About the process
The Beans
Hello Coffee sources quality beans from around the world, with a particular love for beans from Central America and Africa, but in short we search for whatever helps to help you get the best cup of coffee. We have even been known to roast beans grown in our very own Australia. We only choose Specialty grade coffee, and ideally, we prefer to source our beans from farmers who follow best practice, looking after the environment as they grow their amazingly flavoured coffee cherries.
There is much to this journey and if you are truly interested we’d recommend tracking down The Birth of Coffee by Daniel Lorenzetti and Linda Rice Lorenzettiand or The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing by James Hoffman (though in truth there are a number of stellar books on the topic), to really get an idea of the process coffee goes through from crop to cup.
The Roast
Who would have thought taking coffee cherries to around 200° C would produce such great flavours? Well ever since a certain Ethiopian goat-herder in the 800s people have been doing just that. At Hello Coffee we roast coffee to suit everyone’s taste. We have light fruity roasts for our filter lovers, and darker roasts for our milk-based drinkers not to mention many varieties in between.
The key to a good roast is using quality beans and becoming familiar with the beans and the best way to bring out the best of each crop. A roaster is thinking of everything from the when and where the plant is grown to how the final drink will be prepared and all the chemistry in between. Sure, there is science, temperature probes and graphs in the roasting process. However, a good coffee roaster is also involved in a very analogue, a very personal task, that involves sight, smell, and sound.
The Grind and Brew
So, we have created a fresh bag of coffee, where to from here? Well the key to any good coffee brew is simply how best to introduce your coffee to water. This is best answered by having a good grinder, as properly adjusting how fine your coffee is ground is almost as important as having freshly roasted Hello Coffee. How fine or coarse coffee is ground is loosely tied to how quick your brewing method is. A plunger or French press is a reasonably slow method of getting your coffee to intermingle with water, so a reasonably coarse grind is required. While espresso is a relatively quick process, and therefore a fine grind is more appropriate.
If you have the means, buy a quality grinder, you will not look back. We have a selection in our shopping section here.
Australian Coffee Roasters & why we’re lucky
Aussies have a lot to be proud of, and our Australian coffee roasters are one of them. While there are many regions of the world that produce outstanding coffee, it seems to be our roasters that know exactly what to do with the beans and are constantly innovating and progressing the field. Our specialty coffee roasters not only keep up, but they set trends and do their best to satisfy the coffee cravings of locals.
Our local coffee roasters are fantastic at staying on top of and setting trends within the coffee industry. Let’s take a look at some of the recent trends that Australian coffee roasters are following:
Sustainable production lines
Aussie consumers are keen more than ever to purchase from brands that promote ethical values and sustainable methods of producing their goods. The coffee industry is no different. Coffee brands have many opportunities to promote sustainability through the way they do business, whether it be how the coffee bean is produced to the packaging of their products.High quality, at-home coffee blends
In recent times, consumers are increasingly becoming fond of enjoying high-end food and beverages at home. We saw Covid-19 boost the DIY category and the same goes for improving brewing coffee at home. Naturally, coffee roasters have responded and are presenting their wares in a manner that suits the coffee enthusiast at home, as well as the commercial market.Closer connections between consumers and growers
The link between the grower and consumer has never been tighter. These days most roasters have direct connections to the producers that grow and supply the coffee and the education, understanding and traceability has never been better.
What Makes Specialty Coffee Roasters Different?
What exactly does a specialty coffee roaster mean, and what’s the difference between that and the regular coffee roaster?
Specialty coffee roasters generally deal with coffees of a certain grade and above. From a grower’s perspective, achieving a grade of 85 or more out of 100, sets a benchmark for what would be considered specialty, and because of that we tend to pay close attention to how we roast and prepare these coffees for the consumer. Specialty coffee ensures the awareness of where the coffee came from, how it was sourced and how it was processed as all of those features are very important to each coffee crop.
Australian coffee roasters are among some of the best, and anywhere you find yourself in this country you’re not far from some fantastic, fresh specialty coffee beans, whether that’s at a local roaster or online.
What Makes the Coffee Roasting Experience Unique in Victoria?
There’s a number of Victorian coffee roasters that do a great job at supplying our very discerning tastes. In all corners of our state, you’ll find these days a small business roasting and distributing their own specialty coffee and we’re all the better for it. We have distict preferences and palates down here, and while our espresso heritage holds strong, Victorian roasters are found all over roasting fresh batches suited for filter drinking, or experimental brews. A fantastic coffee journey can easily be had across our fair state.
There are some coffee roasters that take advantage of their surroundings. For example, the team at Hello Coffee in Apollo Bay, know that their surroundings are some of the most beautiful in the country, and thus use the area as a great story to tell while selling amazing coffee.
To learn more about the uniqueness that is Victorian-based coffee, head to Hello Coffee.
For High-Quality Handcrafted Coffee Blends Contact the Friendly Team at Hello Coffee
There is something about a hot cup of coffee while in the middle of an outdoor adventure, and here at Hello Coffee, we take pride in encapsulating that cup in every order we provide. We’re based in Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, so we know adventure. We handcraft our blends with care and roast fresh daily. So, whether it’s whole bean or ground coffee you’re after, what are you waiting for? Order one of our well-crafted bags of coffee today. Contact us to learn more.