Welcome back to Bean of the Month: a monthly-ish review of coffee I think you should try.
2024 brings a different kaupapa to BOTM. This year, my goal is to showcase coffee from roasters I haven’t tried before, or haven’t had in a while. I want to lift my gaze above the regular roasters I drink, and explore the wonderful roasters we have across Aotearoa.
This month I’d like to introduce to you: Sister Aotearoa
Sister Aotearoa
One of the absolute joys of TMR is having an excuse to try new things. If it wasn’t for this publication and this great community I think I’d be smashing the same coffee each and everyday.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, but being able to expand my horizons and try new and wonderful coffees only makes my life better.
I hadn’t heard of Sister Aotearoa until I saw a couple of bags sitting proudly on the shelf at Daily Daily in Auckland. The unusually fun branding stood out and looked cool. It looked like it was from a funky coffee town like Melbourne. It was rad.
Sister kept popping up on my socials, but I didn’t take the plunge until Hanna Teramoto from Kū - by Coffee Tech recommended getting a bag.
I managed to get my hands on the Hot wire my heart blend, and the Antonio Gonzales Guatamala single origin.
I find that blends can be hit or miss. Some roasters don’t pay enough attention to what is going in their blend. Thankfully, Sister Aotearoa didn’t have this issue. Hot wire my heart is a great coffee. It’s super versatile and excels equally as a V60 and Orea as much as a French Press or Mokapot. This was a really enjoyable coffee.
The Antonio Gonzales was wicked fun and roasted really well. It was a natural coffee which meant it had a nice little funky vibe to it. I smashed this almost exclusively on the Orea V3 - a flat bottomed brewer. It was bright with a really nice fruity, almost tropical, vibe and acidity.
Before I smashed through the whole bag, I thought it might work really well as a Mokapot - and holy heckers it rocked haaaaaaaaard. A really pleasant acidity and super smooth body. I actually felt sad once I had finished that last cup.
Sister Aotearoa all out of the Antonio Gonzales at the moment, but given the quality of the coffee I tasted, I know that their other single origins would be as good.
I dropped Sister Aotearoa a line, and Aaron and Janna got back with a little bit about what Sister is all about.
What inspired Sister and led you into roasting?
Sister Aotearoa is the sister brand of our Melbourne-based coffee company, Wood and Co Coffee. With a long history in coffee, our inspiration was to establish a small, family-focused roastery in Tāmaki Makaurau.
We aimed to collaborate with our favorite coffee producers worldwide and share our beloved coffees with the wonderful people of Aotearoa.
What's your roasting style or philosophy?
We've always strived to roast coffee in a way that highlights its inherent qualities. Factors such as its origin, producer, processing method, and varietal determine its flavor profile. While some may label our style as "omni," we believe brewing should be versatile, not the roast. Espresso roasts shouldn't taste burnt, and filter roasts shouldn't taste like cereal. Coffee should be straightforward to brew, its story told honestly, and its flavor profile transparent.
What's your favorite coffee at the moment?
Absolutely loving the natural Gesha coffee from Gesha Village that we're roasting. Met Andrew in Addis back in 2012, so it's incredible to be roasting coffee from his farm years later. It truly embodies a special coffee and reflects the immense effort put into its production. The Natural Gesha 1931 is a delicious coffee with notes of watermelon, honey, and mango.
Which other Kiwi roaster is excelling right now?
So good, right?!
Get yourself over to Sister Aotearoa’s website and get yourself a bag or two today.