The Complete Guide to Australian Coffee: From Farm to Cup

THE UNTOLD STORY OF AUSTRALIAN COFFEE: A CENTURY OF HERITAGE

 

AUSTRALIAN COFFEE IS OFTEN SPOKEN ABOUT AS SOMETHING NEW, BUT IT IS NOT. COFFEE HAS BEEN GROWN HERE FOR OVER A CENTURY, SHAPED BY EXPERIMENTATION, SETBACKS, AND GRADUAL REFINEMENT RATHER THAN RAPID EXPANSION.

 

EARLY PLANTINGS FACED REAL CHALLENGES. CLIMATE, DISTANCE FROM GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE CENTRES, AND LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE MEANT PROGRESS WAS SLOW. WHAT SURVIVED DID SO BECAUSE IT WAS SUITED TO PLACE, NOT BECAUSE IT FOLLOWED CONVENTION.

 

THAT HISTORY MATTERS. AUSTRALIAN COFFEE HAS DEVELOPED OUTSIDE THE PRESSURES OF COMMODITY SCALE AND EXPORT VOLUME. IT HAS EVOLVED QUIETLY, GUIDED BY PRACTICALITY, ADAPTATION, AND A WILLINGNESS TO RETHINK HOW COFFEE CAN BE GROWN IN A NON TRADITIONAL ORIGIN.

 

BEYOND THE COAST: WHY MAREEBA IS THE NATION’S COFFEE CAPITAL

 

LOCATED ON THE INLAND EDGE OF FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, MAREEBA SITS AT AN ELEVATION AND LATITUDE THAT SUIT COFFEE WELL. WARM DAYS SUPPORT STEADY GROWTH, WHILE COOLER NIGHTS SLOW CHERRY DEVELOPMENT AND ENCOURAGE MORE EVEN RIPENING. A DEFINED WET AND DRY SEASON ALLOWS BOTH FARMING AND PROCESSING TO BE CARRIED OUT WITH GREATER CONTROL.

 

THE SOILS AROUND MAREEBA ARE FERTILE AND WELL DRAINED, SHAPED BY VOLCANIC HISTORY. THESE CONDITIONS SUPPORT STRONG ROOT SYSTEMS AND LONG TERM PLANT HEALTH, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CONSISTENT PRODUCTION.

 

OVER TIME, FARMING KNOWLEDGE, PROCESSING CAPABILITY, AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE CONCENTRATED IN THE REGION. THAT ACCUMULATION OF EXPERIENCE HAS ALLOWED QUALITY TO IMPROVE INCREMENTALLY, SEASON BY SEASON.

 

MAREEBA IS AUSTRALIA’S COFFEE GROWING CAPITAL NOT BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY PLACE COFFEE CAN BE GROWN, BUT BECAUSE IT OFFERS A COMBINATION OF CLIMATE, SOIL, AND EXPERIENCE THAT ALLOWS COFFEE TO BE PRODUCED RELIABLY AND WELL.

 

GROWING THROUGH THE GENERATIONS: THE EVOLUTION OF HIGH-LATITUDE FARMING

 

FARMING COFFEE AT HIGHER LATITUDES REQUIRES A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO TIMING, VARIETY, AND RISK. SEASONS ARE MORE DEFINED, TEMPERATURE SWINGS ARE GREATER, AND GROWTH WINDOWS ARE NARROWER.

 

OVER TIME, FARMING PRACTICES HAVE BEEN ADAPTED TO SUIT THESE CONDITIONS. VARIETIES ARE SELECTED FOR RESILIENCE AND SUITABILITY RATHER THAN YIELD ALONE. FLOWERING AND HARVEST ARE MANAGED AROUND SHORTER, MORE CONCENTRATED SEASONS. FROST RISK, RAINFALL TIMING, AND HEAT EVENTS ARE FACTORED INTO PLANTING, PRUNING, AND NUTRITION DECISIONS.

 

IRRIGATION IS USED TO STABILISE GROWTH DURING DRY PERIODS, WHILE CANOPY MANAGEMENT HELPS PROTECT TREES DURING TEMPERATURE EXTREMES. SOIL HEALTH IS PRIORITISED TO SUPPORT CONSISTENT UPTAKE OF NUTRIENTS ACROSS SLOWER GROWTH CYCLES.

 

THESE ADJUSTMENTS WERE NOT ADOPTED ALL AT ONCE. THEY HAVE BEEN REFINED OVER YEARS OF OBSERVATION AND RESPONSE. EACH SEASON INFORMS THE NEXT, WITH CHANGES MADE BASED ON WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT ALLOWS RATHER THAN WHAT WORKS ELSEWHERE.

