WHO MAKES YOUR COFFEE?

What do you do when you’re not making coffee?

When I’m not at The Roastery, I love skiing, mountain biking and hanging with the family. We are lucky enough to live close to Raumati Beach, so we spend many evenings enjoying the beautiful Kāpiti coastline with our dog and watching the kids swim or skim board.

What’s your coffee order?

Three quarter flat white please or an iced coffee if it’s hot!

What’s the key to a great coffee?

Great equipment and great beans make an incredible difference. All our coffee is roasted on site and, after it has aged, we take great care in preparing it for our customers. At The Roastery we are all about tuning the bean/machine interface and tweaking to get the perfect cup.

what are people talking about at the café this week?

We are so lucky to have lots of amazing artisan producers in our cool little industrial street including Duncan’s Brewery, and everyone is now chatting about The Bond Store distillery which has just moved to Birmingham St.

What’s your favourite thing about being a barista?

Talking to people and educating them about coffee, roasting on site and showing people the process from green bean to cup. We are very happy to create custom blends, the current favourite is the Low Caff – a blend of decaf and our classic Raumati Roast.

Dairy substitutes, yay or nay?

Absolutely, it’s great to have choice for those who prefer not to have dairy. They are becoming more and more popular, so we offer a full range of options.

Decaf, yay or nay?

Definitely yes – why not enjoy a coffee any time of the day? We have a choice of decaf options, Brazil or Colombian – decaf heaven! And who doesn’t love an affogato for dessert?

What’s the biggest coffee sin?

Burning the milk. There is such a fine line, and it can completely ruin the taste of the espresso. A good coffee should have well-steamed milk that is rich and creamy, creating the perfect balance.