The science of coffee

Graeme Lindsay, owner and operator of Daily Espresso Ltd Coffee Cart, will be competing in a national coffee making competition.

Former biological scientist Levin man Graeme Lindsay turned a 40 year profession of culturing tissue and cells to pursue a science of different sorts in 2011 - the science behind a great cup of coffee.

Now he is heading to a national coffee making competition with a rare Ethiopian coffee roast that he hopes will impress the judges.

No longer confined to the laboratory, Lindsay brews beverages from his roadside coffee cart in Levin, seven days a week.

Daily Espresso Coffee cart on Oxford Street in Levin, beside Z petrol station.

He has spent six years honing the art of soft brew, and is gearing up to compete in the
New Zealand Brewers Cup championships, held in Auckland this weekend.

The annual competition brings together the best coffee brewers across New Zealand, and showcases the craft of filter coffee brewing by hand.

Perfecting the pH of the brewing water, down to analysing the optimal particle size of the ground coffee, Lindsay said he has undergone rigorous training in preparation for the competition.

Lindsay's hand brewed coffee which he hopes will wow judges at the Brewers Cup coffee making competition this weekend.

He has even travelled to Colombia to meet the farmer who harvests the beans he uses and will be heading overseas later this year on a 'coffee visit' to Rwanda, Africa.

Entering the NZ Brewers Cup seemed like the natural next step in Lindsay's love affair with coffee and he's hoping to 'romance' the judges with his rare Ethiopian coffee roast named Bush Wush.

"Often people associate filter coffee with a watered down, bitter taste, but this is a common misconception," he said.

"Soft brewing, when done right, can produce more unique flavour qualities."

Lindsay said his favourite part about working in the coffee industry is being able to "introduce surprising aromas and tastes to my customers".

Horowhenua resident Steve Howell, who gets his coffee from Lindsay every day, said he has learnt a lot about the science of making coffee through Lindsay.

"Not to mention it tastes really good."

Steve Howell drinking a Flight Coffee from Daily Espresso Coffee Cart in Levin.

Lindsay is forever looking to develop his coffee repertoire.

"I often channel my inner mad-scientist when brewing at home. I experiment, taste, read, and talk coffee at every given chance," he said.

"The Brewers Cup is a way for me to network with like-minded coffee-mad fanatics, and is a fantastic learning experience."