 

THE RESULT IS A FARMING SYSTEM SHAPED BY PLACE. PRACTICAL, MEASURED, AND BUILT TO PERFORM WITHIN THE REALITIES OF HIGH-LATITUDE COFFEE PRODUCTION.

 

WHY CHOOSE AUSTRALIAN COFFEE BEANS? THE TERROIR OF THE NORTH

 

COFFEE GROWN IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA IS SHAPED BY A SPECIFIC SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES AND THE FARMING PRACTICES REQUIRED TO WORK WITHIN THEM. CLIMATE, LATITUDE, AND REGULATION ALL PLAY A ROLE, BUT IT IS HOW THOSE FACTORS ARE MANAGED THAT DEFINES THE FINAL COFFEE.

 

THE GROWING ENVIRONMENT IS TROPICAL, WITH CLEAR WET AND DRY SEASONS. RAINFALL ARRIVES IN DISTINCT PERIODS RATHER THAN YEAR ROUND, WHICH ALLOWS FLOWERING, HARVEST, AND PROCESSING TO BE PLANNED WITH GREATER CERTAINTY. TEMPERATURE IS MODERATED BY LATITUDE AND ELEVATION, SLOWING CHERRY DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING MORE EVEN RIPENING.

 

SOILS IN THE NORTH ARE TYPICALLY FERTILE AND WELL DRAINED, SUPPORTING HEALTHY ROOT SYSTEMS AND LONG TERM PLANT HEALTH. THIS REDUCES STRESS ON THE TREES AND ALLOWS NUTRIENTS TO BE TAKEN UP STEADILY THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

 

FARMING PRACTICES ARE BUILT AROUND CONTROL AND CONSISTENCY. IRRIGATION IS USED TO MANAGE DRY PERIODS, CANOPY MANAGEMENT PROTECTS TREES FROM HEAT AND WIND, AND HARVEST TIMING IS ALIGNED CLOSELY WITH SEASONAL CONDITIONS. POST HARVEST, SORTING AND PROCESSING SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO MANAGE VARIABILITY RATHER THAN IGNORE IT.

 

AUSTRALIAN COFFEE IS NOT DEFINED BY A SINGLE ATTRIBUTE. IT IS THE OUTCOME OF ENVIRONMENT AND PRACTICE WORKING TOGETHER, PRODUCING COFFEES THAT ARE BALANCED, CLEAN, AND REFLECTIVE OF WHERE THEY ARE GROWN.

 

THE SCIENCE OF LATITUDE: HOW COOLER CLIMATES CREATE SWEETER BEANS

 

LATITUDE INFLUENCES TEMPERATURE, AND TEMPERATURE INFLUENCES HOW COFFEE DEVELOPS. IN COOLER CLIMATES, CHERRIES MATURE MORE SLOWLY. THIS EXTENDED DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS SUGARS TO ACCUMULATE MORE EVENLY WITHIN THE SEED.

 

SLOWER GROWTH TENDS TO SUPPORT SWEETNESS AND BALANCE RATHER THAN SHARPNESS. ACIDS DEVELOP ALONGSIDE SUGARS, RESULTING IN STRUCTURE THAT FEELS INTEGRATED RATHER THAN DOMINANT.

 

IN THE NORTHERN REACHES OF AUSTRALIA, LATITUDE AND ELEVATION COMBINE TO MODERATE HEAT WITHOUT HALTING GROWTH. THE RESULT IS A GROWING CYCLE THAT FAVOURS COMPOSURE IN THE CUP.

 

SWEETNESS HERE IS NOT ADDED OR EXAGGERATED. IT IS THE NATURAL OUTCOME OF TIME, TEMPERATURE, AND RESTRAINT.

 

NATURALLY LOW ACIDITY: THE UNIQUE FLAVOUR PROFILE OF VOLCANIC SOILS

 

AUSTRALIA OPERATES UNDER ONE OF THE STRICTEST BIOSECURITY SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. THOSE CONTROLS SHAPE WHAT CAN BE GROWN, HOW IT IS GROWN, AND WHICH CHEMICALS ARE PERMITTED IN AGRICULTURE. IN COFFEE, THAT FRAMEWORK HAS A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON PURITY AND PRACTICE.

