Table of contents for Auugust 2019 in BeanScene

Takumi Sakamoto of Deluca Coffee has won the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) 2019 AMC Australian Coffee Roasting Championship, held at Criteria Coffee in Port Melbourne, Victoria in late May. Pat Connolly of Genovese Coffee placed second and Daniel Shadbolt of Veneziano Coffee Roasters placed third in the competition. “I’ve been roasting for six or seven years and never entered any competitions... I just can’t believe I won,” Takumi tells BeanScene. “I had no idea what to expect. To win in roasting is an amazing feeling, especially in Australia, one of the ‘coffee capitals of the world’.” Takumi roasted in a smaller one-kilogram batch so more hot air would fill the drum, maximising its convection power. “I made sure I got the best tasting coffee in a cupping format. If I was to roast for milk,…

NEXUS ONE Aremde is proud to announce the Nexus One, a breakthrough commercial espresso machine for the global specialty coffee market. Designed in the Netherlands and engineered in Australia, the Nexus One sets a new standard in commercial coffee machines. Based on the principle “less machine, more experience”, its body is opened up in order for baristas to truly engage with their customers in contrast to the traditional, closed “wall of metal” machines. Nexus One integrates weight-based extraction to ensure the perfect brew ratio is achieved every time. One digital display presents all essential parameters. Ergonomic buttons are designed to be simple and smart in order to give baristas unparalleled freedom to connect with customers and showcase their art and skill. For more information, visit www.aremde.com.au LELIT GIULIETTA Lelit has…

At less than a century old, Zambia’s coffee producing industry is one of the youngest in the world. With its first coffee trees planted in the 1940s, local farmers are happy to share with visitors the folklore of how coffee was introduced to the country. “The unofficial story of coffee in Zambia, as told by locals, is that a British explorer crashed his plane in Zambia and was nursed back to health by a local nurse. They fell in love and he ended up staying, started a coffee farm, and never left,” says Jonathan Goldthorpe, Coffee Specialist at SoCo Roasters. “Google has different ideas, but I’m more inclined to trust the locals.” SoCo Roasters, which made its public debut at the 2019 Melbourne International Coffee Expo, uses a Zambian coffee – sourced through…

Dan Fellows 2019 WORLD COFFEE IN GOOD SPIRITS CHAMPION After winning the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship (WCiGS) in Brazil 2018, Dan Fellows was already developing his WCiGS routine for 2019 in Berlin, Germany. “After winning in 2018, I already knew what I wanted to present in the 2019 routine. I was immensely proud and excited by the concept,” says Dan. “Almost everyone has asked me why I would take such a huge risk and enter a world championship I won previously, but I always believed that I would regret not showcasing the routine more than doing so and risking not winning. This belief pushed me to deliver the routine as well as I possibly could.” Dan began developing his drinks in early 2018 with the support of Carlos and Patricia…

Clark St Coffee Roasters operates an espresso bar on Crown Street in Richmond, Victoria that’s more coffee lab than café. The fit out, designed by architect Dion Hall, makes good use of galvanised steel, taking inspiration from the materials used in the roasting facility. “By drawing these materials into the customer space, a clear connection and relationship between both [the bar and roastery] is formed,” Dion says. “[Clark St Founder Melissa Floreani] and I never refer to the venue as a café. It is a hybrid of a roastery, educational space, coffee testing lab, and training centre that opens its doors to the general public for the simple pleasure of consuming coffee.” Melissa says Clark St contrasts this cold steel backdrop with saddled leather seating on its bleachers, timber serving trays…

“THE MACHINE EVOLVES TO THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO MAKES THE COFFEE, INSTEAD OF VICE VERSA. IN THE SAME WAY USING AN IPHONE BECOMES INTUITIVE, THE STEAM LP BECOMES SECOND NATURE.” Like many musicians who release an extended play to test the waters before they drop a full-length album, Slayer Espresso has launched the Steam LP, the follow-up to its successful EP espresso machine. Ross Quail, Asia-Pacific Branch Manager of Slayer Espresso, says the Steam LP represents a new high point for the espresso machine manufacturer. “The LP takes the most commercially evolved machine in the Slayer range – the EP – and applies the manual espresso making capability of the classic Slayer Espresso and makes it automatic,” Ross says. “The machine evolves to the needs of the individual who makes the coffee,…

When Marco Lavazza, Vice Chairman of the Lavazza Group, touched down in Melbourne in January for the 2019 Australian Open, it was not just to celebrate Lavazza’s third year of partnering with the tennis grand slam. The roaster had decided that the competition was the perfect platform to launch a first for the company: coffee roasted outside of Italy. Three locally roasted coffees were on offer at the event, the single-origin Kafa Forest Coffee, and two new Rainforest Alliance-certified blends belonging to the Lavazza ¡Tierra! range – ¡Tierra! Brazil and ¡Tierra! Colombia. While the rest of the world’s ¡Tierra! is roasted in Italy, Cristiano Portis, Asia and Pacific Coffee Research and Development Manager and Licensed Q Grader for Lavazza, says ¡Tierra! is of special interest to the Australian community. “They’re…

