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Sharing stories behind the coffee bean. Enjoy Melbourne's best coffee with our curated monthly subscription. We also provide reviews, brew guides and articles on coffee.

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Good 2 Go by Youth Projects is a social enterprise that provides hands on training and mentoring opportunities. It's approach combines education and employment pathways - steps required to make a genuine impact, and a reduced number of young people falling into a life on the streets. @good.2.go In an interview with Kirsty McKenzie from Good 2 Go, we chat about her insights on doing good. Have a read in the link in bio, visit them on Hosier Lane and support where you can.

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In an interview with Beti Berhanu (@betiberhanu @dumersocoffee ) one of the questions I asked was -Do you have any plans for the future? She responded with, “In the immediate future we are hoping to further improve our coffee quality by increasing the capacity of our washing station. In the long run, we also want to promote traceability for our coffee … Currently, I am the only woman in the area that has a site (Dumerso, Yirgacheffe). I am passionate about what I do. While it is a male dominated sector in Ethiopia, I hope to see more women involved in the management of the sector and this will make it easier to give back to the community. In the future I hope to help the women in the area” read the full article on perfectdailygrind.com (@perfectdailygrind ) thanks for chatting to me Beti. #specialtycoffee #coffee #empowerment #ethiopia #dumerso

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Dumerso Coffee: A future of promise

Ninety percent of the Dumerso community in Yirgacheffe Sidamo, Ethiopia relies on coffee as their main source of income. Coffee production accounts for approximately 5% of the world coffee market, and ranks as the 5th largest coffee producer in the world. With approximately 15 million people involved in the coffee production process, the potential for coffee to create positive social change is significant. 

I briefly chat to Beti Berhanu Manager at Dumerso Coffee Yirgacheffe in the Sidamo region about her coffee journey and the impact coffee has on the community she works with.

 How did you become involved in the Dumerso coffee community?

Beti: I went to school in Yirgacheffe and it is a forty minute walk from Dumerso. For as long as I can remember, my family has been involved in the coffee business. I bought the Dumerso site at the end of June 2010 from the government, who acquired it from a private owner (Since the farm was established in 1998 it was not operational). While my brother, Surafel Beerhanu and I have been working together to run it, helping each other in every way that we can; from 2013 I have come to run it by myself.

Have you faced any significant barriers for production?

Beti: Given that coffee is such a significant portion of the Ethiopian economy I can confidently say that at each stage of the coffee handling and processing stage, there is bureaucracy.  Whilst the challenges , would be much smaller compared to other small lot farmers, one of the biggest challenges I face is consistently high quality coffee.

How do you maintain high quality coffee?

Beti: We are currently building a cupping lab inside the washing station. This will make it easier for us to control the quality and also to arrange coffee cupping for visitors and guests to Dumerso Coffee.

How are you currently processing your coffee?

Beti: Currently we are doing washed and naturals, in mainly focussing on specialty coffee, in the future we are plan to do semi-washed and other processing methods.

Do you have any plans for the future?

Beti: In the immediate future we are hoping to further improve our coffee quality by increasing the capacity of our washing station. In the long run, we also want to promote traceability for our coffee. Currently, I am the only woman in the area that has a site (Dumerso, Yirgacheffe). I am passionate about what I do. While it is a male dominated sector in Ethiopia, I hope to see more women involved in the management of the sector and this will make it easier to give back to the community. In the future I hope to help the women in the area.

Can you give me some insight on the peaks and troughs of harvesting in terms of employment?

Beti: During the harvest season (roughly 4 months from October to the end of January), we have 290+ workers. 95% of them are women, and most of them are above 18. Because of the importance of coffee in the livelihoods for the majority of smallholder farmers in the zone, sometimes teenagers, some being 15 years and younger come and help their families (mother or old sibling mostly) pick cherries after school. Otherwise, there is no one to look after them at home.