 

MANY OF THE PESTS AND DISEASES THAT DRIVE HEAVY PESTICIDE USE IN OTHER COFFEE GROWING REGIONS ARE NOT PRESENT IN AUSTRALIA. AS A RESULT, COFFEE HERE CAN BE GROWN WITHOUT RELYING ON ROUTINE CHEMICAL INTERVENTION. THIS IS NOT A CLAIM OF VIRTUE, BUT A CONSEQUENCE OF GEOGRAPHY, REGULATION, AND PREVENTION.

 

BIOSECURITY IS PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE. STRICT CONTROLS AT THE BORDER REDUCE THE NEED TO MANAGE PROBLEMS AFTER THEY ARRIVE. ON THE FARM, THIS ALLOWS THE FOCUS TO REMAIN ON PLANT HEALTH, SOIL MANAGEMENT, AND CAREFUL MONITORING, RATHER THAN CHEMICAL CORRECTION.

 

THE OUTCOME IS COFFEE THAT IS CLEAN BY DESIGN. FEWER INPUTS, FEWER RESIDUES, AND FEWER COMPROMISES. IT IS A QUIET ADVANTAGE OF GROWING COFFEE IN AUSTRALIA, AND ONE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO BOTH THE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCT AND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE WHO DRINK IT.

 

THE FARM-TO-CUP JOURNEY: UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

 

EVERY COFFEE HAS A JOURNEY, AND OURS BEGINS IN THE FIELD. THE AIM AT EACH STAGE IS CONSISTENCY AND CARE, RATHER THAN SPEED OR VOLUME. WHAT HAPPENS ON THE FARM SHAPES EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS.

 

GROWING CONDITIONS IN FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND ARE TROPICAL, WHICH BRINGS BOTH OPPORTUNITY AND CONSTRAINT. AGRONOMY FOCUSES ON MANAGING THOSE CONDITIONS, ENCOURAGING EVEN FLOWERING AND CHERRY DEVELOPMENT, AND MAINTAINING PLANT HEALTH ACROSS THE SEASON.

 

HARVESTING IS MECHANICAL, SUITED TO SCALE AND TERRAIN. THIS MEANS FRUIT OF MIXED RIPENESS IS COLLECTED TOGETHER, WHICH IS THEN MANAGED CAREFULLY THROUGH POST-HARVEST SORTING. COLOUR AND DENSITY SEPARATION ARE USED TO PRIORITISE MATURE CHERRIES BEFORE PROCESSING BEGINS.

 

ONCE SORTED, CHERRIES MOVE THROUGH CONTROLLED WET MILLING. FERMENTATION, WASHING, AND DRYING ARE HANDLED WITH ATTENTION TO TEMPERATURE, TIMING, AND AIRFLOW, REDUCING VARIABILITY AND PRESERVING CLARITY. COFFEE IS THEN RESTED AND STORED IN TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS TO MAINTAIN STABILITY.

 

ROASTING IS THE FINAL TRANSLATION STEP. BECAUSE THE COFFEE HAS BEEN CLOSELY MANAGED FROM THE START, ROAST DECISIONS ARE GUIDED BY KNOWLEDGE OF HOW IT WAS GROWN AND PROCESSED, NOT GUESSWORK. THE GOAL IS TO PRESENT THE COFFEE HONESTLY, WITHOUT OVERWORKING IT.

 

FROM FARM TO CUP, THE PROCESS IS CONNECTED. EACH STAGE SUPPORTS THE NEXT, ALLOWING THE COFFEE TO ARRIVE IN YOUR CUP FRESH, TRACEABLE, AND CLEARLY EXPRESSED.

 

PRECISION HARVESTING: THE IMPORTANCE OF PICKING MATURE BLOOD-RED CHERRIES

 

CHERRY MATURITY PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN HOW A COFFEE TASTES. FULLY RIPE, BLOOD-RED CHERRIES CONTAIN MORE EVENLY DEVELOPED SUGARS AND ACIDS, WHICH PROVIDES A STRONGER FOUNDATION FOR PROCESSING AND FLAVOUR DEVELOPMENT.

 

IN OUR CASE, UNIFORMITY BEGINS IN THE FIELD. AGRONOMY AND FLOWERING MANAGEMENT ARE USED TO ENCOURAGE EVEN CHERRY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE TREES. THAT WORK REDUCES VARIABILITY, BUT IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE IT ENTIRELY.

 

BECAUSE OF SCALE AND PRACTICALITY, HARVESTING IS MECHANICAL RATHER THAN SELECTIVE HAND-PICKING. THIS MEANS CHERRIES OF MIXED RIPENESS ARE COLLECTED TOGETHER. RATHER THAN PRESENTING THIS AS A LIMITATION, IT IS A REALITY OF MODERN FARMING THAT MUST BE MANAGED PROPERLY.

