November 11, 2016
The road to success is paved with great coffee.
Here at Three Thousand Thieves, we’ve been long-term fans of Wide Open Road. Quickly becoming a Melbourne institution, the road to their success has been paved with great coffee. The stunning flagship cafe and roastery is located 4kms north of the CBD in Brunswick. Designed by architect Nicky Adams, the space is warm and contemporary, with a 1950s warehouse shell, wood panelled ceiling and a viewing window to the roastery out the back.
But this month at Three Thousand Thieves, we’re focusing on the newest member of the Wide Open Road family. Sitting proudly alongside Heart Attack and Vine (in Carlton), and A Minor Place (in Brunswick), Bedford Street is an all-day eatery located in the heart of Collingwood, offering a modern take on the classic American diner experience, and of course, sensational coffee.
Specialising in big and delicious meals, it’s no surprise that the Bedford Street Blend (a custom filter roast designed for the venue’s batch brewer) cuts through a large, rich breakfast, like their chicken & waffles, or pairs perfectly with a slice of cherry pie. “We came up with a filter blend that would taste great through a batch brew or percolator, and that can be consumed all day by the mugful. Of course, unlike most American diner coffee, ours is still specialty coffee quality,” says Dylan Hewitt, Wide Open Road’s Head Roaster.
A subscription exclusive, the ‘Bedford Street Blend’ is currently only available at the Bedford Street venue; so Three Thousand Thieves members are the first in the world to receive this exclusive coffee to their door. Featuring heaps of sweetness and body, the resulting filter blend has an apple pie aroma, thick syrupy body, and a caramel, sugar cane sweetness. To finish, candied blueberries give way to a delicious nectarine acidity.
For this month’s espresso roast we have Wide Open Road’s signature espresso blend, the Bathysphere: made up of beans from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia and Kenya, it has a big, bold body with a caramel and dark chocolate sweetness, and a soft, fruity finish. Think of it like a delicious ‘Black Forest’ cake. It’s a well balanced blend that makes for an outstanding black coffee - it also really shines with milk.
You can also experience Wide Open Road’s feature coffee at MPavilion: a stunning arts space operating throughout the summer in the iconic Queen Victoria Gardens, offering Melbourne-only coffee curated by Three Thousand Thieves.
“Melbourne rules. It’s a great city full of passionate people and coffee holds a special place in this city’s heart. The quality of coffee in Melbourne is undeniable.”
When asked about plans for the future, the roastery will continue to focus on exceptional quality in every single bag: “We’re continuing to refine our craft. We’ll be firing up our new custom built Probat UG22 this month which will give us a lot more control over our roasting. It’s still a completely manual machine, which is the way we like it. We’re a small roasting company and every coffee that leaves our space has been given love and attention from the roast to the quality control stage.”
So whether you’re trying Wide Open Road for the first time, or are a seasoned lover of their offering, it’s clear that no road is too long for great coffee.
Follow them on Instagram @wideopenroad.coffee
Photos by Pia Hambour
