We’re glad to introduce you to our February’s roaster. Welcome back Neues Schwarz!
For those who might not know, who are Neues Schwarz?
Neues Schwarz is the first and only specialty coffee roastery in the greater Dortmund area. We see ourselves as a part of the "third-wave-movement". Thus we try to source, roast and brew only the best qualities we can find with our partners at coffee origin.
Photos by @haswawed on Instagram
What has happened since you were last featured in Bean Portal two years ago?
The last two years happened to be very short-dated. We opened a second shop in the city centre. A tiny but extravagant brew bar that has started to attract the crowds. Simultaneously, the number of b2b customers grew steadily which keeps the roaster busy.
You have had the roastery for 5 years now, how was the Dortmund coffee scene when Neues Schwarz started compared to now?
This months we turned 4 years. When we started our business, terms like "light roast", "flat white" and "notes of jasmine and blueberry" were new to a non-existing coffee scene in the Dortmund area. Nowadays much has changed and it feels great to get into more and more discussions in our stores about the quality and the origin of coffee.
Are there any projects you are working on right now that you are extra excited about?
We have travelled a number of times to coffee producers in the origin to see, engage and understand. We have two key projects that we support financially beyond the usual coffee purchase. The projects are in El Salvador (Finca San Antonio) and Peru (Edwin&Luz). We believe that a close cooperation helps to improve the quality of coffee and builds a longterm relationship.
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?
It is difficult to predict the future. We certainly want to be at the forefront of a coffee scene that grows, not only in Berlin or Hamburg, but across the entire country.
We've heard the Kayon Mountain makes an amazing aeropress. What can we expect from this month's coffees?
The Kayon Mountain is a very special coffee. You usually find one or two methods that are ideal to brew a particular coffee. It is different though with the Kayon. You can fully enjoy it as filter or espresso equally. The notes of sweet blueberry will always be present, which is very typical for natural Ethiopian coffees, but it also has some floral notes towards the end which are usually more a sign for a washed coffee from that area. We hope you enjoy it and are happy to receive feedback.
In Sweden we like to drink a coffee with a cinnamon bun. What is your favourite way of enjoying a cup of coffee?
We like to share coffee. With everyone, customers, staff, friends and also Swedish platforms :). We really like the social aspect of coffee. Within the team we would more likely brew a fruity filter and talk about the cup afterwards.
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