Journal

As a consequence of the ongoing omnishambles that we’ve all been enduring, for the first time, the 2021 Australian AeroPress Championship will take place in absentia*.  As much as we’d love to have already seen the back of the hot mess that’s consumed the last two years or so, planning in-person, interstate events that are open to spectators just isn’t quite within reach. But instead of binning the whole competition this year, we’re determined to still give Australian competitors the opportunity to take part -- they just need to stay home to do so.In total, we’ll have just 27 competitor...

New coffee releases are not rare, but every so often, one really stands out. This season, it's Thunguri. Some of what makes Thunguri special is personal, but a lot of it isn't. While my connection to the name, the place, and the coffee runs deep, it's OK that yours may not. We can change that, and it can start today. Thunguri is one of the first coffee washing stations I visited as a fledgling buyer about eight years ago. As a barista from Melbourne, living and working in London, it was on this first trip Kenyan and Ethiopia that I...

There's no denying that life in Melbourne and across the rest of the country is challenging right now. While we're feeling the pinch of rolling lockdowns as much as everyone else, we're also choosing to focus just a sliver of our energy and attention onto the silver linings. (They're there, if you look hard enough.) Following closely on from family, health, and all the usual suspects, we're also listing 'fresh crop East African coffees' highly on our August list of 'Things to be thankful for'. To recognise these arrivals — and for a most welcome change of pace — we've put...

* NB: This position is now filled * We're looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our small team as a barista. The role involves serving customers at our Roastery & Coffeebar, making coffee drinks to a high standard, restocking and general cleaning, and lending a hand to roastery tasks. Beyond this, we're looking for someone who'll bring their experience and initiative to help shape our fledgling coffeebar into a welcoming and engaging destination. There's a huge opportunity to learn more about sourcing and roasting coffee, and for the right candidate, the potential for ongoing career development. The ideal candidate...

Allow me to park the guarded copy writing style for a moment and shoot from the hip — as if the first four lockdowns weren't bad enough, there's no denying that this 5th iteration sucks beyond belief. But look on the bright side we must, and thankfully there's a slew of fresh coffees arriving from East Africa, just in time to lift lockdown spirits — principally mine, but I'm hoping yours as well.Every year, coffee lovers around the world look forward to the arrival of fresh east African coffees and despite having a few seasons under my belt now, I'm...