 

THAT MANAGEMENT HAPPENS AFTER HARVEST. THROUGH POST-HARVEST SORTING, INCLUDING COLOUR AND DENSITY SEPARATION, UNDER-RIPE AND OVER-RIPE CHERRIES ARE REMOVED BEFORE PROCESSING. THIS ALLOWS US TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF THE COFFEE WHILE OPERATING AT A SCALE SUITED TO AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONS.

 

THE RESULT IS NOT PERFECTION AT HARVEST, BUT CONSISTENCY THROUGH PROCESS. BY COMBINING FIELD MANAGEMENT WITH RIGOROUS POST-HARVEST SORTING, MATURE CHERRIES ARE PRIORITISED, AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE FINAL COFFEE IS MAINTAINED.

 

INNOVATION IN THE TROPICS: ADVANCED WET-MILLING AND SORTING TECHNOLOGY

 

CONSISTENCY IN COFFEE PROCESSING BEGINS LONG BEFORE THE WET MILL. ON THE FARM, AGRONOMY AND HARVEST PRACTICES ARE DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE EVEN FLOWERING AND RIPENING, REDUCING VARIABILITY AT ITS SOURCE.

 

AT HARVEST, CHERRY COLOUR SORTING IS USED TO SEPARATE FRUIT BY RIPENESS. SELECTING CHERRIES AT A CONSISTENT STAGE OF MATURITY ALLOWS FERMENTATION AND DRYING TO PROCEED MORE EVENLY. THIS LEADS TO GREATER CONTROL THROUGH PROCESSING AND A MORE UNIFORM FINAL COFFEE.

 

BECAUSE THE INCOMING FRUIT IS ALREADY CONSISTENT, THERE IS LESS RELIANCE ON POST HARVEST CORRECTION. SORTING IS USED TO CONFIRM QUALITY RATHER THAN COMPENSATE FOR IT. THE FOCUS IS ON PREVENTING DEFECTS, NOT REMOVING THEM LATER.

 

HISTORICALLY, COFFEE PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA HAS FACED LIMITATIONS AROUND SCALE AND ACCESS TO SPECIALISED PROCESSING SYSTEMS. BY COMBINING AGRONOMIC CONTROL WITH MODERN WET MILLING AND SORTING, THOSE CONSTRAINTS ARE REDUCED. THE RESULT IS A PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT SUITED TO TROPICAL CONDITIONS, WHERE CLARITY, REPEATABILITY, AND QUALITY CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH FAR GREATER CONFIDENCE.

 

THE ART OF THE ROAST: HIGHLIGHTING THE NUANCES OF SINGLE-ESTATE LOTS

 

SINGLE ESTATE COFFEE CARRIES THE IMPRINT OF A SPECIFIC PLACE. SOIL, CLIMATE, VARIETY, AND PROCESSING ALL SHAPE THE RAW COFFEE BEFORE IT EVER REACHES THE ROASTER. THE ROLE OF ROASTING IS NOT TO IMPOSE CHARACTER, BUT TO REVEAL WHAT IS ALREADY THERE.

 

WITH SINGLE ESTATE LOTS, THE MARGINS FOR ERROR ARE NARROW. SMALL CHANGES IN HEAT, TIME, OR AIRFLOW CAN OBSCURE DETAIL OR FLATTEN FLAVOUR. CAREFUL ROASTING IS ABOUT BALANCE, DEVELOPING SWEETNESS AND STRUCTURE WHILE PRESERVING CLARITY AND ORIGIN CHARACTER.

 

BECAUSE THESE LOTS COME FROM A SINGLE FARM, THEY OFFER CONSISTENCY AND TRACEABILITY. THAT ALLOWS ROASTING DECISIONS TO BE INFORMED BY INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE COFFEE WAS GROWN AND PROCESSED, RATHER THAN BY AVERAGES OR BLENDS.

 

WHEN DONE WELL, ROASTING BECOMES A QUIET TRANSLATION. IT TURNS AGRICULTURAL WORK INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TASTED CLEARLY, WITHOUT DISTRACTION, AND WITHOUT EXCESS.

 

SUPPORTING LOCAL: THE SUSTAINABILITY OF DOMESTIC COFFEE

 

SUPPORTING LOCAL COFFEE PRODUCTION IS NOT ABOUT CLAIMING PERFECTION. IT IS ABOUT CHOOSING A SUPPLY CHAIN THAT IS CLOSER, MORE VISIBLE, AND EASIER TO ACCOUNT FOR.

