THE COFFEE CULTURE IN AUSTRALIA
THE COFFEE CULTURE IN AUSTRALIA
Most Aussies love coffee. We are always at the forefront when it comes to developing new coffee recipes. We brew coffee perfectly and drink it very well.
So what makes Australian coffee culture so unique and when did we become so obsessed with coffee? Did you know that almost half of Australians enjoy drinking coffee? Over 1 million Australians enjoy drinking ‘iced’ coffee, every week. This is why we have our roastery Coffee hero in Australia.
Our high-quality coffee beans produce different types of coffee like iced coffee, espresso, latte, mocha, etc. Our coffee beans are 100% Arabica. We also make smooth blends that give you coffee with a great taste.
The coffee-drinking ritual in Australia is established. You know, almost every conversation usually starts with ‘wanna grab a cup of coffee', whether it's a date, a colleague, or even a best friend
In this post, we will tell you about the coffee culture in Australia, the popular drinks in Australia, the history of coffee, and our modern-day coffee.
FIRST HOW WAS COFFEE DISCOVERED
The discovery of coffee dates back to Ethiopia, formerly known as the Kingdom of Sheba. Coffee was used long before the 16th century when it was recorded. Legends say that a goat herder was the one that discovered coffee.
His goats kept feeding on berries that made that active. Kadi the goat herder, took the berries to the monks in his community. They decided to roast the berries and brew them and they enjoyed the drink. It was energetic and that's how coffee drinking started.
COFFEE HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA
The coffee history in Australia started during the Second World War when some Italian immigrants brought coffee machines to Australia. The coffee industry was revolutionized by Gaggia’s espresso machine, since it brought out a stronger and smoother coffee drink that gives crema at the top of the coffee. Because of this, Australians were not drinking regular coffee but espresso from the beginning.
The coffee culture in Australia prefers drinking quality coffee rather than picking any low-grade coffee. Did you know that the Coffee shops in Australia were making tasty espresso during the 1950s?
RELATED: POPULAR COFFEES IN AUSTRALIA
The cafes in Australia together with some inner rejuvenations and the standard of living in the country made the coffee industry bloom. Around the 2000s, independently owned cafes started competing, ahead of people in other countries.
HOW AUSTRALIANS DRINK COFFEE
Most Australians drink coffee in the espresso-style in contrast to drip coffee, which is a popular brew method in the US. The coffee drink is made individually once the orders are made and the baristas expect the customers to take their time to enjoy the coffee. The coffees served in Australian coffee shops come in smaller sizes and are quite stronger than American coffee.
Most Americans love their coffee to be sugary and extravagant. They also love frappes and Macchiato while Most Aussies like to keep it simple, they like long black or flat white. Some of the most popular coffee choices are latte as well as mocha. The original drink loved by the Australians is the flat white. It has been trending for years.
WHAT’S THE AUSTRALIAN COFFEE CULTURE LIKE?
The coffee in Australia is not about quantity but quality and that's what makes the coffee SPECIAL. It is believed that Australian coffee is the best in the world. For the record Australia is the only country where coffee brands like Starbucks did not succeed, they had to scale back in their operations. Australians do not drink average or crappy coffee.
Aussies see coffee as a part of their daily routine and it's so important to them that they walk into their favorite cafe every day and even brew coffee at home or in the office.
HOW STARBUCKS OPERATIONS FAILED IN AUSTRALIA
Did you know that the high standards in the coffee industry impacted even the biggest chain that tried to settle in Australia? There is barely any continent in the world that Starbuck didn't set roots in. In fact, the company was forced to close its locations after it hit $105 million losses in the first 7 years.
Up to 70% of the underperforming locations were closed down and just 23 stores were left in the whole country. Australians like going to independent cafes to get their long black and flat white.
SPECIALTY COFFEE IN AUSTRALIA
As we mentioned, Australians don't drink coffee that is below average. And Starbucks coffee didn't fit Australians their taste. Imagine a company that sells over 4 million cups of coffee across its location, failing in Australia. Aussies statement towards Starbucks clearly stated - ‘Not interested’
There is an argument that Australian coffee history is not so old when compared to Italian history. The difference between both is- the Italian coffee history has been static while Australian coffee has been improving and developing in various ways. Australian coffee industry focuses more on specialty coffee and third-wave coffee. They also place importance on every coffee brewing process from seed to cup.
MELBOURNE: BIGGEST COFFEE HUB IN AUSTRALIA
Melbourne is considered the largest coffee hub in the country. It is even labeled as the coffee capital of the globe. Australians are more focused on the specialty coffee culture, focusing on sourcing fresh coffee beans, roasting properly, and brewing the best coffee beans.
They also explore different types of coffee beans like single-origin beans and coffee blends, roasts, and different temperatures. The coffee in Melbourne isn't just by making espressos or flat whites. It is the center for beautiful latte art, it is known as the home for the world's best baristas.
Coffee lovers say that if a barista is not skilled in latte art, he may not even last 3 weeks in Melbourne. The café culture in Melbourne is the reason for the massive vibe. You may be wondering why.
Not knowing the proper latte art won't just make the coffee look bad, it will affect the taste of the coffee because if the milk is not frothed perfectly, you won't be able to make any art at all. If the milk is not frothed properly, it might get burnt or it will not come out smooth and silky which will affect the taste of the coffee.
Lastly, if they don't froth properly, the whole perfect espresso experience will be ruined. Let's assume for a moment that the latte art does not affect the taste of the coffee, the looks still matter. An old proverb says that the look is half the taste when it concerns food and coffee is the same way. If you were making the latte at home, it doesn't have to be perfect the first time but you have to keep experimenting so you can make your latte, sit on your couch and enjoy your delicious drink.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT LATTE AT HOME
Since most of the cafes are independently owned, there is time and space for the owners and baristas to be more creative. You’ll find the best coffees in Melbourne. In fact, it is very common to see coffee shops set up in warehouses, some old shop fronts, shipping containers, and even station underpasses.
WHERE TO BUY FRESH COFFEE BEANS IN AUSTRALIA
If you own a coffee shop in Australia or you are trying to brew coffee at home. You should buy freshly roasted coffee beans. Buy from roasters that roast coffee every day.
At Coffee hero, we roast coffee that when brewed will enlighten your taste buds and you will appreciate coffee drinks. We roast coffee every day. They are delivered to you within a few hours after roasting. You can try different roasts- light roast, medium roast, or dark roast which is ideal for cold brew method, pour-over method, and espresso.
Our coffees have chocolatey, nutty, and fruity notes. They also give you cocoa and earthy notes. Visit our store here.
RELATED: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LIGHT, MEDIUM, AND DARK ROAST COFFEE.
Coffee drinking is an essential part of the daily lives of Australians. We usually place importance on the quality of the beans, the type, roast and they take their time to brew coffee or enjoy it from their favorite cafes. We can say that we have nailed the approach to coffee drinking and are models for coffees in other parts of the world. Melbourne and Sydney sell high-quality coffee beans.
You can recreate the famous Aussies’ flat white or espresso at home. It's so simple. You can even find your ideas. If you are a café owner or a home brewer and you are passionate about coffee, you should be creative. When you love something, you’ll want to own it. This is exactly what happened in Australia, we wanted to make something we could call our own. So the flat white was invented.
So you should do the same, be creative, experiment, you never can tell, you can invent something. Winks.
Coffee is a beautiful drink and precious to us. We should treat it with passion!!