Scoop of the day The best coffee and gelato pairings to keep you cool this summer Page 18
Green and pleasant Easy tips to help the environment while enjoying quality coffee Page 22
Gifts galore A seasonal gift guide for the coffee lover whose not quite got everything Page 26
A U S T R A L I A
Issue 01 $4.95 The award-winning magazine for coffee lovers Š 2020
caffeinemagazine.com.au @caffeinemagaus
JA SM IN SESSL ER
THE GRIND
Declaring war on coffee waste
Consumption of our beloved beverage is hurting the planet. We look at how resourceful Australian coffee businesses, large and small, are doing a great job of turning things around
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ith over a billion disposable cups thrown away in Australia every year, it’s good to know that there is a growing force of globally conscious coffee businesses taking big steps to reverse that trend – and it’s not just about the cups. “We were a bunch of do-gooders picking up rubbish from beaches and we began to notice more and more hospitality waste showing up,” explains Jo Horsley – General Manager of ResponsibleCafes.org. The result of this discovery was the creation of a digital concept that engages directly with cafes and rewards them for being green. Participating businesses can log their environmental impact and earn ‘bean’ ratings, with gold bean status being the Holy Grail. Preventing coffee cup waste is just the entry point into the scheme. Avoidance of plastics – in bags, straws, containers and condiments – as well as offering free water refills are all winners. Further points are earned for composting everything from coffee to cups and containers; supporting Fair Trade products; using non-toxic cleaning products; tapping into renewable energy; as well as supporting community events, resources and even providing coffee grounds to local gardeners or community garden projects.
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Jacob and Lenka Kriz run the waste-free Cat & Cow café in Randwick, NSW
“The only way we’re going to resolve the situation is by collaborating. We aim to re-educate people about waste and incentivise behaviour change,” says Horsley. The organisation is planning a five event summit that will help participating cafés to build a plan to reduce waste and reduce operating costs at the same time. One cafe that proudly wears its Gold Bean status is the zero-waste Cat & Cow cafe in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. “We wanted to show other cafés that this is the way forward and it’s easy to do in
the hospitality space,” says Lenka Kriz, Director at Cat and Cow Coffee. “We designed our cafe to be fully waste free in the front of the house operations.” Educating customers to bring their own cups was initially a challenge when they opened in August 2019 but the plan is definitely working for them. “We actually save a lot of money on packaging. Our compost bin is always full but we only use about 10 percent of our general waste bin.” Lenka explains that even during lockdown they found a way to stay true to their mission. “We had to make the hard decision to introduce single use coffee cups into our operations. These cups were commercially compostable and recyclable.” The extra 50 cents charged for this service was donated to an ocean clean-up initiative called Take 3 for the Sea (www.take3.org). Sydney-based coffee roaster, Pablo & Rusty’s (P&R), has just become the first coffee company in Australia to be regarded as a carbon neutral organisation. Founded by Saxon Wright in 2003 the objective soon became to create zero waste throughout the whole supply chain – from farm to cup. One of Wright’s early creations was the award-winning HuskeeCup (see separate story ‘Swap ‘n’ Go your coffee cup) but becoming certified means a lot to the company. “Carbon Neutral is the next step on our ongoing journey to become more sustainable. We have changed or upgraded many aspects of our business to reduce our carbon footprint already so getting certified is a way to wrap it all up,” he explains. P&R recognise that all business leaves a dirty footprint, and coffee roasting is no different. However, by offsetting the elements that they can’t reduce, it assures customers that their purchase is covering a completely sustainable process. “We still have so many things we want to do and can improve on. We are going through an overhaul of our packaging to ensure its either compostable or recyclable, plus looking at other ways to get our organic waste back to the land to improve our soils.” There are a host of companies doing the right thing and it’s good to know that by making informed choices and supporting the businesses making the effort, we can reduce our environmental impact while still enthusing about speciality coffee.
THE GRIND
Could a snail save your coffee?