 

DOMESTIC COFFEE IS GROWN, PROCESSED, AND SOLD WITHIN A SINGLE REGULATORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORK. THAT BRINGS CLEAR STANDARDS AROUND LAND USE, WATER MANAGEMENT, LABOUR, AND FOOD SAFETY. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR GREATER OVERSIGHT AT EACH STAGE, BECAUSE DISTANCE AND COMPLEXITY ARE REDUCED.

 

SUSTAINABILITY, IN THIS CONTEXT, IS PRACTICAL. SHORTER TRANSPORT ROUTES REDUCE ENERGY USE. LOCAL PROCESSING LIMITS THE NEED FOR LONG TERM STORAGE. WORKING WITHIN AUSTRALIAN SYSTEMS CREATES ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS HARDER TO MAINTAIN ACROSS LONG, FRAGMENTED SUPPLY CHAINS.

 

CHOOSING AUSTRALIAN GROWN COFFEE SUPPORTS REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITHIN IT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT SUPPORTS A MODEL WHERE IMPACT CAN BE MEASURED, QUESTIONED, AND IMPROVED OVER TIME.

 

THAT KIND OF SUSTAINABILITY IS BUILT SLOWLY, AND IT STARTS CLOSE TO HOME.

 

REDUCING FOOD MILES: THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF LOCAL SOURCING

 

MOST COFFEE CONSUMED IN AUSTRALIA HAS TRAVELLED A LONG WAY BEFORE IT REACHES THE CUP. LONG SUPPLY CHAINS MEAN EXTENDED TRANSPORT, STORAGE, AND HANDLING, EACH ADDING TO THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.

 

LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE SHORTENS THAT JOURNEY. FEWER KILOMETRES BETWEEN FARM, ROASTERY, AND CUSTOMER REDUCE RELIANCE ON LONG-HAUL FREIGHT AND PROLONGED STORAGE. THE IMPACT IS PRACTICAL RATHER THAN THEORETICAL. LESS DISTANCE TRAVELLED GENERALLY MEANS LESS ENERGY USED.

 

LOCAL SOURCING ALSO BRINGS VISIBILITY. WHEN PRODUCTION HAPPENS CLOSER TO HOME, IT IS EASIER TO UNDERSTAND HOW A PRODUCT IS GROWN, PROCESSED, AND MOVED. THAT TRANSPARENCY SUPPORTS MORE INFORMED DECISIONS, NOT JUST ABOUT FLAVOUR, BUT ABOUT HOW RESOURCES ARE USED ALONG THE WAY.

 

REDUCING FOOD MILES DOES NOT SOLVE EVERY ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE IN AGRICULTURE, BUT IT IS A MEANINGFUL PLACE TO START. IN COFFEE, AS IN FOOD MORE BROADLY, PROXIMITY MATTERS.

 

FAIR WAGES AND ETHICAL LABOUR: THE STANDARD FOR MODERN AUSTRALIAN FARMING

 

AUSTRALIAN FARMING SITS WITHIN A CLEAR LEGAL AND INDUSTRIAL FRAMEWORK THAT GOVERNS WAGES, CONDITIONS, SAFETY, AND WORKER WELFARE. THAT FRAMEWORK IS MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH MUCH OF THE WORLD’S COFFEE IS GROWN.

 

WE DON’T SEE THIS AS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE LOUDLY, BUT IT IS WORTH RECOGNISING. FAIR PAY, LAWFUL CONDITIONS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE BUILT INTO HOW  AGRICULTURE SHOULD OPERATE IN AUSTRALIA, AND THOSE PROTECTIONS MATTER. NOT JUST IN FARMING, BUT IN ANY FIELD WHERE PEOPLE’S WORK UNDERPINS THE FINAL PRODUCT.

 

ON OUR FARM, LABOUR IS TREATED IN LINE WITH THESE STANDARDS BECAUSE THAT IS HOW THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION. THE WORK IS SEASONAL AND DEMANDING, AND IT IS CARRIED OUT BY PEOPLE WHOSE TIME AND EFFORT DESERVE RESPECT.

 

CHOOSING AUSTRALIAN GROWN COFFEE MEANS SUPPORTING A SUPPLY CHAIN SHAPED BY FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, AND RESPONSIBILITY. THOSE VALUES MAY BE LESS VISIBLE THAN FLAVOUR NOTES OR ORIGIN STORIES, BUT THEY CARRY REAL WEIGHT, AND THEY MATTER WELL BEYOND THE CUP.

