August 02, 2021
We have to give it to the team over at Sensory Lab because for the first time in Thieves history we’re featuring a delicious coffee from China and we couldn’t be more excited to discover more about this fairly new coffee region.
Australia’s very own Sensory Lab is somewhat of a Melbourne landmark. Nestled under David Jones in the heart of the city, the sister operation to ST.ALi has always made it their priority to shine a light on the science of brewing, creating interesting flavour profiles and elevating the art of roasting. Owner Salvatore Malatesta has always been a mainstay of specialty coffee in Melbourne. Salvatore started his hospitality career with ‘Caffeine’, a shop dedicated to a simple proposition: great coffee matched with great food. Salvatore has carried out this central idea in the design, implementation and operation of more than 100 cafe and retail projects.
Always pushing the boundaries and bringing us something new, this month Sensory Lab chose to feature an espresso roast using beans from an old favourite, the Sertãozinho group from Brazil, and a filter roast showcasing some amazing new beans from producers around the Yunnan province in China.
Year after year there are new coffee origins and regions popping up, yet the classics remain steadfast in the hearts of consumers. Sensory Lab has chosen to pair a Brazilian coffee from a farm they have been working with for over 9 years with a Chinese coffee that they have never bought before. Brazilian coffee is probably one of the most well known coffees in the world. They have been producing coffee commercially since the early 1800s. While China is little known for its coffee production. It has only been producing commercially since 1988 with speciality lots beginning to be exported only in the last few years.
We’re incredibly excited to be trying coffee from Old World and New World coffee producers that are expertly roasted by Melbourne’s very own Sensory Lab.
Natural Brazilian
ESPRESSO ROAST
This month’s Brazilian producer, Fazenda Sertãozinho, was established in 1948 in a time when Brazil held a near monopoly in the international coffee market. Sensory Lab and ST.ALi have been working with Fazenda Sertãozinho for almost a decade and in that time have developed a symbiotic relationship based on their passion for outstanding quality coffees.
Coffee Origin: Brazil
Tasting Notes: Notes of blackberry jam and milk chocolate.
Suggested Recipe for Espresso:
20g dose
43g yield
In 27 to 28 seconds
Kong Que
FILTER ROAST
China is an emerging origin for specialty coffee. So new in fact that many have never had the opportunity to try it. Although still predominantly a tea-drinking nation, China is rapidly developing a taste for coffee and along with it a desire to produce their own exceptional coffee, especially in the Yunnan region where the conditions for farming coffee are excellent.
Coffee Origin: China
Tasting Notes: Notes of apple juice and brown sugar.
Suggested Recipe for Filter:
Dose of 15g to 240g water
60g bloom
Agitate the bubbles with a spoon
Reboil the water if possible
Pour for 45 seconds and complete total brew weight by 1 minute 30 seconds
Swirl the brewer and drop to settle at completion