Small Batch - North Melbourne
Welcome to Small Batch!
“Most Australians grew up drinking coffee that was oily, bitter and espresso brewed, because that’s how coffee was “supposed” to taste. At home, they might have a plunger and a jar of months-old ground coffee to drag out on special occasions.
Who knew how long ago their coffee was roasted or ground — let alone where it came from? Since coffee was drunk with copious amounts of milk and sugar, who even knew what it really tasted like?
Then some curious souls started asking questions about how and where coffee was harvested; how it was processed and roasted and whether it could taste better. Andrew Kelly was one of them, starting with some intrepid backyard experiments using a heat gun and colander.
Soon, Andrew dreamed of sharing his discoveries by opening a cafe and roastery. That dream became Auction Rooms: a big open space where everything was on display, a menu that raised the bar for cafe food, and an obsession with creating delicious coffee. Since 2008, Melbournians have been flocking to North Melbourne, answering the siren call of what The Age Good Cafe Guide has twice called Melbourne's best cafe.
As our roasting operations grew, we opened a dedicated roastery down the road. Auction Rooms was our flagship cafe; Small Batch is the coffee that made it famous.
We want to spread the word that with carefully sourced and roasted coffee beans, a bit of knowledge, and openness to a world beyond espresso, anyone can make coffee at home that’s as good as any cafe’s (even ours!), and better than most. We also supply wholesale to a small number of cafe operators who care as much as we do.
Understanding that the best cup of coffee starts with the raw product, we are dedicated to working consciously and meaningfully in a select group of countries, collaborating with producers closely to achieve the holy trinity: coffee that is exceptional, that has a positive social impact and that supports sustainable agriculture."
"Candyman is our flagship espresso blend, launched in 2010. It’s our daily labour of love, a constant work-in-progress: making superlative tastiness from the raw components that we insist on buying well, ourselves (ie not just from the importer as is common practice). All this to create sweet, balanced espresso, with or without milk."
Components
35%: Aldemar Quistial - Huila, Colombia
40%: Todos Santos Smallholders blend – Huehuetenango, Guatemala
15%: Haro Sorsa – Guji, Ethiopia
10%: Badeyi – Guji, Ethiopia
Roast date - 22/12/2025
Process - Washed / Washed / Washed / Natural
Flavour notes - Malted milk, Macadamia butter
"This essentially allows us to celebrate more coffees “we love” (that additionally may have a small lot size), and finds a nice middle point between “single” and “blend”, and sets us a great Quality Control challenge to make an interesting and different product to Candyman that fluctuates seasonally, as the components change more frequently."
Components
50%: Benito Perez (Smallholder farmer of Asdeflor Coop) - Huehuetenango, Guatemala
50%: Segundo Pablo Valencia - Nariño, Colombia
Roast date - 22/12/2025
Variety - Pink Bourbon
Process - Washed / Washed
Flavour notes - Nougat, Salted Caramel, Plum
"We came across Fernando’s coffee in August this year via his fabulous family members with whom we’ve worked for 3 or so years. Loving the profiles of Eduardo, Miguel, Leonardo, and Edilma, it’s no surprise at all that we also love Fernando’s. Fernando is a lifelong coffee producer whose passion for farming began in childhood. Like his siblings, he grew up surrounded by coffee trees on his parents’ farms La Inmaculada and San Joaquin. They grew up in a family of seven siblings; five of those siblings are still coffee farmers these days. The 19 hectare family farm Finca San Joaquin was split among several siblings; Eduardo, Miguel, Leonardo live on the farm in separate homes, each painted a different color.
About three years ago, Eduardo and Fernando planted one hectare of caturra chiroso, with seeds that came from Antioquia. Eduardo and Fernando made a plant nursery together to plant the new variety. Fernando in one of his Buesaco plots and Eduardo at San Joaquin. This was the first year that the brothers were able to harvest the caturra chiroso, and they are pleased with it- the tree produces lots of cherries, just like the castillo variety."
Producer - Fernando Loaizo
Origin - Buesaco, Nariño, Colombia
Roast date - 22/12/2025
Variety - Caturra chiroso
Process - Washed
Flavour notes - Panacotta, Creme caramel, Spiced chocolate
"Petrona Morales Mendez and her husband Jaime Ramirez Luis have worked on coffee farms since they were children, both following in the footsteps of their parents. Working tirelessly for others for low wages for their teenage years and into their twenties, the couple saved up enough money to buy a small 22 cuerdas (= 1.25 hectare) plot together (this was about 30 years ago). Petrona also later inherited a 5-cuerdas plot and Jaime a 12-cuerdas plot. Of their four children, three have emigrated to the “greener pastures” of the United States and the remaining child also works as a coffee producer. The lot we are proud to present here is combined from the couples three plots, a mix of the traditional varieties caturra and bourbon."
Producer - Petrona Morales Mendez and her husband Jaime Ramirez Luis
Origin - Canoguitas Village, San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Roast date - 22/12/2025
Variety - Caturra & Bourbon
Process - Washed
Flavour notes - Tropical fruit, Lemon blossom, Raspberry
Brew Guidelines
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Espresso - 9 bar Brew ratio - 1:2.5 (dry coffee : espresso liquid) Temp - 94 Deg C Time - 25-30 seconds. *Adjust grind size to achieve the desired time
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Espresso - 6 bar Brew ratio - 1:2.8 (dry coffee : espresso liquid) Temp - 94 Deg C Time - 25-30 seconds. *Adjust grind size to achieve the desired time
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Pourover Temp - off the boil Ratio - 1:15.5 (dry coffee:water) Bloom - 30 seconds Flow rate - fast *Adjust grind size to achieve desired flow rate |
Aeropress Temp - off the boil Ratio - 1:14.5 (dry coffee : water) Bloom - 30 seconds Brew time - 90 seconds (including bloom) Press consistently over 15-20 seconds. |
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Stove top Ratio - 1-14 (dry coffee : water) |
