. This mean the standard of performance was higher than it has ever been before. Australia’s reining Barista Champion Scottie Callaghan, (who was also World Latte Art Champion 2006 and Australian Barista Champion 2007) put in a solid performance, making it through both the preliminary and semi final rounds to the final of the championship, no easy task at all. Scott came away with the third place trophy, making him the third best barista in the world. Combined with the efforts of the rest of ‘Team Australia’ competing in a whole range of competitions (Latte Art, Good Spirits and Cup Tasting) Scott’s placing helped secure the overall team trophy for Australia…. Well Done!

by David Schomer

Often during my twenty years spent in hot pursuit of this elusive espresso, I have come back to the words of Piero Bambi, the owner of LaMarzocco espresso machines: ‘In espresso we are trying to preserve the fragrance through the brewing process’. And really, isn’t that what anyone wants from coffee, to taste as good as it smells?  But to achieve this is to control several complex factors from the green bean selection, roasting, and blending to the sensuous performance art of brewing and pouring. Let’s follow our barista as she performs her graceful dance to lure this delicate beauty into a cup. It starts when she (we are tagging along with Linda Cleckler) hits the button on the grinder. Heavy conical upper burrs pull the beans down, compressing them until they shatter into smaller fragments to enter the flat burrs, to be sheared into the final grind…  
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Seventeen grams of the fluff exits the edges of the flat burrs and drops into a chute along the sides of the grinding head. A whirling brass paddle smashes into the coffee, whisking it on a furious circular journey at about 450 rpm until it is forced out a square portal to tumble into the dosing hopper. After grinding, this is the first real assault on our sweet coffee – the impeller smashing it into lumps, bruising the lipids and destroying a little of the fragrance. 

Linda begins flapping the vestigial Italian dosing lever and in little pie-shaped chambers the coffee advances towards an aperture in the floor of the hopper to drop into her coffee basket. For the Italians, one pull on the lever gives a single shot, two pulls delivers a double dose of ground coffee. I describe it as a vestige because we grind only by the cup and achieve portion measurement with a timer. The Italian dosing hopper is also somewhat of an air and coffee mixing machine, and oxidation claims a bit more flavor. But these flavors do not go quietly into that good night: oxidation, literally the bonding of an oxygen molecule on the molecular structure of the aromatic compound, creates a sour/astringent flavor, and aggressively degrades the sugars and aromatic oils in the cup. Because of the short, pressurized percolation cycle of around 25 seconds, the final consistency of the ground coffee is critical to achieve crema, and preserve the full amount of fragrance the bean has to offer.

 The flat burrs shear the bean into a complex consistency that looks like snowflakes under a microscope. To accomplish this the flat burrs must remain very sharp and require changing every 500 pounds. The goal of the grind is to achieve the highest surface area of exposed aromatic oils, lipids and sugars to be transported quickly by the brewing water into your cup. The rapid percolation cycle and pressure are the unique characteristics of the espresso method that allow us to preserve the most delicate fragrance through the brewing process. With such a short brewing cycle, the grinder is the critical machine to preserve the highest percentage of the fragrance per gram of coffee used. However, the espresso machine is ultimately responsible for the integrity of that fragrance – in other words how closely the flavor resembles the fragrance.

Linda, of course has infinite capacity to destroy the coffee as she doses, packs and locks the porta-filter into the group head of the machine. Or, with finesse and skill (which is the case here), she can be the maestro that brings the entire symphony together. A great barista takes years to master the nuance of temperature control, particle distribution and packing, the espresso flow rate and the cleaning regime to make a distinctively superior espresso. She is in her fourteenth year as a pro barista.

In Trieste, Sergio Michael of Illy Caffe told me they consider the ‘miscela, mano e macchina’ or the blend, the barista and the machine, as equally balanced  factors to create (or destroy) a fine espresso. It was during my visit to Illy in 1989 that I truly fell in love with the sweet Northern Italian espresso roast, a roast simply referred to at Illy Caffe as “normale”. So, before she hits the brewing switch let’s talk about the roasting of coffee for espresso.

