“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.” – Sir James Mackintosh

Coffee has come a very long way in the last few decades. The single origin, perfectly roasted, fairly traded, barrister made, steaming cup of heaven we take for granted now, makes the mug of instant coffee of yesteryear seem like warmed up dishwater.  Once you’ve tasted great coffee it’s hard to go back – the bar has been raised and your coffee life has been forever transformed!

Making coffee has evolved into an artisanal craft combining the human elements of passion, creativity and skill with the scientific elements of temperature, timing, equipment and raw materials. It is also big business.  Coffee is the second most valuable, legally traded commodity in the world – only oil is bigger – with 2.25 billion cups of coffee consumed every day.

Coffee is the second most valuable, legally traded commodity in the world – only oil is bigger – with 2.25 billion cups of coffee consumed every day.

We visited three passionate producers of this heavenly brew to find out what goes into the perfect cup of coffee.

Urban Grind

Urban Grind lives up to its claim of being “Not a coffee shop but a shop of coffees”. What they do with coffee is sensational. Here are some of their amazing coffee innovations:

• The Cold Drip special is a slow extraction of coffee over 12 – 36 hours. Consumed cold with added flavour the only way to get a bigger caffeine hit is intravenously.  That’s why this drink is best taken in small quantities and first thing in the morning
• Dirty Espresso is a refreshing drink made by adding a standard espresso shot to cold milk. Each sip dazzles the taste buds with the sensation of two different temperatures. 
• Draught Brew is a scintillating mixture of Cold Drip Coffee and Ginger Ale with carbon dioxide to add a little fizz.
• Coffee Cocktail is mixed in the same manner as a cocktail using ginger ale or lemonade.  This non-alcoholic taste sensation can be made with a variety of flavours and is best enjoyed in summer.

In addition to doing crazy and wonderful things with coffee, Urban Grind trains barristers and sells coffee makers, coffee beans, and accessories.

Find them at 66 6^th Street, Parkhurst.  www.urbangrindroasters.com

Bean There Coffee Company

As South Africa’s first roaster of Certified Fairtrade coffee, Bean There’s approach to coffee embraces five key elements:

1. Single origin

For each brew, Bean There uses coffee from one growing region only, carefully selecting Africa’s best single origin coffee to allow the coffee drinker the opportunity to know a country through its coffee.

2. Exclusive

Coffee of exceptional quality is not easy to find. Bean There does the hard work to find only the best Arabica coffee produced in Africa. From the selection of the green beans to the roasting, grinding, packaging and preparation, their aim is to elevate coffee from a common drink to an exclusive, extravagant, passionate beverage.

3. Optimal Roast

Each coffee has an optimal roast; a point within the roasting process where the key elements of aroma, body, acidity, and flavour meet and allow the beans to create that perfect cup of coffee. Determining and maintaining the optimal roast is a constant quest for Bean There, involving critique, cupping and conversation.

4. Fair trade

Bean There aims to make a sustainable difference in the lives of African coffee producers and believes that the best way to do this is to trade directly and fairly with the farmers, building relationships, and promoting quality coffee. They are committed to trading fairly and ethically with coffee producers in Africa, thereby supporting the coffee farmers, their families, and communities.

5. Adventure

Every cup of Bean There coffee creates an adventure able to transport the taster to the jungles of risk, the farms of intrigue, the plains of mystery, and the taste of Africa’s coffee heritage.

Visit “Bean There” at 44 Stanley in Joburg or 58 Whale Street in Cape Town. www.beanthere.co.za

Doubleshot Café

Set in the bustling CBD, Doubleshot Café is a fusion of industrial and warm tones and provides a relaxed inner city refuge. You will typically find a mix of business people, creatives, students and foreign tourists, a symbol of the melting pot that is Braamfontein. 

Doubleshot prides themselves in having an authentic, honest approach to coffee & tea and constantly challenges tradition and convention in a quest for perfection. They get involved in the full process from growing to serving of the coffee and tea. First hand-selecting the best seasonal beans, leaves and ingredients available, then using precision methods of small batch roasting and blending to reveal the best characteristics therein. Rigorous cupping and quality control from every batch ensure consistency and high standards.  Doubleshot also provides training to their clientele to ensure they are able to get the most out of their tea and coffee.

Find them on the corner of Juta & Melle Streets Braamfontein. www.doubleshot.co.za