The whirr and hiss of the Canberra coffee scene is accompanied every winter with a slap of the snooze button and doona rustle. Coffee in Canberra seems to be as much of a staple as the Public Service or Parliament House – and serves probably the most use for Canberrans on those frosty winter mornings.
It cannot be denied that after Anzac Day Nespresso’s stock price goes up and people frantically search through their wallets for a crumpled 10 dollar note in exchange for a good cup of ‘joe’. A year long staple becomes a life-or-death vice in the colder months. After all – Dolly Parton didn’t call it a cup of ambition for nothing!
Here’s the coffee trends for Winter ’14.
1. Almond milk coffee
Not one for the masses and I can hear many of you groan – but for those who are pretentiously paleo or a rudie-foodie this trend is one which will offer a healthy alternative. I personally enjoy the almond milk banana smoothie (I’m sorry…) and I think the almond milk would bring a frothier texture to the cappuccino – thus making you feel fuller for longer. Win!
2. Long Black is back
An increase in orders for the humble Long Black is making a kick around Canberra as strong as its taste. The two ingredient ‘Energizer Bunny’ of coffee is meticulous, yet refined, as two shots of espresso is poured over water (I can hear coffee aficionados from here: “Never the other way around, NEVER!!”). The Long Black provides a warm hug of caffeine which seems to create an all-day buzz, and this coffee stays hotter for longer due to the water content.
This is the gentleman’s ‘instant’.
3. Suspended Coffee
One to tug at your heartstrings that isn’t particularly about the flavour at all. Suspended Coffee has been quite the rage among more philanthropic states such as Melbourne and Sydney, but is finally making a name for itself here. Look for a sign in your local coffee shop that says they do Suspended Coffees – and then purchase a coffee of your choice that is then ‘suspended’ – or put on hold. This coffee is then given to a homeless or disadvantaged person within your community. Feeling good about yourself never cost so little!
4. Ethical Coffee
While this list has proven that perhaps taste may continue along the same track – it’s the appearances and feelings that differ – one cannot deny that Ethical Coffee is making a splash in Canberra. Cafés are now boasting beans that have been lovingly tended to and ethically bought. The most Mother Theresa-esque place to find your cuppa? Elk & Pea on Lonsdale Street.