 

HOW TO EXPERIENCE JACK MURAT PREMIUM AUSTRALIAN COFFEE AT HOME

 

EXPERIENCING OUR COFFEE AT HOME IS ABOUT KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE AND CONSIDERED. THE WORK IS DONE LONG BEFORE IT REACHES YOU, ON THE FARM, DURING PROCESSING, AND AT ROAST. AT HOME, THE ROLE IS SIMPLY TO RESPECT THAT WORK.

 

START WITH FRESH COFFEE AND CLEAN EQUIPMENT. WHETHER YOU BREW ESPRESSO OR FILTER, USE GOOD WATER, WEIGH YOUR DOSE, AND ADJUST ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME. SMALL CHANGES MAKE A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH FRESH COFFEE.

 

CHOOSE A BREWING METHOD THAT SUITS HOW YOU LIKE TO DRINK COFFEE. ESPRESSO BRINGS WEIGHT AND TEXTURE. FILTER OFFERS CLARITY AND DETAIL. BOTH ARE VALID EXPRESSIONS OF THE SAME COFFEE, JUST SEEN THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS.

 

FINALLY, TAKE YOUR TIME WITH IT. SMELL THE COFFEE, TASTE IT AS IT COOLS, NOTICE HOW IT OPENS UP IN THE CUP. GOOD COFFEE DOESN’T RUSH, AND IT REWARDS A LITTLE ATTENTION.

 

THIS IS HOW WE EXPERIENCE OUR COFFEE AT HOME TOO. QUIETLY, REGULARLY, AND WITH RESPECT FOR WHERE IT CAME FROM.

 

BREWING TIPS FOR ESPRESSO VS. FILTER: MAXIMISING REGIONAL PROFILES

 

HOW YOU BREW COFFEE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHAT YOU TASTE AND HOW A COFFEE’S REGIONAL CHARACTER SHOWS UP IN THE CUP. DIFFERENT METHODS HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT QUALITIES, EVEN WHEN THE COFFEE ITSELF STAYS THE SAME.

 

FOR ESPRESSO, A FINER GRIND AND A SLIGHTLY MORE DEVELOPED ROAST HELP BRING BALANCE, BODY AND SWEETNESS. THIS APPROACH SUITS COFFEES WITH DEEPER NOTES LIKE CHOCOLATE, NUTS AND CARAMEL, AND IT PROVIDES THE STRUCTURE NEEDED FOR MILK BASED DRINKS.

 

FOR FILTER BREWING, SUCH AS POUR OVER OR BATCH BREW, A LIGHTER TO MEDIUM ROAST AND A COARSER GRIND ALLOW CLARITY TO SHINE. THIS METHOD LIFTS BRIGHTER FRUIT, FLORAL NOTES AND GENTLE ACIDITY, GIVING A CLEARER EXPRESSION OF ORIGIN AND PROCESS.

 

THERE IS NO SINGLE RIGHT WAY TO BREW A COFFEE. MATCHING THE METHOD TO THE STYLE OF COFFEE SIMPLY ALLOWS WHAT IS ALREADY THERE TO COME THROUGH MORE CLEARLY, SO THE REGIONAL PROFILE IS EXPRESSED AS INTENDED.

 

FROM FARM TO FRONT DOOR: WHY DIRECT SUBSCRIPTIONS GUARANTEE FRESHNESS

 

MOST COFFEE PASSES THROUGH MANY HANDS BEFORE IT REACHES THE CUP. GROWER, ROASTER, DISTRIBUTOR, WAREHOUSE. THAT DISTANCE IS COMMON, AND IT WORKS, BUT IT ADDS TIME. OUR COFFEE DOESN’T TRAVEL THAT WAY.

 

WE GROW IT, WE OVERSEE HOW IT’S PROCESSED, AND WE ROAST IT OURSELVES. THAT CLOSENESS MEANS EVERY DECISION IS CONNECTED. WHEN A COFFEE IS READY, IT MOVES STRAIGHT FROM OUR ROASTERY TO YOUR DOOR, WITHOUT WAITING OR SITTING IN BETWEEN. A SUBSCRIPTION SIMPLY KEEPS THAT LOOP TIGHT.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

IS COFFEE ACTUALLY GROWN COMMERCIALLY IN AUSTRALIA? 

