Tabla de contenidos para August 2020 en BeanScene

CUP OF EXCELLENCE CARRIES ON AND BREAKS RECORDS DESPITE COVID-19 COVID-19 has halted most international travel, but Cup of Excellence (COE) has continued to recognise the excellent work of producers at origin. The June auction of the inaugural Ethiopian Cup of Excellence broke records, with total sales of US$1,348,690 (almost $2 million) topping the previous record of US$830,245 from El Salvador in 2011. The El Salvador auction had 42 lots for sale, while the COE Ethiopia auction included only 28, achieving a record-high average price of US$28 per pound. The top-scoring coffee in the competition sold at US$185.10 per pound, or about $594 per kilogram. COE organiser, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), says this is the highest price ever recorded for an Ethiopian coffee. Its producer, Nigusie Gemeda of…

Most coffee lovers can attest to one unforgettable coffee experience. For some, it’s the time they tasted their first Geisha or a winning Cup of Excellence coffee, and for others like chef Shane Delia, it’s a memory tied to a location and a point in time. “After filming a TV segment in Istanbul, I had the last day to explore the city. I started the day with a walk through the city streets. Then I went to a barber, had a shave, went for lunch, walked through the markets, and watched the sun go down. When it does, the light shoots through the city and creates beautiful shadows,” Shane recalls. “In that exact moment, I came across a little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop called Mandabatmaz, located off the main Istiklal Street.…

Australia is full of unique and interesting animals that are unlike anything else in the world. From the platypus to the echidna and the quokka to the cassowary, these curious critters are what spring to mind for many foreigners at the mention of Australia (after the coffee quality… and the death-eating sharks, snakes and spiders). But there is one Aussie animal more iconic than any other, and that is, of course, the kangaroo. The kangaroo is a symbol of Australia, popping up on the coat of arms, as sporting teams’ mascots, and is even used on the ‘Australian Made’ logo. A big part of why it has been so embraced as a symbol of this country is the kangaroo’s unique and easily recognisable features. The long feet and tail, shorter…

Kieran Westlake is the current President, past Treasurer, and past Vice-President of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA), Australia’s peak industry body dedicated to promoting and growing the specialty coffee industry. In his role, Kieran is excited to create opportunities and pathways for ASCA members. He is also a member of the Specialty Coffee Association and a certified food service professional. Jared Chapman is the Group Customer Manager at Suntory Coffee. He has an extensive background in coffee, training, and consulting, working with cafés of all shapes and sizes, from independent cafés to corporate coffee chains. Jared’s passion is sharing this experience to help others in the industry run their businesses successfully. Rawirat Techasitthanet, also known as Jibbi Little, is originally from Thailand and lives in Sydney, Australia. She is…

FIORENZATO F83E XGI The Fiorenzato F83E XGi grind-by-weight grinder features patented technology that dispenses coffee calculated in grams instead of seconds. Guaranteeing precision dose and avoiding waste, an algorithm constantly monitors each shot to ensure accuracy and consistency. A touchscreen with CapSense technology displays statistical data, blades replacement hours, percentage of humidity in the air, and ambient café temperature. The grinder also features continuous micrometric grinding adjustment, low service requirements, easy programming, removeable chute and hands-free fork. The grinder is fitted with 83-millimetre Red Speed flat blades. Twice as hard as titanium, this extends grinding life and is far more resistant to heat, producing uniform grinds resulting in a rich taste with improved flavour profiles. A robust and reliable grinder, the F83E XGi is a must for medium-to-high-volume cafés. Coffee Machine…

Almost a millennium before millennials walked the Earth, almond milk became popular in the 1100s as a non-animal food substitute during Lent. In the Middle Ages, many turned to it as a healthy and longer-lasting alternative to dairy. While times have changed, The Alternative Dairy Co Café Trade Marketing Manager Marcus Fehlberg says the recent uptake of almond and other plant-based milks is for the same reasons. “There’s two reasons plant-based milks are becoming more prevalent again. There’s the health and lifestyle benefits, and the other is that they’re better for the environment,” Marcus says. The Alternative Dairy Co first introduced its soy and almond barista milks to the coffee industry in 2018, with its flagship Barista Oat Milk following in 2019. Marcus says the success of the oat milk…

When Probat Shop Roaster Trainer Daniela Nowitzki first learned how to roast, all she had was a timer and temperature probe. All measurements were written on paper. It was challenging to reproduce a roast accurately, some may even say it involved luck. However, fast forward 20 years and roasters can easily get the results they’re after thanks to advanced technology and sophisticated visual cues. “Roaster needs have changed, technology has changed, but our desire for consistent and reproducible roasts remains the same throughout the world,” Daniela says. German roaster manufacturer Probat has pioneered such solutions in its industrial range since 1868. However, since 2008, Probat’s shop roasters have embraced the same world-renowned standards of technology, starting with the Probatone series. In 2012, it was updated to the Probatone II series, and…

If there’s anything we’ve learnt over the past five months in lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions, it’s that we can’t live without our office coffee. I know many of our customers in rural and suburban areas have thrived to an extent, with takeaway sales high and retail coffee beans flying out the door to accommodate coffee lovers suddenly all at home. Australians are strong espresso-based coffee drinkers, with many people splurging on high-end domestic machines to ensure their tastebuds don’t suffer from the lockdown, but there’s another type of coffee that’s seen a resurgence, and that’s filter. I’ve seen family and friends dust off their stove tops from their cupboards, or bring out the French press or plunger, and truth be known, they do the job. For some, a delicious black…

