Do you know how much work goes into getting that perfect blend to make your coffee? I had a one-to-one session with Jack, the roaster at Camden Coffee Roastery and Rasha and it sure was an eye opener.

A bit about them

Camden Coffee Roastery are located in Camden and hand roast all their coffee using the slow roast artisan technique.

They pride themselves in their coffee and their USP is their operations foundation which mirrors the journey of their coffee beans, from field to cups.

Attention to detail is key and they love to share their journey with their customers. In store the roasting machine is on site, they have a workshop area for those wanting to learn more about their coffee, a terrace where you can sip your coffee and a café area where you can enjoy some tasty bakes. You can also buy Camden Coffee Roasters coffee pods.

When it comes to coffee, they are the experts.

According to Jack at Camden Coffee Roastery, everyone plays a part in making the perfect coffee including the Barista. This is:

60% – The way a coffee is farmed

30% – The way a coffee is roasted & blended

10% – The way the barista makes the coffee. This includes the maintenance of the machine, the cleaning of it and the final preparation. 

Did you know a Barista could make the best blend of coffee into the worst cup of coffee? 

Coffee Growing & Extraction

It starts with growing the coffee. Each country grows it differently and this then determines how the coffee beans are extracted.          

The growth and extraction techniques of the coffees beans from the berry varies depending on

• Climate  
• Soil conditions
• Humidity levels
• Rainfall
• Altitude & Sea level  

In Ethiopia, where it is always dry, the beans are smaller because trees are smaller and the berries are dried naturally in the sun.

Where as in Kenya due to the tropical climate, there is more yield due to higher bigger trees and they extract the beans using the washing method. 

The two main techniques used for extraction are the natural process (used in Ethiopia) and washed process (used in Kenya).

Coffee Roasting

Getting a perfect blend is important for all roasters. At Camden Coffee Roastery they have a mixed blend that works perfectly however they are always improving and trying to make the blends more seasonal. 

They need a taste everyone is familiar with and they want to get the maximum flavour with the beans they have. 

Coffee ground for Espresso and Filter is different due to the pressure applied when making the former. With Filter coffee you can have a single origin.

Roasting is a complex procedure. It may take 15 minutes to get the beans from green to a lovely brown, but each element of the roasting process is crucial. From the exact temperature to timing the first crack to letting the beans cool. Another element to add to this is when you grind them. You should not grind the coffee straight away.

The beans are green to start with because they have moisture in them. When we roasted the Brazilian coffee, it weighed 150 grams to start with and 130 grams after roasting. 

Did you know Espresso should not be drunk when boiling hot? It needs to get to our body temperature for us to enjoy the full flavour

Coffee Cupping is the official American way of tasting coffee. It require a lot of skill and involves deep smelling and slurping.  The pass rate for “Q Grade”, coffee cuppers/tasters is very low because it is difficult. Only very few have the talent to smell the flavours and pick out the notes.  Sommeliers often come to coffee tasters to get the full experience.

If you love your coffee, make sure you check Camden Coffee. An independent artisan coffee roaster that takes pride in their bean to cup production.

Neha

I went along with my friend who had an invite to the Roastery. All opinions and photos are my own.