When we first met Kyumin, he told us his dream: to become a Q Grader. Last week, he did it. Our head roaster is now a licensed SCA Q GRADER and honestly, watching someone chase a goal for this long and actually land it is awesome. WHAT IS A Q GRADER, ACTUALLY? The Q Grader License is one of the most important credentials in specialty coffee, recognised globally across sourcing, roasting, and quality control. Issued by the Specialty Coffee Association, it proves a coffee professional's ability to evaluate, describe, and communicate coffee quality using internationally recognised standards, Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), and a shared industry vocabulary. It isn't a weekend workshop. The course runs six days, covering...
Coffee doesn't have to taste like coffee. That sentence will annoy some people. Specialty coffee spent years proving that coffee is a fruit, that a seed grown at altitude, on volcanic soil, by a farmer who knows what they're doing, can taste like berries, citrus, stone fruit and florals without adding a single thing. Just good farming. Good processing. Good roasting. That argument won. Most people who care about coffee now know the flavour comes from the origin, not the roast level. But here's where it gets interesting. What happens when you take that same exceptional raw material and introduce something new at fermentation? What happens when fresh blackberries and wine yeast go into a sealed, oxygen-free tank with perfectly...
MEET PEACHY QUEEN. - SOLD OUT There are coffees. And then there are coffees that make you stop mid-sip and say what is that. Peachy Queen is the second kind. This is Mt Atkinson's latest limited release a one-of-a-kind PEACH CO-FERMENT from Colombia's Quindío region, scoring 88.25 points and delivering tasting notes of Golden Peach candy, Tropical sweetness and a soft coconut finish. It's fruity, it's fun, and it's unlike anything else in the range. Here's how it gets made and why it tastes the way it does. THE PROCESS: CO-FERMENTATI ON AND WHY IT MATTERS Peachy Queen underwent a 30-hour dry anaerobic fermentation a process where oxygen is removed from the environment entirely. No oxygen means the fermentation builds...
If you’ve made it here, you already know a bit about our journey, but what you might not have seen are the stories behind the people who pour their time, skill, and love into every cup of coffee you drink. In 2024, we travelled to Uganda to spend time with our Direct Trade partners, farmers, families, and community leaders whose lives have been transformed by people like you. This short documentary captures that story. It shares why we chose Uganda, how Direct Trade truly works on the ground, and what happens when relationships replace exploitation. You’ll hear directly from the people growing your coffee, and firsthand how you’ve already, or can, become part of this story in rewriting futures. For...
For over a decade, Piha Blend has held its place as our most beloved coffee — the one we recommend to first-time brewers, loyal locals, and anyone who just wants a really good cup. But what makes it so special? And why the name “Piha”? Let’s take a look behind our best seller. Why the name Piha? As a proudly West Auckland coffee roaster and coffee shop, we wanted to ground our blends in the places that shaped us. Piha, with its iconic black sand beach, wild surf, and loyal community, was the perfect fit.It’s more than just a beautiful spot — it’s a local landmark with heart and grit. That spirit of strength, simplicity, and reliability is exactly what...