The picture shows three roasts with the darkest being found in Naples, located in the southern half of Italy. The medium roast is representative of coffee found in Florence and the Central Italian style, and the Northern Italian roast might be found in a typical espresso bar in Milan. 

Roasting is a Maillard reaction (so named after the French chemist Luis-Camille Maillard, credited with classifying this class of reactions in 1912) and produces CO2, caramelized sugars and heat in the final stages.  Darker roasts than the Naples example in my opinion are outside of our consideration for the caffe espresso method. The carbonization of sugars makes a pronounced bitterness in the espresso in very dark roasts. Again we go back to the simple essence – just smell the coffee and it is very apparent what its flavor potential is (if it smells like burnt rubber perhaps it is not so sweet).

The Italian lore acknowledges that as you travel south the roast deepens from Northern Italian and begins to become darker in color. As the final color becomes darker, acidity decreases, while bitterness increases in the final cup. I would add a corollary to that maxim: the darker that you roast the more consistency that can be achieved in the flavor of the espresso. The most difficult roast to brew consistently is of course, the sweetest, fresh Northern Italian roast. Darker roasts are achieved by stopping the roasting process at a higher temperature where complex sugars and aromatic oils carbonize. If you go very dark, 100% of the fragrance has burned up and these molecules are very stable. This results in an easily repeatable, but fantastically bitter espresso coffee in the cup (hmmm… I suppose, if we added enough milk and sugar…)!

I have chosen the Northern Italian style for Vivace because it is roasted just to the peak of caramelized sugar content, and quickly cooled. (Forceful cooling is essential or the beans will continue roasting without added heat and left unchecked can actually result in the coffee catching fire in the roaster). But the sweet roast demands the very highest attention from the barista and roaster because of the very high concentration of sugars and aromatic oils, which are the fragrant molecules that are the most volatile. The fragrance is an earthy caramel with a slight toast/leather note and traces of dark chocolate and blueberry.

Oxidation, incorrect brewing water temperature, an incorrect flow rate or a dirty machine are going to cause the most noticeable deterioration in this style of roast compared to Central or Southern Italian roasts. For the restaurant owner I recommend the Central Italian degree of roasting as a good compromise between sweetness and volatility. The sweet roast will drive you and your staff nuts… I promise. Once roasted, coffee should be stored in a cool dark place and is best on days four through eight after roasting. Any artisan roaster worth considering will put the roasting date on the package.

Back to Linda, and our perfectly ground, dosed, and packed fresh coffee, as she turns on the brewing switch in the espresso machine. Her action opens a solenoid valve and turns on a rotary pump at the same time. Water held at 203 degrees F. surges against a 0.6mm carburetor jet placed inside the water line right above the group head. The machine engineers have chosen the faintly suggestive term “gigueler orifice” to refer to this important restrictor in the flow of water to the coffee. The purpose of this is to create a chamber between the tiny pin point, madly shooting hot water, and the surface of the coffee bed. This pre-infuses the coffee with brewing water because it takes between one and two seconds before the chamber between the coffee bed and the jet fills, and the coffee feels the full pressure. The gradual build up of pressure prevents pressurized water from fragmenting the top of the coffee, and loosens up the flavors in the top layer of the packed coffee. The whole cycle takes about two seconds.

Linda has started steaming the milk, first stretching to add air, then submerging the steam tip and locking into her whirlpool to create the chiffon texture. In seconds two through eight, the water rapidly percolates evenly through the cake under 125 pounds of force. Inside the pressurized chamber, caramelized sugars, lipids, and hundreds of varieties of fragrant molecules are trapped in dense foam – the crema, and quickly transported into your cup. The speed, and the cradling of the volatile oils in the crema, is responsible for the espresso method offering a flavor/aroma experience that has the highest fidelity to the true fragrance of the roast.  Longer saturation methods, such as French Press or Clover, will never preserve the finest flavors the coffee has within it.

