Our vision
or "special coffees for discerning customers"
You, the coffee drinker, are the most important link in the quality coffee chain. Thus, you should be supplied by your roaster with a freshly roasted coffee, having a profile adapted to it's processing method, density of the beans, origin and the individual character of each coffee, so as to reach its maximum potential of flavors and balance.
The raw material - green coffee beans belonging exclusively to the Arabica varieties - must be of the highest quality. They should meet the following conditions:
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traceability - the beans should originate from well-defined areas with specific micro-climate, easily identifiable;
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be responsible grown - cultivated with care by farmers dedicated to quality and harvested exclusively by hand, at maturity of the beans;
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carefully processed - transported, processed, dried and sorted so as not to present any visual/organoleptic defects, properly stored so as the moisture content of the grains to be kept between 10% and 12%;
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proper bean packaging - stored in GrainPro bags and only then in jute ones, or by vacuum, in smaller bags;
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optimal storage - keeping coffee bags at a constant temperature in the range of 14-16 ° C and relative humidity of 50-55% is essential, thus avoiding degradation.
The moment when the green coffee beans are rested and ready for transport represents their maximum potential. Each link involved, from that moment on and until you enjoy it, will take some of the original flavors off this living product. We, the roasters, have the task of intervening only as much as necessary to make those flavors shine.
The packaging used must be of high quality, made of a material with barrier properties (oxygen, moisture, UV rays) and a one-way valve for the release of carbon dioxide. The package labeling should bear, along the origin information (country, farm, altitude, variety, processing method), also the date of roasting of that specific batch as well as the precise batch identification.
At home, you have the pleasure of closing this circle of quality, preparing roasted coffee beans with mastery. In the cafe, a barista has the mission to respect the efforts made by all those people involved in this cycle until that very moment, serving you a magnificent coffee.
This whole chain of quality in coffee has a name: specialty coffee.
You, our customer and of other specialized coffee roasters, through your discernment, make this whole circuit possible, which rewards the efforts of all those involved, from the farmer up to the barista.
About us
Of all the benefits of coffee, one stands out as a magical property: it puts smiles on people's faces, if it's a good one...
This was a good reason enough to start our journey. Tired of carbonated cellulose infusions generously supplied by the big brands with symbolic statuses, we waited for the days when coffee was roasted in the - then only - roastery in the area, we ground it with a beauty of hand grinder (Zassenhaus La Paz) and prepared it with a French press. It was much better, but still too dark roasted and the only notion of traceability was "100% Arabica".
After several years of testing coffees as well as lots of studying, we bought a home coffee roaster. After roasting over a hundred batches, we concluded that there is lots of space on the market for a specialty coffee roaster at the highest standards, with well-trained and certified professionals.
In the fall of 2013 we decided to start. Then 2014 took us through specialized studies, market research, courses and certifications at the London School of Coffee and SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe).
Then, visiting the London Coffee Festival 2014 led us to the acquisition of a roaster of the highest quality (Giesen W6A, also used in the World Coffee Roasting Championship), made to order with our own specifications, from software to control panel and colors.
The search of ideal roasting profiles for each coffee in the portfolio and espresso blends lasted for more than 5 months and resulted in 120 kilograms of specialty coffee, offered free of charge for testing to our friends. All this journey, combined with the current results and especially their repeatability, gives us the confidence that we integrate, as roasters, in this quality circuit and can offer specialty coffees to the best of standards. Our efforts, technical and conceptual, will continue permanently in this direction.
We are convinced that our vision and your opinion will blend harmoniously to create special flavors in each cup ... and a smile.
- Mihai and Răzvan -