April 10, 2015
Roasting coffee requires a little more than applying heat to the dried seed of a flowering plant. The mysterious power of heat enables it to produce external, perceptible, even phenomenal results by its own inherent energy. It’s a scientific process; The enchanting charms of this sublime science reveal themselves in all their beauty only to those who have the courage to go deeply into it.
Welcome to Code Black Coffee.
A dream long in the making for Joseph Haddad and team, Code Black started roasting in October 2012. Code Black is not a single man show. Each member of the roasting team participates in buying, profiling, production and quality control. Because of this, each roaster is invested in and responsible for the operation at every stage of production. While this can make for interesting discussions around the cupping table about what they should buy, it ultimately leads to progression as each of them strive to bring the best they can to the table. The Roasting team is made up of 4 experienced roasters; Archie Chiu, Allan Yeh, Jacob Milligan, Joe Tynan who roast exclusively on Probats; a 25kg, two 12kgs, a 1kg, a 4 barrel Sample roaster, and a 5kg at their new digs called ‘Howard St’.
“We’ve bought this coffee for the past three seasons as it has continued to be amazing” Archie tells us. In December last year their Head Roaster Joe visited the Gelana Abaya region in South Yirgacheffe and came back with stories of the welcoming people, the breathtaking scenery and immaculate processing stations.
"Code Black is simultaneously a laboratory, a workshop and a hub for connoisseurs of the dark art and science of coffee."
Situated just outside the town of Cheleletu, Gelana Abaya Woreda produces some of the best naturals in Yirgacheffe. Allan tells us that common Yirgacheffe coffee practice is that once picked, it is covered during the peak of the day (11am-3pm). However Gelana Abaya’s methods differ, in that the coffee gets an extended open period in the evening, as late as 11pm. These practises, and the local climate, allow the coffee to be dried carefully for 15-21 days, resulting in unique and distinct flavour.
The coffee you’re tasting today has fragrant and floral notes to the grind. With juicy mangoes, raisins, and plentiful passionfruit. It has this buttery body and lingering sugary finish that feels good in the mouth and hugs your tongue. This is a coffee that won best espresso at Golden Bean 2013, and they’ve continued that excellence in the coffee you’re drinking today.
If you’re ever craving more of the dark side, you can find them at their signature location in Brunswick, or head over to their beautiful new store - a converted warehouse - in Howard St North Melbourne. We asked the guys what lies in their future, and their response has a lesson in it we could all apply; “The future is the future. We try to focus on the present.”
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