 

YES. COFFEE IS GROWN COMMERCIALLY IN AUSTRALIA, EVEN THOUGH TOTAL PRODUCTION IS RELATIVELY SMALL. NATIONAL OUTPUT IS UNDER 1,000 TONNES A YEAR, WITH MOST OF THAT COMING FROM FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, WHERE FARMS ARE SET UP TO PRODUCE COFFEE CONSISTENTLY FROM SEASON TO SEASON. 

 

THERE ARE ALSO COFFEE FARMS IN SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES, BUT PRODUCTION IN THOSE REGIONS IS GENERALLY MUCH SMALLER. THESE ARE BETTER DESCRIBED AS BOUTIQUE FARMS, OFTEN FOCUSED ON LIMITED VOLUMES RATHER THAN ONGOING SUPPLY. 

 

IT’S ALSO WORTH CLEARING UP A COMMON POINT OF CONFUSION. COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IS ABOUT SCALE AND CONTINUITY, NOT QUALITY. THE TERM COMMERCIAL‑GRADE COFFEE USUALLY REFERS TO LOWER‑QUALITY, COMMODITY COFFEE. AUSTRALIAN COFFEE, DESPITE ITS SMALLER VOLUMES, IS TYPICALLY GROWN AND PROCESSED TO SPECIALTY STANDARDS RATHER THAN COMMODITY ONES.

 

WHAT MAKES AUSTRALIAN COFFEE BEANS DIFFERENT FROM SOUTH AMERICAN OR AFRICAN VARIETIES?  

 

EVERY REGION HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS. BROADLY SPEAKING, LATIN AMERICAN COFFEES TEND TO BE SWEETER, AFRICAN COFFEES MORE FRUITY, AND ASIAN COFFEES MORE EARTHY. AUSTRALIAN COFFEES ARE COMMONLY CHARACTERISED BY GOOD SWEETNESS, NUTTY FLAVOURS, MEDIUM TO LOW ACIDITY, AND A MEDIUM TO LOW BODY. THAT SAID, FLAVOUR IS SHAPED LESS BY THE VARIETY ITSELF AND MORE BY REGIONAL GROWING CONDITIONS, WHICH ULTIMATELY DEFINE THE PROFILE. 

 

WHY IS THE MAREEBA REGION IN QUEENSLAND SO FAMOUS FOR COFFEE PRODUCTION? 

 

ALTHOUGH THE ALTITUDE IS NOT COMPARABLE TO TRADITIONAL COFFEE‑GROWING REGIONS, WE STILL HAVE MANY OF THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO GROW QUALITY COFFEE. AT AROUND 17 DEGREES SOUTH LATITUDE, WE ARE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE EQUATOR, NEAR ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST TROPICAL RAINFORESTS, IN A VERY WET REGION WITH AMPLE SUNLIGHT. THESE FACTORS ALLOW US TO COMPENSATE FOR LOWER ALTITUDE THROUGH OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES. 

 

IS AUSTRALIAN-GROWN COFFEE CONSIDERED "SPECIALTY GRADE"? 

 

SPECIALTY GRADE DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE REGION ITSELF—IT DEPENDS ON THE PRACTICES USED TO PRODUCE THE COFFEE. YOU CAN BE IN PANAMA GROWING GEISHA, BUT WITHOUT MEETING MINIMUM QUALITY STANDARDS, THE CHANCES OF FAILURE ARE HIGH. PRODUCING SPECIALTY COFFEE REQUIRES PRECISE AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT, CAREFUL SELECTION OF FULLY RIPE CHERRIES, AND A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE COFFEE YOU ARE WORKING WITH. IT ALSO MEANS KNOWING WHAT SUITS EACH LOT BEST, WHETHER THAT’S A SHORTER OR EXTENDED FERMENTATION, OR A WASHED, HONEY, OR NATURAL PROCESS. EVERY COFFEE BEHAVES DIFFERENTLY, AND THE GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BRING OUT ITS BEST POSSIBLE EXPRESSION. 

 

DOES THE LOWER ALTITUDE OF AUSTRALIAN FARMS AFFECT THE TASTE OF THE COFFEE? 

 

YES, ALTITUDE AFFECTS COFFEE IN THE SAME WAY IT DOES EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD. IN AUSTRALIA, COFFEE IS GROWN FROM SEA LEVEL UP TO AROUND 1,050 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, AND EACH ALTITUDE PRODUCES DIFFERENT OUTCOMES IN THE CUP. THAT SAID, HIGH QUALITY IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO HIGH‑ALTITUDE COFFEES. QUALITY ALSO DEPENDS HEAVILY ON AGRONOMIC PLANNING AND HOW THE COFFEE IS MANAGED THROUGHOUT THE GROWING AND PROCESSING STAGES. 

