Set in a large, open, city warehouse in Hobart with pallets of coffee beans and a huge roasting plant on full view, The Cupping Room is not only a popular place for coffee lovers to indulge in a variety of exotic and traditional blends but is also a strong ambassador for the specialty coffee movement in Tasmania.
“The cupping Room is a pretty down to earth type of place,” explains owner Carlos Kindred. “It’s not pretentious at all, and there is nothing quite like it anywhere in Australia. It is certainly a unique experience.”
Owners Carlos and Nikki Kindred have been roasting and wholesaling for the last nine years in Tasmania. While they admit the competitive nature among the Tasmanian coffee industry can be a “hard slog”, Carlos says it’s still an exciting time to be a part of the coffee industry.
“There is an increase of really good roasters around Australia, and the public is developing a very good palate for high- end coffee, including Tasmania,” Carlos explains
The multi-award winning coffee roastery boasts cup of excellence and Micro-lot coffees that are roasted on-site by Carlos himself, a Royal Sydney fine foods coffee Judge, and highly awarded roasters.
Carlos says that unlike in Melbourne where a light roast is preferred for specialty coffees, he embraces a more medium level roast to appeal to a broader range of consumers.
The roastery/café often provides up to three single origins on brew, as well as over 30 single origin estate coffees to choose from. It also offers exclusive blends: 7 Brothers, 3 Monkeys, Smash, Night-Train, Gunslinger, and Elixer.
Carlos is excited about a new blend, ‘Mojo’, comprised of Ethiopian Guji, Estate Indonesian, and Brazil cup of excellence. The roasting has won awards with its blends under the Oomph coffee brand including, JavaJo, Romeo, Beanfair, Tigerbean, and Plunge. Plunge was recognised in the top three plunger coffees in australia for four years in a row.
The café has recently started receiving requests from the mainland for their coffee. “We also like our equipment. We have a Slayer, two Mirages, a Synesso, and four LaMarzoccos. The new range and evolution of equipment, and varying roasting styles makes for an exciting industry,” says Carlos.
“We have a team of 25 staff, and they all work hard to keep customers happy. I am constantly discovering new talent and training baristas who are keen to uphold the roastery’s standard of success and professionalism.
“I love working with new staff that begin with no skills and then watch them grow with us,” he notes, adding: “We are perfectionists in regard to coffee, and we are constantly trying to get better and better.”
The cupping Room offers a full menu lead up by Head chef, Joel Pead.
