A cup of coffee is a simple, everyday pleasure. But have you ever truly considered the journey it takes to get to your cup? The story of a great cup of coffee—a specialty coffee—is a globetrotting epic of science, art, passion, and precision.

Not all coffee is created equal. The vast majority of coffee in the world is "commodity coffee," grown and processed for mass-market scale, often sacrificing quality for quantity.

Then, there is specialty coffee. This is the coffee we exclusively serve at Fika 33. It refers to coffee that has been graded 80 points or higher (out of 100) by a certified coffee taster. But it's more than just a score; it's a philosophy. It’s a commitment to quality, transparency, and flavour at every single step of the chain.

When you taste the best fresh coffee Killeshandra has to offer, you are tasting the final chapter of an incredible story. Here is that journey, from a single bean to the perfect brew.

Step 1: The Source (Single-Origin & Ethical Sourcing)

Our coffee’s journey doesn't start in Killeshandra. It starts thousands of miles away in the world's premier coffee-growing regions, often called the "Bean Belt." We prioritise single-origin beans, which means the coffee comes from a specific farm, producer, or region within one country.

Why does this matter? Unlike blends, which are mixed to create a consistent, year-round flavour, single-origin beans are a snapshot of a specific place. They have a unique "terroir," just like wine. You can taste the notes of the soil, the altitude, and the climate. One bean from Ethiopia might taste bright, fruity, and floral, while a bean from Colombia might be rich, nutty, and chocolatey.

We work with roasters who have direct relationships with these farms. This ethical sourcing ensures that the farmers, who do the hardest work, are paid a premium price for their premium product. It's a sustainable model that rewards quality and allows them to reinvest in their land and communities.

Step 2: The Harvest & Process (The Critical Flavour-Set)

Once the coffee "cherries" (the fruit that holds the beans) are ripe, they must be picked. For specialty coffee, this is almost always done by hand. This selective picking ensures that only the perfectly ripe cherries are harvested, which is the first crucial step to a sweet, balanced cup.

The cherries are then processed in one of several ways to remove the fruit and skin from the beans inside. The "washed" process creates a clean, bright, and acidic cup. The "natural" process, where the cherry is dried whole around the bean, creates a fruity, heavy-bodied, and often wine-like cup. Each decision a farmer makes here fundamentally shapes the final flavour you experience.

Step 3: The Roast (Unlocking the Potential)

The green, unprocessed beans are shipped to our expert roasters. This is where science meets art. Roasting is a delicate, high-stakes dance with heat and time.

A roaster is trying to unlock the hundreds of aromatic compounds locked inside the green bean. A few seconds too long, and the delicate origin flavours are scorched away, replaced by a generic, burnt taste. Too short, and the coffee tastes sour and underdeveloped.

A specialty roaster creates a unique "roast profile" for each bean, designed to highlight its best characteristics. This is what we mean by a "light," "medium," or "dark" roast. We generally favour light to medium roasts at Fika 33, as this is where the bean's unique, complex origin flavours truly shine.

Step 4: The Grind (The Non-Negotiable)

Once roasted, coffee's greatest enemy is oxygen. As soon as it's ground, it begins to go stale, losing its aroma and flavour rapidly. This is why we never use pre-ground coffee.

We grind every single shot of espresso and every filter coffee to order.

Our baristas are trained to "dial in" the grinder multiple times throughout the day. They adjust the grind size—measured in microns—to account for changes in temperature, humidity, and the age of the bean. A tiny adjustment can be the difference between a perfectly balanced espresso and a cup that is bitter or sour. This precision is non-negotiable for us.

Step 5: The Brew (The Final Performance)

This is the final, beautiful step where all the previous work comes together. Our baristas are the final artisans in this long chain. They are trained in the science of extraction.

For an espresso, they control the "recipe": the dose (grams of coffee), the yield (grams of liquid), and the time (in seconds). Our espresso machine maintains precise, stable water temperature and pressure to ensure that every single shot is sweet, balanced, and complex. This is the foundation for our lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites.

For a filter coffee or pour-over, they control the water temperature, the "bloom" (the initial pour to release gases), and the pouring technique. This hands-on method produces an incredibly clean, nuanced, and aromatic cup that lets you taste all the subtle notes of the single-origin bean.

This entire, unbroken chain of quality is what it takes to create a truly special cup of coffee. It's a journey of passion, from the farmer to the roaster to the barista. And it’s a journey we’re honoured to complete for you, right here at fika33.com.