World Barista Competition

Held in Melbourne 2013, the World Barista Competition (WBC) was a test of the highest caliber of baristas in front of formidable judges. One representative from 30 countries have been through countless competitions just to get to this level and seeing them all perform in Melbourne was a real treat for the BeanSurfing team. Using […]

5 Most common home coffee mistakes

Black Market Roasters, the online coffee bean shop looks at the most common problems people face when making coffee at home. They are simple to fix, just read on and you will be tasting fantastic tasting coffee in no time! 1. The coffee they receive is dead! If you buy coffee from a supermarket, chances […]

Long blacks, short blacks and other fancy coffees

You can seriously walk into one café in the same city order a long black, get a coffee, then walk into one around the corner, order the same coffee and get something completely different! This can be frustrating as a customer, tough it isn’t all bad, it is because hopefully the barista is trying to […]

Where is coffee grown?

Great question! Coffee is grown all over the world, though specialty coffee (the stuff Black Market Roasters buys) only grows under strict conditions (it’s a fussy plant). Typically the Arabica plant is grown around 3000 feet (and higher), in the ‘Coffee Belt’ around the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. […]

Barista Courses in Sydney

The History of Coffee Beans

This story is one of the most wildest, controversial and amazing that has ever been told. Some facts are debated today and the intercontinental grudges are definitely being held to this day! The history of coffee beans as told by the online coffee beans shop, Black Market Roasters in Sydney. It all started with a […]

Best Coffee Beans

What is Light Roast coffee?

It depends which country you are in! Black Market Roasters takes a look at what light roast coffee is, how it is different and how do you use it? Light roast coffee simply speaking is the same type of coffee bean which is used for espresso or plunger, though it has a different roast profile. […]

What are Green Coffee Beans?

Ok, so this is pretty simple. Coffee that we drink at cafes and at home, are ground up forms of a coffee bean. Those coffee beans originally grow on trees inside little cherry-like fruits. When those little beans are dried and the moisture level is to a specific point, they can be shipped around the […]

What is a Pourover?

Black Market Roasters looks at what a pourover is, where it came from and what makes a great pourover? First patented around 1800, this filter method is uber popular in Japan. It is becoming seriously trendy now in Australia and in the US they have quite a developed specialty filter coffee market (in some areas […]

How hard should I tamp the ground coffee beans?

While this is a very common question I get, it is by no means a really important factor to consider when making coffee at home when compared to bean freshness, dose size, grinding etc. At Black Market Roasters, we have experimented with many different tamp pressures and styles and on a minute scale it makes […]

How fresh should the coffee beans be?

This is a common question when I am at the espresso bar. Should the beans be straight out of the roaster? Are they better and brighter as soon as they roll out of the cooling tray? In this blog post, Black Market Roasters will take you through the ideal roast timing for your home use. […]

How do I make a short black coffee?

Technically, a short black is the 25-30ml extraction of coffee beans ground finely for the espresso machine. Looking at a range pour time of 15-30 seconds, the short black is traditionally served in a demitasse, or small ceramic cup with a handle, which is preheated. This is the traditional way to serve it….at Black Market Roasters, […]

How do I make a long black coffee?

A long black in our opinion is a bit of an art form. If done well it can leave a prefect mouthfeel that lasts till lunchtime, though if done poorly it can scald your mouth so you don’t taste anything till lunchtime! Black Market Roasters looks at the ultimate long black making process and what […]