To point out the importance of coffee, for women who do not have another job opportunity, the money they make during these 4 months are a major part of their yearly income. To them coffee is everything.

I.e coffee will send their children to school, coffee will assist them in getting the medication they need, or anything they need. As such, coffee receives the ultimate care as it is the central crop in their lives.

If someone were drinking your coffee on the other side of the world, what would you say to them?

Beti: I hope you enjoy the fruits of my work.

What can consumers do to support the work you do?

Beti: The best way consumers can contribute is learn where their coffee comes from. I think that’s a good start.

Many thanks to Beti for chatting to me. If you would like to get in contact with her, get in touch here. 

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Padre Coffee started at the Brunswick East Project (where they still roast) and is still a small owner-run business today. They started as a two-man team, roasting and serving coffee under the same roof - proud to source from traders and farmers that value quality and believe in ethical and sustainable production. In this months curation - Padre Coffee will be roasting the Finca Loma La Gloria from producer Anny Ruth - I'm working on trying to build in a feedback review system on the website for Anny, but for those who experience her coffee - tag her @anny_ruth and let her know what you think about her coffee! Pre-order by 23rd September at www.beanmarket.com.au 👈 photo by @specialtycoffeehighlights (congrats on reaching 100 cafes)

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Beatrix Bakes - North Melbourne

Have you ever dreamed of doing "XYZ" and then retiring and opening up a cafe? Well if I were to, I'd love to encapsulate the service, atmosphere and food of Beatrix Bakes in North Melbourne. On Instagram (@beatrixbakes), you would find posts of #cakenoprisoners and #totaleclipseoftheheart that you put it on you "to visit list" to see what the cake is going on. 

Serving Allpress espresso, the blend tasted like chocolate, toffee and had a smooth finish that makes it perfect for the plethora and heaven of cakes that Nat Paull and her team bake, back-of-house. A small cafe on Queensberry Street, it is homey enough to think you are enjoying coffee and cake with a friend at home.

I got the BEGGBIE (on brioche) - grilled bacon, fried egg, roasted beetroot, roquette and apple aioli, and got the potato brioche doughnut with lemon sour cream glaze. For home ;) I got the passionfruit chiffon cake (oh so soft!) and pistachio lemon curd layer cake. If a fan for cake, you NEED to visit Beatrix Bakes, thank me later. 

Location: 688 Queensberry Street, North Carlton, Melbourne

Opening days: Tuesday- Saturday, 9-4pm.

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Beatrix Bakes - North Melbourne

Have you ever dreamed of doing "XYZ" and then retiring and opening up a cafe? Well if I were to, I'd love to encapsulate the service, atmosphere and food of Beatrix Bakes in North Melbourne. On Instagram (@beatrixbakes), you would find posts of #cakenoprisoners and #totaleclipseoftheheart that you put it on you "to visit list" to see what the cake is going on. 

Serving Allpress espresso, the blend tasted like chocolate, toffee and had a smooth finish that makes it perfect for the plethora and heaven of cakes that Nat Paull and her team bake, back-of-house. A small cafe on Queensberry Street, it is homey enough to think you are enjoying coffee and cake with a friend at home.

I got the BEGGBIE (on brioche) - grilled bacon, fried egg, roasted beetroot, roquette and apple aioli, and got the potato brioche doughnut with lemon sour cream glaze. For home ;) I got the passionfruit chiffon cake (oh so soft!) and pistachio lemon curd layer cake. If a fan for cake, you NEED to visit Beatrix Bakes, thank me later. 

Location: 688 Queensberry Street, North Carlton, Melbourne

Opening days: Tuesday- Saturday, 9-4pm.

