July 01, 2026
Hello July! This month we’re heading north to Hornsby, Sydney to meet a brand-new roastery with a whole lot of momentum: Cloudline Collective.
Roasting out of Hornsby’s very own Infinity Coffee, Cloudline is a fresh face in the Australian coffee scene, but the people behind it are anything but new to the game. With deep roots in the industry, Cloudline is all about slower roasting, better sourcing and creating a more thoughtful way to connect over coffee. The name ‘Cloudline’ comes from a pretty dreamy idea, that the sky isn’t the limit, it’s just the beginning. Honestly? We’re very much here for that kind of ambitious thinking!
At the centre of the roasting journey is Nathan Lee, a man who very much did not take the path his university degree had planned for him. After studying accounting, Nathan found himself pulled in a completely different direction – one with significantly less spreadsheets and significantly more espresso. His coffee career kicked off at Pepper & Rostis where he started as a barista. There he loved learning about the seed-to-cup journey, competed in barista competitions and was introduced to the art of roasting.
Next, Nathan spent the next decade deep in Sydney café life. He was working in, running, and owning cafés – including Normcore Café alongside his brother. Anyone who’s spent even five minutes in hospitality knows it’s not exactly a feet-up kind of lifestyle. Seven day weeks, early mornings, long hours, no real holidays… all the fun stuff. With a growing family, that pace started to feel less sustainable. But even through the chaos, Nathan loved what cafés could create: community, conversation, collaboration and of course… bloody good coffee.
Then Covid hit and, like it did for so many people in hospitality, everything changed. Nathan lost his job and was forced to properly reassess what he wanted the next chapter to look like. Instead of stepping away from coffee, he went deeper into it. Nathan dedicated himself to roasting and fell in love with the craft all over again. Cloudline Collective is the result of that reset!
Cloudline Collective is thoughtful roasting from people who have lived the café grind, loved the community and come out the other side with a clear idea of where they want coffee to go next. Upwards, obviously.
@cloudline.collective
cloudlinecollective.com.au
THE COFFEE
ESPRESSO COFFEE
Cloudline House Blend
Coffee Origin: Brazil and Colombia
Process: Natural and washed
Tasting Notes: Notes of dark chocolate, orange zest and brown sugar
Suggested Recipe for Espresso:
Does: 20g
Yield: 26-30g
Time: 25-28 seconds
Ratio: 1:1.3-1.5
Temp: 96 degrees
FILTER COFFEE
Colombia Beso Beso
Coffee Origin: Colombia
Varietals: Typica, Caturra and Bourbon
Process: Washed
Tasting Notes: Notes of grape, plum and milk chocolate
Suggested Recipe for Filter: 2 cups
Dose: 20g
Bloom: 60g for 30 seconds
Water: 300g water
Time: 1:45 – 2:15 minutes
Ratio: 1:15
Temp: 92 degrees
DARK ROAST
Common Ground Blend
Coffee Origin: Brazil, Ethiopia and India
Process: Natural and washed
Tasting Notes: Notes of milk chocolate, roasted almond and black tea
Suggested Recipe for Espresso:
Does: 20g
Yield: 40g
Time: 25-32 seconds
Ratio: 1:2
PREMIUM FILTER
Finca Santuario Sul
Coffee Origin: Brazil
Process: Washed
Varietals: Geisha
Tasting Notes: Notes of lemongrass, white peach and plum
Suggested Recipe for Filter: 2 cups
Dose: 20g
Bloom: 60g for 30 seconds
Water: 300g water
Time: 1:45 – 2:15 minutes
Ratio: 1:15
Temp: 92 degrees
The story of Finca Santuario Sul is a tale that reflects the passion and commitment of Luiz Paulo Pereira and Camilo Merizalde to the art of coffee. Nine years ago, inspired by the success of Santuario Farm in Colombia, they found Santuario Sul, applying the same philosophy and techniques that had brought them recognition in the industry. With Yellow Bourbon as the cornerstone of their plantation, Pereira and Merizalde expanded their vision beyond conventional boundaries. Over the next few years, they explored the diversity of the coffee world, planting up to 20 different varieties from around the globe. Each bean, with its own history and unique characteristics, contributed to enriching the diversity of the estate. Not content with tradition, Santuario Sul became a laboratory of innovation, where each season he experimented with new processes to bring out the flavours of the coffees grown on the farm. Today, Santuario Sul is a symbol of dedication and excellence in the coffee industry.