THE HUNGRY FOX CAFÉ 305 Wirraway Road, Essendon Fields, Victoria, 3041 Open Monday to Saturday 7am to 3pm (03) 9027 9201 The Melbourne suburb of Essendon is known for its proud football club, Melbourne’s first international airport, and one of the most talked about supermarkets in town, LaManna. Just as conversations in Melbourne celebrate coffee, when it comes to groceries, LaManna is top of mind as a “destination” for its quality food, custom cakes, and the “deliberate chaos” it creates on the weekend. Just a few hundred metres away in Essendon Fields Airport is The Hungry Fox Café, an extension of the LaManna brand but in its own dedicated way. An experience in its own right, since the café opened in 2018 it has become a local favourite for customers…

The World Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits, and Cup Tasters Championships were held in Berlin, Germany at the World of Coffee Expo from 6 to 8 June. Danny Wilson of Ona Coffee placed ninth in the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, with Dan Fellows of Origin Coffee in the United Kingdom reclaiming his title. Jibbi Little of Jibbijug made it to the semi-finals of the World Latte Art Championship, where she placed 11th. Italian Manuela Fensore of Barlady Café Academy took home gold in the competition. MJ Kim of Shamble Coffee Brewers placed 39th in the World Cup Tasters Championship, where Daniel Horbat of Ireland proved to be the fastest and most accurate coffee cupper. New Zealand’s Alan Bruce of Flight Coffee placed fifth. In 2020, the three…

Veneziano Coffee Roasters is a well-known brand within the Australian coffee industry, with multiple Australian Coffee Championship titles to its name. It has a presence in every state, including roasteries in Melbourne and Brisbane, and training studios and cafés spread across the country. However, there is more to Veneziano than meets the eye. The specialty roaster is just one part of the Nomad Coffee Group, a parent company launched in 2018. Craig Dickson, Managing Director of Veneziano and CEO of Nomad Coffee Group, says the new identity reflects the parent company’s dedication to coffee. “Nomad Coffee Group is a collection of specialty coffee brands with different roles, interests, and customers. We wanted to establish an overarching identity for a couple of reasons,” Craig says. “Firstly, to connect our brands via common goals…

Australian manufacturer Aremde has created an open theatre experience in which the barista can perform for the customer, and nothing separates the coffee maker from the coffee buyer. Netherlands-based designer Rempt Van der Donk says Nexus One’s see-through structure opens up the craft of coffee making, which is beneficial to both sides of the bar. “The barista can show off their skills while creating a memorable experience for the customer,” Rempt tells BeanScene. An architect by trade, Rempt had no experience in product design prior to working on the Nexus One. He says the project first came his way while working on a building in Saudi Arabia. “I was building a new headquarters for Raqtan, one of the largest food services equipment companies in the country,” Rempt says. “The owner of the company, Muthanna…

It’s been said that knowledge is power, and in the world of point of sale (POS) software, a new iOS application from ClickPOS offers just that. The ClickPOS app acts as a gateway to connect a café’s stored information to a centralised database, where product information, sales, and purchases are accessible at baristas’ and café owners’ fingertips. Ozkan Sahin, ClickPOS Managing Director, says the app can operate in any service business, including cafés, restaurants, mobile food service, and takeaway outlets. “The food and beverage industry’s success relies on streamlining its business process resulting in better customer service. The ClickPOS app simplifies the order taking process by displaying user-defined options on the screen to create order dockets and receipts, capturing customers’ details, and identifying delivery options,” Ozkan says. The ClickPOS app,…

“JIMMY IS AN INNOVATIVE, ELEGANTLY DESIGNED SPECIALTY COFFEE SCALE THAT TAKES ESPRESSO BREW METHODS AND EDUCATION SERIOUSLY.” Much like baking, brewing requires detailed measurements to achieve accurate results, including precise water temperature and volume, and the particular coarseness of the ground coffee. To help measure such variables, scales are a barista’s best friend. One brand that is passionate about empowering baristas with the tools to achieve the perfect cup is Hiroia. The Taiwanese specialty coffee equipment manufacturer has launched its latest innovation, Jimmy, a scale for baristas to brew, track, and accomplish consistent results. “Jimmy is an innovative, elegantly designed specialty coffee scale that takes espresso brew methods and education seriously,” says Charles Stephens of Espresso Company Australia (ECA), importer and distributor of the Hiroia Jimmy scale. The Jimmy scale features a detachable Bluetooth display…