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Good 2 Go by Youth Projects

Having volunteered quite extensively, I have come to understand that there is a limit on the sustainability of applying for grants, asking for donations and relying on volunteers for "do good" projects and organisations. I learnt about social enterprises in 2010 or so, and was inspired about such a  pragmatic approach to doing good (there is no "one size fits all definition" but i sometimes summarise it as using the market for social good). I hope and believe that social enteprises will pave a way to both a sustainable, pragmatic way of doing good/business. I interview Kirsty McKenzie from Good 2 Go by Youth Projects and get her insights on doing good. 

What does Good 2 Go do? Kirsty: Good Coffee Good 2 Go by Youth Projects, is a social enterprise on Hosier Lane where all profits & donations help support people at risk of, or currently experiencing homelessness, poverty & hardship. It is located adjacent to the Youth Projects service, The Living Room, which is a drop in centre run for and utilised by the disadvantaged community. We know that for many young people, there are a number of unreasonable barriers for gaining real work experience leaving a large number of young people unable to break into the job market.  Our space provides an achievable, friendly way to take that first step and break down barriers to confidence & experience through hospitality & life skills training for people of all ages through job services agencies. It is also an area more likely to provide entry level job opportunities for young people. Moreover, we are able to take on people with complex backgrounds and current mental health issues as relevant mental health experts from the attached medical clinic can work hand in hand with our café staff to create an individualised plan for each trainee that meets their unique requirements.

How did Good 2 Go start?  Kirsty: Good 2 Go opened up in November last year when Youth Projects decided to put its high value real estate in Hosier Lane to better use. I was hired to help open up the cafe which involved an all rounded experience from sourcing the products we use, to decorating the interior of the cafe space. I have poured a big part of my personality into the cafe, so in turn my love for coffee & street art are a prominent, sometimes chaotic theme here at Good 2 Go. Can you share one instance where you have empowered somebody? Kirsty: One of the rewards of the job is seeing long term unemployed people who have been highly excluded & vulnerable transform into skilled & confident employees with a very different future. We have seen a rapid transformation in people who have been held back by many challenges in terms of mental health or homelessness, who have since discovered their self-worth by returning to study & employment. My work at Good 2 Go can be genuinely life changing day to day. Why Rumble? Kirsty: We decided to go with Rumble because not only is their Haymaker blend the best coffee going around, they are a Melbourne based business, with their Roastery being located in Kensington. As much as we can, we like to support local businesses when choosing suppliers for all of our products. The boys at Rumble are great guys to collaborate with & since the beginning of our relationship in November, they always had the fact that we are a not-for-profit high on their list by providing us with the best products at a great price & with top notch service.  

What can somebody do to assist the work you are doing? Kirsty: We are not-for-profit so if any suppliers want to donate key ingredients and necessities to reduce costs so we can direct our limited funding towards our training, education and medical programs. We are also always on the lookout for sponsors for potential expansions to the site so that we can ensure we are reaching our potential as a training site. We are also looking for job opportunities and more work experience for our trainees, meaning that if there are other businesses or organsiations who would like to offer further work experience or employment for our dedicated young people, we would love to open up that conversation. We also have accredited barista and retail training course that you can enrol in where the proceeds also support our work at Youth Projects. On an individual level, you can also donate a “pay it forward” coffee over the counter at good 2 Go - buy a drink or coffee for someone in need, or head to our website to make a contribution to the work accomplished at Youth Projects. Any other thoughts you would like to share? Kirsty: When you support us you support projects that make a long term impact and meaningful change in people’s lives. We don’t want to just see people on the streets being more comfortable but want to work towards eradicating homelessness by helping people to not only attain employed but sustain it. It’s hard work & involves many types of support, but we all win in the end if everybody is doing better in our community.

Good 2 Go is located on Hosier Lane in Melbourne. You can drop into the Youth Projects office on Hosier Lane.