 

ARE THERE SPECIFIC COFFEE VARIETALS THAT GROW BEST IN THE AUSTRALIAN CLIMATE? 

 

WE GROW CATUAÍ, A VARIETY THAT PERFORMS WELL IN MANY DIFFERENT REGIONS. COFFEE IS SURPRISINGLY ADAPTABLE, WHICH IS WHY WE’RE ABLE TO GROW QUALITY COFFEE AT AROUND 600 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL—EVEN THOUGH, AT THIS LATITUDE, YOU’D TRADITIONALLY EXPECT TO SEE MORE ROBUSTA THAN ARABICA. 

 

WHAT’S INTERESTING IS THAT OUR MOST RECENT PADDOCKS HAVE BEEN PLANTED USING SEEDS FROM OUR OWN FARM. THAT MEANS EACH NEW GENERATION OF TREES IS A LITTLE MORE ADAPTED TO THESE CONDITIONS THAN THE LAST. OVER TIME, THAT NATURAL ADAPTATION HELPS IMPROVE BOTH RESILIENCE AND CONSISTENCY. 

 

THAT SAID, NOT ALL VARIETIES BEHAVE THE SAME WAY. SOME NEED TO BE GROWN ABOVE 1,700 METRES TO DEVELOP THE FLAVOUR PROFILE THEY’RE KNOWN FOR. IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TO MATCHING THE RIGHT VARIETY TO THE RIGHT PLACE IF YOU WANT THE COFFEE TO TRULY EXPRESS ITSELF. 

 

 

HOW DOES THE "FARM-TO-CUP" MODEL AT JACK MURAT ENSURE BETTER FRESHNESS? 

 

IMAGINE THIS. A COFFEE IS HARVESTED IN A MOUNTAIN REGION OF CENTRAL AMERICA. BY THE TIME IT’S PICKED, PROCESSED, DRIED, STORED, AND MOVED TO THE PORT, ABOUT A MONTH HAS ALREADY PASSED—OFTEN WITHOUT TEMPERATURE OR HUMIDITY‑CONTROLLED WAREHOUSES. 

 

FROM THERE, THE COFFEE SPENDS TWO TO THREE MONTHS CROSSING THE OCEAN. DURING THAT TIME IT’S EXPOSED TO CONSTANT TEMPERATURE CHANGES, HIGH HUMIDITY, EXTREME HEAT DURING THE DAY, AND SOME COOLING AT NIGHT. ONCE IT ARRIVES AT ITS DESTINATION, THERE CAN BE DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS MORE IN TRANSIT OR STORAGE BEFORE IT FINALLY REACHES A ROASTERY, WAITING TO BE ROASTED. 

 

THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT COMES WHEN THE BAGS ARE OPENED. AS SOON AS THE COFFEE IS EXPOSED TO OXYGEN, THE AGEING PROCESS ACCELERATES. NATURAL MICROBIAL ACTIVITY INSIDE THE BAG, COMBINED WITH ALL THOSE PREVIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES, CAUSES THE COFFEE TO DETERIORATE QUICKLY. THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS MANY COFFEES IN AUSTRALIA DON’T TASTE AS FRESH AS THEY COULD. 

 

NOW COMPARE THAT WITH OUR PROCESS. 

 

FROM DAY ONE, OUR COFFEE IS STORED AT THE FARM IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT—BETWEEN 17 AND 19 °C, WITH HUMIDITY KEPT AROUND 65 TO 67 PERCENT. WHEN IT’S READY, IT GOES DIRECTLY TO OUR ROASTING ROOM ON THE FARM. AFTER ROASTING, IT’S PACKED AND SENT STRAIGHT FROM THE FARM TO OUR COFFEE SHOP, WITH NO MIDDLEMEN AND NO UNNECESSARY DELAYS. 

 

WITHIN A WEEK, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE DRINKING COFFEE THAT WAS STILL SITTING AT THE ORIGIN FARM THE WEEK BEFORE. 

 

WE’VE EVEN WORKED WITH SPECIALTY LOTS MORE THAN 18 MONTHS AFTER HARVEST THAT STILL SHOWED EXCELLENT QUALITY. THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW THE COFFEE IS STORED AND HANDLED. CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU PROTECT THE LIFE, FRESHNESS, AND EXPRESSION OF THE COFFEE. 

 

CAN I VISIT A COFFEE FARM IN AUSTRALIA? 

 

Yes, the farm tour will be available from 1st of march 2026 to book through our website