During seconds eight through twenty three, the beautiful red-brown crema oozes into the cup. The total volume of our shot, made from 17 grams of coffee, is less than two ounces. The shot is usually brewed into the porcelain cup it will be served in to avoid losing crema by transferring from a shot glass into a cup. Linda turns off the pump. If her milk is not ready to pour she adds a bit of “saver milk” to preserve the crema. Crema is a polyphasic, colloidal foam according to Dr. Petracco of Illy Caffe. Polyphasic, because it is changing very rapidly in your cup, colloidal because there are particles suspended in liquid, and foam of course is gas suspended in liquid. Within moments of brewing the dissipating crema can release much of the more noble flavors and begins to lose the satin-like mouth feel.  

It is carbon dioxide that makes the foam in espresso (remember your Maillard reaction). The particles in espresso are tiny bean fragments and microscopic droplets of the oils. These are the real tasty bits. The aromatic oils are too numerous and fragile to measure. The latest attempts by Italian chemists put the number of distinct compounds between 250 and 800; for a complete analysis I recommend the ‘Chemistry of Quality’ by Andrej Illy). When perfectly fresh, the crema creates a downy-silk mouth feel and harbors the sugars and aromatic oils for just a moment, to be savored before burning up through exposure to air. After the aromatic oils, sugars and gas, crema is also composed of water. It is worthwhile to step back and consider water. 

In Seattle, our water usually has around 50 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS) You can think of TDS as mineral content, also referred to as hardness. Seattle, with fresh mountain run-off as a water source has very soft water. A little more hardness, right around 150 ppm of TDS, will give espresso, or brewed coffee, more depth of flavor and a deeper development of distinct varietal flavors, such as dark chocolate and blueberry notes present in a fine Ethiopian Harrar. This ‘tuned’ water will also remove a persistent, slight metallic note in the coffee. This water also has a very similar effect on the finest maccha. Maccha is green tea made only from the highest grade, shade grown ‘baby’ tea leaves, and is prepared with a whisk in a very strong concentration. Espresso can be compared to Macccha for its body and mouth feel combined with a very concentrated flavor.

The Persistence of Crema

One great joke on Vivace has emerged from our twenty years of efforts to perfect caffe espresso: the more caramelized sugars we preserved through brewing, the more fragile and delicate our crema became. It seems that sugars have a damaging effect on surfactant molecules responsible for foam. Crema used to last much longer on top of the shot than it does now.  I would welcome collaboration with a food scientist to explore this problem. Linda is finished steaming just as the shot is ready. This timing gives us what we call high definition foam for very sharp latte art. For best mouth-feel we steam first and swirl the pitcher as the shot comes out. The milk will take on sheen like white chrome and the mouth feel takes on a more velvety texture. She is ready to pour.

She pours with total focus. Starting out she tilts the cup and positions her pitcher right on the rim of the cup. She pours close to the surface of the coffee and with a slow flow rate of milk from the pitcher.  The idea is not to disturb the crema in the beginning of the pour. When the cup is about half way full she pulls the pitcher back, always pouring, and it sways like the head of the cobra looking to strike. Then, she strikes…sweeping the pitcher back towards the surface of the coffee she also begins pouring milk faster. The pouring speed combined with the sudden motion creates a current within the cup that speeds to the back and splits, sending the flow back along each side of the cup towards her hand.

Into this current she casts ribbons of milk with a gentle undulation of the pitcher. The white ribbons flow to the back of the cup and are swept back up each side towards her hand. With great artistry she creates the shapes she desires and then when the cup is full the flow rate of the milk is reduced to create a pencil point. This is the “scribe” used to draw the stem, or the split in the heart. At best the latte art captures the flow of milk and espresso combining in a still image. They are beautifully impermanent; the instant it is poured the foam begins to coalesce, slowly losing mouth-feel and sheen… Hopefully the customer enjoys it at its peak.  Then, the dance begins again.