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Based in Elsternwick, the Artful Dodger Coffee Trading Co came to roast their own coffee after head roaster Dan developed a passion for coffee and wanted to know everything and anything to do with coffee. Artful Dodger wants to educate coffee drinkers about what's in their cup. . A few months ago, I interviewed co-founder Kristy from the Long Mile Coffee Project in Burundi so was excited when I heard Artful Dodger was supporting the project (Mutana Hill). Long Mile Coffee Project is a small American family-turned coffee producers, born from the dream of facilitating direct and meaningful relationships between coffee growers and roasters. Read more on the blog beanmarket.com.au and featured in September's curation, make a pre-order to try the Mutana Hill from Artful Dodger! 🙌 Photo from @longmilescoffeeproject @adtradingco

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Established in 2009, Zest Specialty Coffee pride themselves on a “benchmark of quality through craftsmanship.” During their visit to Costa Rica, earlier this year, they tasted countless amounts of microlots. They had an eye opening experience with the La Candelaria’s SHB (strictly hard beans - grown at an altitude of 1200m +) and note that “we should pay very close attention to the cup profiles coming out of the La Candelaria’s Estate this season.” . Featured in the September pack from La Candelaria, Alajuela, West Valley, Costa Rica, the Zest team note it has a “pronounced sweetness with a mellow acidity and fantastic mouth-feel. Notes of yellow stone fruit and whipped cream with the occasional hint of apricot jam.” How’s that for a cup profile? ☕️🙋Picture taken at the @zest_coffee Green Room. (at order at beanmarket.com.au)

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Since I've started learning more about coffee, a lot of friends (who haven't had the opportunity or exposure to specialty coffee) keep asking me "so what's a single origin?" . The best way I try to explain it is that compared to "blends" where there is a combination of coffees from different countries, single origin is where the coffee only comes from one country, region, farm or part of a farm (microlot). If you're hoping to learn more about specialty coffee, I hope this feed proves valuable and insightful about learning more about your cup. I'm regramming this from the lovely @_deborah.brandon_ who enjoyed this brew last week. We met over Instagram and she's all kinds of wonderful. #fromwhereistand

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A few months ago I interviewed Anny Ruth, a second generation producer - Finca Loma La Gloria, El Salvador about her work for @perfectdailygrind (about the language of coffee). Now I’m really excited to work with @padrecoffee based in Brunswick East, and share her coffee from the El Volador estate this month. The Padre Coffee team say it has “a creamy mouthfeel and velvety body - alongside delicious notes of juicy melon, dark chocolate and a light citrus acidity that reminds Padre a little of lemon sorbet” 🍈🍫🍋 read more on #beanmarket.com.au Photo from the Padre Coffee team.

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September's featured Roasters above ☝️ so excited to be able to share these coffees with you. Oh happy days! Read more and pre-order on beanmarket.com.au 😀✌️☕️☕️☕️ (at ☕️ beanmarket.com.au)

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An impressive hybrid between the Pacas and Maragogype, the Pacamara was created in El Salvador in 1958. The Pacas is a natural bourbon discovered by the Pacas family in 1949, while the Maragogype is a mutation of the typica, first discovered in Brazil. The Pacamara receives the best attributes from both the Pacas and Maragogype. Can't wait to grind these pacamaras up! @queensberryph #specialtycoffee #melbournecoffee #melbourne #coffee #pacamara #pacas #marogogype #queensberryph #elsalvador #silocoffee

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I ask @betiberhanu from @dumersocoffee (far right) what's the best way consumers can support the work you do? "The best way consumers can contribute, is learn about where their coffee comes from. I think that's a good start." Blog post up soon. #coffee #dumerso #ethiopia #yirgacheffe #transparency #specialtycoffee

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Decisions decisions. Thanks for the awesome photo @kopikia_xin ! ☕️☕️☕️ (at pre-order beanmarket.com.au)

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The next roasters featured in our August subscription pack 👆have a read on beanmarket.com.au 😘 (at ☕️ beanmarket.com.au)

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Bean and gone. Subscribers your coffee is on the way to you now! Thanks to those who ordered. Woo! #coffeesubscription #melbournecoffee #coffee #specialtycoffee