ONA coffee are pushing the boundaries of frozen coffee
@FOX R OYA L E
They are the least likely of superheroes, but snails could be the key to defeating leaf rust
Coffee cryogenics
Research into freezing techniques means that stale coffee could soon be a thing of the past. ONA Coffee’s Ebe Ganon explains
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magine a world where coffee never goes off and you can choose your brew based on its vintage. Pure fantasy? Perhaps not, thanks to years of hard work being done on coffee cryogenics by Canberrabased specialty roaster, ONA Coffee. Current reigning Australian Barista Champion Matt Lewin together with two-time Aussie champ Hugh Kelly both now work in research and development at ONA. They have been closest to the experimentation around this technique, which has been used in the competition context for a number of years. It involves taking the coffee when it’s at its flavour peak, usually once it has undergone some degassing for a few days after
roasting, and then freezing it to lock in the flavour. Initially, vacuum-sealed bags were the freezing substrate of choice, however they have been found to be more challenging during daily café service, and the plastic waste that remains isn’t ideal. Subsequently, ONA has achieved great success using 50ml centrifuge tubes instead. Not only are they more sustainable and reusable, but they also store neatly in the freezer and are faster to retrieve and place into the grinder for service. Lewin and Kelly have both used this technique in the competition world. Winning comps that run over several days requires controlled consistency, so freezing the beans makes a lot of sense. In some cases, it actually
improves the definition with extra flavour. Freezing isn’t just an exciting development for competitions. ONA are excited about being able to serve vintage coffees and extend the shelf life of expensive reserve coffees. It’s important to emphasise that this isn’t something that is cost prohibitive to cafés, nor is it only for the high-end or high-volume establishments – this is something that, with a freezer, some tubes and plenty of determination can be a success for everyone. Once this program becomes more established in cafés around Australia, ONA is aiming to have a retail offering enabling people to be able to freeze their own coffee at home! Stay tuned.
The New York Times has reported that there could be an unlikely solution to the issue of coffee leaf rust, which blights production of our favourite bean. It appears that the Asian trampsnail likes nothing better than chowing down on the devastating fungal infection, a fact that was discovered when scientists at the University of Michigan investigated snail faeces (what a job!) and discovered they contained leaf rust spores. Puerto Rico is less affected by leaf rust than many coffee-producing nations, and it seems that several species feed on the rust there – from snails and slugs to larvae and mites. But the Asian trampsnail seems to be the most effective devourer, eating the spores but not the coffee plant itself. It’s certainly not definitively proven that introducing an invasive species to coffee plantations across the world is a wise move, but it’s an option that will be carefully considered.
The diminutive Asian trampsnail comes to the rescue
Swap ‘n’ Go your reusable coffee cup Recycled cup swap systems such as HuskeeSwap and Green Caffeen are two home-grown Aussie solutions for coffee lovers and businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact. “We’re looking to rid the world of takeaway cups, one swap at a time,” says Michael MacFarlane, HuskeeSwap Operations Manager. Cup swap systems are exactly that. You hand over your cup sourced from the cup swap provider and the participating cafe will serve you your coffee in a commercially cleaned replacement. Supremely simple; as long as you’re not overly possessive of your drinkware.
Best in Class of the 2018 Good Design Awards, the Huskee is a ‘visually iconic and functionally sophisticated’ vessel. “The HuskeeCup features coffee husk as a raw material. Husk is an organic waste product from the milling stage of coffee production,” explains MacFarlane. Forward thinking initiatives such as these are helping cafés transition away from single-use; but they need coffee lovers to adopt them to be effective. A simple change to your daily routine could make a big difference to the planet. Visit huskee.co/swap or greencaffeen.com.au
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G E L AT O PA I R I N G
Coffee & chill Pair artisan gelato with coffee for a refreshing, summery taste sensation with a kick. Photography Sheradon Dublin
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rowned. That’s the literal meaning of affogato, the Italian dessert that pairs vanilla’s illustrious sweetness with the bitter jolt of espresso, removing the nuances of each (or indeed drowning them) in favour of the appealing contrast of hot and cold, brown and white, sweet and bitter. That contrast is a cornerstone of coffee culture; creating harmonious drinks out of near-opposites – mainly, if not exclusively, espresso and milk. And on the spectrum of flavour that speciality coffee provides, the concept of pairing coffee and ice cream brings nearly infinite possibilities, allowing you to riff on flavours, temperatures and brew methods to create experiences more akin to that of a cocktail. Buoyant, not drowned. Sam Crowl of the family-run Cow and the Moon gelateria in Sydney’s inner west, is a master of teasing out those subtleties. He learnt his trade from his parents John and Wendy who opened their first venue in 2003 after many years in the gelato industry. Seven years and countless scoops later Cow and the Moon opened it’s doors in Enmore. The Crowl family ambition has always been to produce sorbets and gelatos that cater for the ecelctic tastes of their customers. while capturing the seasonal flavours of Australia. Winning awards for their creations is a regular and welldeserved occurence, but winning the Gelato World Tour title in 2014 is the feather in their hat that they are most proud of. Mandorla Affogato is a mouth-watering almond affogato flavour that combines nuts sourced from South Australia, with single origin coffee, on a Madagascan vanilla base. Their strong relationship with Single O coffee roasters in Sydney’s Surry Hills, makes coffee pairing a big part of their world. The following three combinations are built in that spirit, with guidance for replicating them with the coffees you may have to hand. And there’s even an affogato. You’ll find Cow and the Moon Gelato Bar and Café at 181 Enmore Road, Enmore, Sydney, NSW.
