You might be wondering, "Why does Dancing Goat Coffee Roasters even exist?" After all there must be HUNDREDS of coffee roasters in Melbourne, let alone the rest of Australia. Am I right? (Actually, if you trust Gemini, there are currently estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,600 coffee roasters operating across Australia.)
But, do ANY of those roasters specialise in roasting coffee beans just for people who like milk-based coffees? For whom only lattes and cappuccinos and flat whites will suffice? The answer is there's only roaster in Australia who cares: Dancing Goat Coffee Roasters (in case you hadn't picked up on that).
So that's our why. Who we are is not so terribly exciting or unique. Your head roaster is Alistair Nestor, a 30-year veteran of the Melbourne coffee scene. As in, back in the days when the quality of your cappuccino was judged by the height of its froth.
We're a micro roaster. That means (in case you're category curious) our capacity is under 45,000 kg a year.
Also, we only sell coffee online and only sell to households and businesses, not cafes.
But if not, click the chat and ask a new question...
Good question. Coffee, one of the world's most beloved beverages, has a rich and storied history that dates back centuries, with one of the most enchanting legends involving dancing goats. According to Ethiopian folklore, coffee's energizing effects were first discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi in the 9th century. He noticed that his goats, after eating berries from a certain tree, became so lively that they seemed to dance. Intrigued by this sight, Kaldi tried the berries himself and experienced a similar invigoration. He shared his discovery with a local monastery, where monks used the berries to make a drink that helped them stay awake during long hours of prayer.
It's all about the flavour. The African coffee beans are usually fruitier, which means lighter roasts (to preserve the delicate flavours) and more acidity. Both of these conditions lead to washy flavours when mixed with milk and in the worst case, curdled milk.
Aha, you noticed! I'm not a fan of blends. I think it's a way to make more profit from selling coffee because you can hide lower cost beans in the blend. Blending coffee beans is akin to blending whisky. A bunch of flavours that are no good alone but tolerable together. Yeah, I've got a bee in my bonnet about blends!
Two reasons: 1. Ground coffee starts to go stale after a couple of minutes. 2. The chances of getting the correct grind for the myriad number of espresso machines on the market is ... unlikely.
They're all roasted to specific point to allow for better mixing with steamed milk. For those who use the industry terminology for roast colour, Dancing Goat coffees are somewhere between a CITY ROAST and a FULL CITY ROAST.