Why is Australian Coffee So Good?
There are many things we do well here in Australia and coffee is very close to the top of that list. Ask any Aussie who moves overseas, the coffee in most places just doesn’t compare to our long blacks or flat whites here at home. It just fits so well into our culture here too, we’re a sociable country and love to catch up with friends over some caffeine. It’s also the perfect way to warm ourselves up after an early morning surf or to wind down after a run or gym session. From the laneway cafes in Melbourne to the hipster hotspots and craft roasteries in Sydney and beyond, the coffee obsession goes from strength to strength here in Australia. But what is it that make Australian coffee so amazing? We’re glad you asked….:
- Espresso: The influx of Italians to Australia in the mid-20th century saw a new perspective on how coffee should be made here. They brought with them the traditional stovetop coffee makers which were widely used in Italy, a country steeped in coffee heritage. This saw a rise in espresso being used as the base for most coffee in Australia as opposed to filter coffee or drip coffee which is more common around the world. Interestingly filter coffee is making a name for itself in some establshments, but we continue to be a predominantly espresso based market
- Pride & Passion: 95% of cafes in Australia are independently owned and with this comes a level of pride in their craft not always as rigid in large coffee chains. Coffee is a massive industry in Australia and those who work in it take it very seriously!
- Creativity: Our baristas here in Sydney and around Australia take their work very seriously. They are constantly pushing the boundaries of creativity and experimenting with beans, temperatures, blends, new forms of latte art, grinders and their configurations, different blades, pressure profiling, brew ratios and different brew methods.
- Lifestyle: While many think of coffee and associate it with being solely an energy enhancer, Australians consider their coffee drinking time as sacred and relaxing. As a health-conscious nation, it’s a great alternative to a boozy catch-up in the pub with friends or family and is perfect when teamed with a tasty brunch. GIven our wonderful climate, a coffee in outdoors is one of life's great small pleasures.
- Competition: As the above shows, the coffee industry has very high standards in Australia and the huge competition roasters and cafes face means they are constantly identifying new ways to get a step ahead of their competition, by improving the quality of the product offerings. Baristas can compete in several barista competitions while roasters can test their blends and roast degrees in some of the toughest roasting competitions in the world
Here at Bay Coffee we’re super passionate about the coffee we serve to our customers. We run a small roastery alongside our café in Neutral Bay, Sydney and have a shop where we sell to wholesale businesses like other cafes and end-users. Drop by for a coffee or a bag of beans soon!