There are a few classic American cars that still turn heads. One that refuses to fade is the iconic two-seater Thunderbird, a time machine to the 1950s that’s synonymous with sophistication and style. Not only is this the car Kees van der Westen drives, but is one of the inspirations behind his line of self-titled espresso machines. Since the early 1980s, his company, also called Kees van der Westen, has been creating and designing artistic and technically beautiful espresso coffee machines in Waalre, the Netherlands. With a desire to expand his brand to the Australian coffee market, in January 2019 Kees van der Westen partnered with independent coffee equipment specialists, Espresso Company Australia (ECA), Specialist Espresso, and Espresso Works. “Kees van der Westen appointed equipment specialists who would be able…

John Ryan Ting is one of few baristas with experience on both sides of the competition table. Before becoming a certified World Barista Championship (WBC) judge – including at the 2013 WBC in Melbourne – he had two Singapore Barista Champion titles to his name. John began his coffee journey as a part-time barista at a chain in the 1990s. After finishing his studies, he entered the profession full time with the Spinelli Coffee Company in 2003. “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, but I enjoyed coffee and knew I could make it well,” John says. “Then I discovered the WBC and made it my mission to compete.” He took his first step in 2007 at the inaugural Singapore National Barista Championship, where he placed second. “It made…

In 2018, Wilford Lamastus of Elida Estate made Best of Panama (BoP) history when he won in both washed and natural Geisha categories and broke the coffee quality competition’s record for its highest scoring coffee. Now, Elida Estate has done it again, winning both categories and setting new records at BoP 2019, which took place from 22 to 25 May. The Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural ASD (anaerobic slow dry) scored 95.25 out of 100 in the natural/special process category, beating last year’s score of 93.34 points. Its washed equivalent scored 95 in the Geisha washed category, beating the previous record of 94.66 points. “It feels unbelievable, like a dream. There was always this thought about winning one category and doing well in the other, because no-one had ever won both…

Where will the coffee industry be in 50 years? A hopeful barista might tell you that coffee will resemble wine, with their role like that of a sommelier, recommending premium coffees from a select reserve list. Another could warn you of the perils of climate change, putting 50 per cent of coffee producing land at risk. But what if we faced an industry in which producers focus solely on volume and cherries are picked by machine? Campos Coffee Founder Will Young says with record-low prices being paid to coffee farmers, this “coffee dystopia” could very well become a reality. “The situation is soul destroying. At a time when the specialty coffee movement is getting bigger and bigger, the C Price is getting lower and lower, which is pushing coffee farmers…

When designing a café, workflow should be as big a consideration as the aesthetics. This is why both factors were taken into consideration when German manufacturer Übermilk was developing its signature milk foaming system. Übermilk automates the milk frothing process, delivering a consistent, ready-to-pour micro foamed milk at the barista’s desired temperature. Compact and customisable, the system looks right at home sitting next to a grinder and espresso machine on the coffee bar. Joe Chalhoub of Australian distributor Barista Group says Übermilk improves a café’s workflow speed and efficiency without compromising coffee quality. “By the time you grab your milk bottle, pour it in a jug, and steam it, to put it in coffee terms, it’s like you’re dosing, tamping, and extracting it. Essentially, you’re spending the time it would…

Most surfers strive to a ride a breaking barrel, the hollow part of a wave that curves around them. Inspired by the waves of the ocean, the new Aurelia Wave espresso machine from Italian manufacturer Nuova Simonelli mirrors the same hollow look in its side and back panels. “The machine went from a traditional square block to a completely rounded machine. It’s a completely new design for us. It makes for a nicer effect on a counter,” says Lauro Fioretti, Project Manager of Simonelli Group. Apart from its design, the Aurelia Wave features five new functions including Smart Water Technology, eco-sustainability, digital interface, ergonomics, and Pulse Jet technology. One of the biggest focuses when constructing the Aurelia Wave was controlling its energy consumption. Lauro says it was key to study…

Ten years ago, hoards of footy fanatics would line up at the crack of dawn, some camped overnight, in order to gain first pick of AFL finals tickets as the clock struck 9am in a first come, first served basis. Some may recall gathering at university libraries minutes before tickets to top music festivals were released. Students would click refresh on repeat with the lucky few proudly boasting their win. On 1 August, coffee fans felt the same rush of adrenaline when tickets to the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) 2020 went live. “The official ticket launch is a sign that MICE2020 is well and truly on the horizon. Next year’s event is such a highly anticipated one, so it’s essential that visitors make the most of early bird ticket sales to…

DOMENIC NIGRO I was first introduced to coffee at the ripe old age of eight by my mum and loved it from the moment it hit my lips. Being from an Italian background, it’s a part of the fabric of life to me. I found myself making it for others at the age of 16 when I worked at my best friend’s restaurant. I later worked in a café and took on what you could call a barista apprentice role and improved my skills at the hands of a fully fledged Napoletano barista. While running Mezzapica café, I was introduced to Toby’s Estate coffee, and it took me to the next level. I was amazed at the different characteristics single origin coffee could offer, in particular the Indian Monsoon Malabar. It…