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Dulce de Leche gelato with Paradox blend espresso We’ll start with the classic, with the aim of reducing its bluntness by using complementary flavours. Cow and the Moon’s Dulce de Leche – a gelato made with Argentinian butterscotch – has a distinctly fudgy flavour that is well-paired with coffee. The espresso blend exudes tones of crisp fruit and dark chocolate that are perfectly matched to the sticky sweetness of the frozen dessert. The natural bitter characteristics of the coffee mingle perfectly with the creamy textures and folds of the gelato.
Instructions
Brew Single O’s Paradox blend as a double espresso. Pair with Cow and the Moon’s Dulce de Leche gelato, either as an affogato or separately – whatever floats your boat.
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CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
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01 Bruer Cold Brew System
Create your own delicious cold drip without the fuss of a full set up. Practical, affordable and aesthetically pleasing to boot. Price $119.00 cremacoffeegarage.com.au 02 Acaia Lunar Scale
The ultimate in water-resistant weighing for the hardcore coffee bean – it even hooks up via bluetooth to give insights and recipes. Price $355.95 cremacoffeegarage.com.au
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03 Flavour Wheel Poster
Display your passion for coffee and impress your friends with your taste vocabulary, and perception of coffee flavours and textures. Price $29.95 cremacoffeegarage.com.au
Gifts
galore
Shopping for someone who’s crazy for caffeine? Here’s a few pointers to what to get for the coffee lover who hasn’t quite got everything Photography eroomcreative 04
SCAN THE CODE Use your smartphone to discover more and buy any of the products in our Christmas Gift Guide.
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05 04 Cafelat Robot
Ironically, this robot uses no electrics; plus it’s plastic-free. Quirky and unconventional, it extracts a fine espresso while giving you an upper-body workout. Price $599.00 coffeeparts.com.au
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05 Kanso Hiku Hand Grinder
Timeless design meets precision engineering. This sleek and compact manual grinder has stainless steel burrs that take the guesswork out of achieving a perfect grind. Price $349.00 RRP coffeetools.supply
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06 Diptyque Florabellio
Smelling of coffee may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but this intriguing fragrance possesses the merest hint of roasted coffee. Price $187.00 for 100ml mecca.com.au 07
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Coffee Pin
Wear your passion with pride in an understated and stylish way. Price $20.85 hardtofind.com.au 08 Fellow Stagg Electric Kettle
A stunning electric kettle designed with pour-over coffee lovers in mind. Variable temperature management and an elegant gooseneck spout for increased pour control. Price $259.00 cremacoffeegarage.com.au
Ceramic Dripper
Elegant ceramic drippers in a variety of sizes and patterns to suit your brew style - brass ring sold separately. Price from $20.00 sipimports.com.au
08 NOTE: PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT
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10 Coffee Lovers Jigsaw
If you love a jigsaw at Christmas then this coffee-themed puzzle is a must. Price $34.95 hardtofind.com.au 11 BOD Cold Brew System
Unique, convenient and lightweight, the BOD takes the fuss (and the mess) out of brewing your own subtle and sweet toddy cold brew. Price $80.00 RRP coffeetools.supply
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