Author David Schomer is the co-owner of Seattle’s Espresso Vivace.  For more info. please visit www.espressovivace.com

The First of our Series, Profiling the Outstanding Figures of the Coffee World

Coffee ‘cupping’ is the tasting of coffee to uncover the coffee’s unique profile. And in the rarified world of cupping, there are few who can rival Ken Davids for experience or expertise. Originally an academic and writer, Ken Davids has grown to be recognized as one of the coffee world’s pre-eminent figures. He has a consultancy business in the US and a number of highly regarded books on coffee to his credit. He is also a sought-after speaker at coffee conferences and seminars worldwide.

 Crema: For many years you were an academic – the dean of a large art and design college and a tenured Professor. What prompted your change from academic pursuits to coffee?

 KD: For me, being wrapped up purely in a teaching environment has always seemed a bit too removed from the practical excitement of business. But combining the business of consulting with the contemplation of writing and reviewing is the perfect balance, particularly when the subject is as absorbing as coffee. I enjoy the struggle of honorably combining ideas, words and cultural judgments with the most primitive of acts, smelling and tasting something.

 Crema: When did you write your first coffee book?

 KD: I first published Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing & Enjoying back in 1975 – it was something of a break-through book. Then, after specialty coffee started to take off in the US about twenty years ago, I published two more books (Espresso: Ultimate Coffee and Home Coffee Roasting: Romance & Revival), started reviewing coffees, and began my consulting business. In the process I gradually stopped being an academic and started being a full-time coffee guy.

 Crema: What do you find most interesting in the world of coffee?

 KD: Coffee arguably is the most complex of all commonly consumed beverages and the most challenging to master and understand. Many more substances contribute to the aroma and flavor of coffee than contribute to the aroma and flavor of wine, for example. And coffee is a much more global and interactive beverage than wine. A good wine changes only gradually once it is bottled, whereas coffee is first created and then completely transformed by four different parties at four different points in its journey from seed to cup. First someone chooses which seeds to plant where and nurtures the trees, then someone harvests the coffee and performs the tremendously expressive and crucial acts of fruit removal and drying, then someone else again roasts it, and finally someone, often the consumer, brews it. Coffee continues to transform even after brewing, as it cools.

 Crema: What were some of your most interesting experiences travelling for coffee?

 KD: Certainly the most transformative experience was meeting my future wife Iara in Brazil. Beyond that, I certainly have had my share of coffee experiences both exotic and moving. One of the most memorable was visiting the original port of Mocha or Al Mukhā in Yemen. As most coffee lovers know, all of the commercially traded coffee in the world was grown in Yemen and the majority of it shipped through the port of Al Mukhā for over 150 years, between around 1600 and 1750

If I had to pick a second experience it would be sitting in on my first genuine village coffee ceremony in Ethiopia. The depth of continuous and indigenous coffee culture in Ethiopia is incredibly dramatic, dignified and fluent. And, despite the poverty of the villagers, the Yirgacheffe region in Ethiopia is almost Eden-like in its intimate, rolling green fecundity and tidy gardens of interplanted coffee and food and fruit trees. But I have had great moments everywhere in the coffee world. Being greeted by mountain villagers in Papua New Guinea with their extravagant and inventive sculptured poles and banners and feathered costumes would rank up near the top as well. 

 Crema: What is the most important trend going on in the world of coffee today, in your view?

 KD: Simply the explosion of knowledge and the globalization of that knowledge. Although we are at the very beginning of the development of coffee as a genuine specialty beverage with a knowledge base comparable to wine, we are at least sneaking up on that goal. Until recently all of the research money for coffee seemed to go into either increasing commodity yield and commodity consistency at origin or saving pennies on commodity roasting and packaging, but now at least some of those resources are being directed at achieving genuine product differentiation through botanical variety and processing nuance. Eventually we may begin to understand how to create not only great coffees, but distinctive coffees that reflect the individual tastes of a new generation of growers, exporters, roasters and aficionado consumers.

Crema: What keeps you going?

 KD: All of the above. Everything about coffee, from the caffeine to the challenge of keeping up with new technical developments, tends to keep me feeling young.

This is an edited extract - you can read the complete interview to be published in our next issue of Crema Magazine, available in December.