It’s time to present January's roaster. We're back in Copenhagen and with us this month is the youngest roastery in the capital of Denmark, April Coffee Roasters!
The founder Patrik Rolf has a lot of experience as a coffee roaster. He started his journey at da Matteo in Gothenburg and before he decided to start his own business he spent two years as Head of Roastery at Five Elephant in Berlin. When he’s not roasting coffee for April, he does consultancy for other roasteries around the world.
We had a short talk with Patrik Rolf.
What drove you to the coffee business?
Matts Johansson, founder and owner of da Matteo. We worked together on a communication project and during that time he got me hooked on coffee. He made me see the potential of the Specialty Industry.
You used to roast for Five Elephant in Berlin, how is roasting for your own roastery compared to roasting for Five Elephant?
Both were/are great in two different ways.
What sets April apart from other European roasters?
At the moment it's probably the smallest roaster I guess. And I put a lot of focus on the roasting. I want to progress the way we roast coffee. I roast to discover more than anything else.
What are your thoughts and philosophies when roasting?
You can always do better. Do your homework, understand your machine and keep the systems clean. Everything is connected, miss or change one thing and you will change everything.
What is your vision for April?
To progress the way we roast coffee.
Where do you see yourself and April in 5 years?
In 5 years April will have a new production site and hopefully placed itself as one of the more important roasters in terms of pushing roasting forward. Let's see. It is a long way to go and a lot of work ahead.
What is the most rewarding part of roasting?
The feedback I get from the people that take time out of their day to taste what I do.
Is there any project you are working on right now that you are extra excited about?
Yes. And it will be launched before the summer.
When at home, how do you like to brew your coffee?
I don't brew coffee at home. If I would I would buy a Nespresso machine and do Colonna capsules.
Would you mind sharing your favorite brewing recipe?
Recipe for the V60
1:17 brewing ratio
Start by pouring double the amount of the dry does on the coffee stir.
Pour the remaining part of the water in a circle (should be done within 1:00).
Tap the filter.
Let it go down.
Aim for 1:32 TDS.
There are many of our subscribers who are trying April for the first time. What can they expect?
I always aim to make transparent and sweet coffee. Every coffee has its distinct quality.
Thanks for your time Patrik Rolf and good luck with your future roasting!
We hope you will enjoy January’s box! Don’t miss out on our next roaster, be sure to join for February’s box!