March 01, 2019
Motobean “Racer” (Espresso)
Brazil Ipanema Premier Cru “Peach” (Filter)
Calling into Motobean’s roasting facility in Malmsbury at the foot of Victoria’s beautiful Macedon Ranges, a visitor is left with two bold images - lovingly restored vintage motorcycles and the glorious smell of perfectly roasted coffee.
Lachy Evans, Head Roaster, Green Buyer and Barista explains the unique pairing of the mechanical and artisan coffee.
“To provide an amazing cup of coffee you have to care about and consider everything from bean to machine. That includes everything along that chain. From the team growing at the place of origin, to roasting, to the skill of the barista, to the final cup… it’s all critical.”
A good example of this philosophy is captured by this months’ filter coffee. “We have a great relationship with the incredible people at Ipanema Coffees in Brazil – it takes years of planning, innovation and hard work to produce something as special as their Premier Cru Peach.”
Evans like to call the links in their coffee chain a “caffeinated relationship” which extends to customer also. “We have attracted a following of people…a community really, that appreciate specialty coffee. They’re interested in where their coffee comes from, the story of the farmer and the tasting notes of our roasted product.”
Dig deeper into Motobean’s tool kit and you’ll also find a group of people that really care about the community they are a part of. The team have gotten involved in a program of barista training workshops with local community houses and are reaching out to local secondary schools to train young people starting out a career in coffee. Evans says, “It’s great that coffee and the coffee industry can provide opportunities, it doesn't discriminate - anyone can give it a crack!”
For this month’s Espresso blend, Motobean have selected “Racer” – inspired by long nights in the garage this one is a “super punchy” blend with notes of dark chocolate. Racer is a 50/50 blend of Brazil Verventez pulp natural and Colombian Popayan Munchique. Evans adds that Verventez is a coffee close to their heart, with farm owner Pedro Garbarra Textiera a frequent visitor to Motobean.
“Pedro is passionate about bringing amazing coffee to his region of Brazil and has demonstrated a commitment to reducing yields to allow a much higher grade of coffee,” says Evans, “Pedro also loves a beer, so we get along great!”
If brewed on a commercial espresso machine Evans recommends:
- Dose: 22g
- Yield: 40g
- Extraction time:
- First Drop: XX seconds
- Full extraction: 30 seconds
For filter fans, Brazil B65 Microlot “Peach” produced by Ipanema coffees from their Rio Verde farm which is part of their ‘Premier Cru’ program. The estate is surrounded by 900 hectares of forests including environmental protection areas and 51 springs. Ipanema’s coffee fields are spread over more than 650 hectares. Among its 69 Terroirs of Fazenda Rio Verde, Ipanema chose the best 32 to be part of the Premier Cru. The varieties are limited to Yellow Catuai, Yellow Bourbon and Red Acaia with minimum altitude of 1,000 meters.
Evan’s believes that Premier Cru is revolutionary in the way that the coffees are branded by tight flavour profiles. Historically, process and varietals have been key in the way in which coffee is labelled. Ipanema cups every lot and based on the inherent characteristics of the bean they are label with specific batch flavour identifiers hence, the lot ‘Peach’.
The overall idea is to be able to collect enough data to predict the way in which a coffee will taste before, during and after the harvest by measuring weather patterns. Understanding each different terroir, coffee varietal and process method.
For the filter method Evan’s recommends an aeropress.
- Kettle set at a 78c
- 15grams of coffee
- Add 200ml of water, stir for 45 seconds, put the aeropress together & invert
- Let sit for another 30 seconds, followed by a 15 second plunge into the cup
- Total brew time: 1:45
We hope you’ll love this month’s selections from Motobean as much as we do. As for Evans and his team, they’re off to Brazil again soon to expand their every widening circle of “caffeinated relationships.” Shame they can’t take the motorcycles with them!
Visit the Motobean roastery & cafe: 50 Clowes St, Malmsbury VIC 3446
Check out their website: Motobean.com.au
Instagram: @motobeanroasters