With the rollercoaster ride that 2020 has been (and continues to be), many café owners are turning their attention to how to navigate reopening or refocusing. While many people have been quick to adopt a relative sense of normality, it is no surprise that many others are still quite nervous about venturing out to their local restaurant or café. It is likely that some of your staff may be feeling the same way, even if they haven’t mentioned it to you. As a business owner, the most important thing you can do is have a strong and clear plan for how you are going to operate in this new reality. A good place to start is checking out health.gov.au as well as your state government website. Not only do they…

At time of writing, a return to stage three restrictions in Melbourne has returned many businesses and individuals into a state of uncertainty, while the rest of the country is starting to open back up to domestic tourism. We all remember how difficult the first few weeks of these restrictions were for us across the country. Hopefully, this sacrifice by the Victorian community will be successful, prevent further lockdowns in other regions, and enable the full Australian community to be on the road to recovery leading into summer holidays. However, despite the gloom, I personally remain positive for our members and our communities at large. Throughout this pandemic, I’ve been blown away by the compassion of our industry and members. Despite their own struggles, people and businesses have done what…

My weekly shop to Coles supermarket is a new outing I enjoy. Wearing masks and gloves, I zig zag my way through the aisles, keeping my head down and eyes firmly on the prize – the must-have items I ‘really’ need: eggs, butter, milk, chocolate. But a visit to aisle six sent me into an Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole experience and I stayed for a good 15 minutes. For the first time, I paid attention to the coffee options. The variety was so extensive I had to triple check I wasn’t in the confectionery aisle. They had everything from St Remio to Urban Coffee Culture, and dc Specialty Coffee to Daley St. If I had gone into Woolies I would have seen Campos’ Superior blend staring back at me.…

Giancarlo Giusti knows Lygon Street in Melbourne like the back of his hand. It’s the street he lived in, the street he opened his first coffee shop in, and the street he continues to frequent every single day. “This street is a part of my history and my heart,” Giancarlo Giusti tells BeanScene. “I come to Lygon Street every day for a coffee. The people in these streets are my friends. I still see old customers and I know everybody, and everybody knows me.” He’s not wrong. On meeting the 89-year-old down Lygon Street, dressed impeccably with a farmer’s flap cap, Giancarlo walks into one of the street’s iconic Italian coffee shops, waving at the baristas. He charms the waitress and two espressos arrive promptly for “Signor Giusti”. “I’m Italian,…

‘Specialty’ is well and truly entrenched in the Australian coffee culture. It is the domain of independent cafés, restaurants and bakeries across the country. Even fast food and convenience stores are said to serve coffee a cut above the rest of the world. But there is one market that, until recently, seemingly missed the third wave, and a ‘super’ one at that. Steve Wrightson, Sales Director for Suntory Coffee Australia and New Zealand, tells BeanScene that supermarket chains are looking at how they can accelerate sales by providing their customers with café-quality fresh coffee. “We’re seeing a lot of interesting plays and exciting news in the supermarket aisle. First, Starbucks launched its capsule range which created a lot of buzz, and now, we’re even seeing premium café brands enter the…

To complement the Junior, every filter machine needs tasty beans and we at Service Sphere have launched an online platform called Bean Bottega to unite Australian coffee roasters in a one-stop-shop for consumers to purchase their coffee products. This is a great opportunity for roasters to reach consumers who still demand top-quality coffee while isolating and working from home. We want to showcase the best of Australia’s coffee roasters in one platform, have the coffee community come together, and support each other to create the Dan Murphy equivalent of coffee. Coffee lovers won’t have to go to different stores or websites to try different coffee. The concept will open consumer minds to different roasting styles and flavour profiles, so the more roasters that sign up, the better it will be…

It was wonderful to see Melbourne streets animated again with people enjoying sit-down brunches, albeit shortly lived. However, as cafés reopen around the country, baristas and managers may find themselves evaluating how to maximise their roasted coffee bean supplies. Rapidly changing consumption volumes over the last couple of months has potentially meant that some coffee has been sitting on shelves longer than usual. But is it still fit to serve, and how can we keep coffee fresh for longer? First, let’s look at what happens to coffee once it’s been roasted. Coffee roasting creates more than 800 compounds, nearly 300 of which are important aromatic compounds. These compounds are key indicators of freshness but are easily lost to diffusion. Apart from this radical change in the chemical composition, physical changes…

Back in 2016, the hashtag #ShesTheRoaster was born, highlighting women in coffee who are setting examples for others trying to advance in the industry. More recently, a throw away comment of “there aren’t many female roasters in New Zealand” had us thinking: “How many ladies are out there roasting?” We asked the community to point us in the direction of any female roasters they knew, and we were introduced to many amazing women. The number surprised us. There are at least 30 women roasting, one company had six, operating one-kilogram sample roasters through to behemoth 240-kilogram models. This potentially represents 10 to 15 per cent of the coffee companies in our small land. With these ladies forging a path though, we hope this number will swell. More interesting was who…