In this blog post we meet Kaffehaus founder Bernhard and learn more about his personal coffee journey.

Bernhard: Growing up in Austria and in South Germany, “coffee time” became an essential part of my life’s journey. Sitting down with family and friends in the afternoon, enjoying “Kaffee und Kuchen” and each other’s company, either at home or in a is nice coffee house, is part of who I am. There is nothing more enjoyable as being served a good cappuccino with a fresh croissant, or a Fiaker coffee topped with dollops of cream.

When I first moved to Durham 22 years ago, it was hard to find a coffee shop where I could satisfy my Austrian coffee experience. The fast-food atmosphere in coffee shops, didn’t sit well with me and I was longing to enjoy coffee as an act of appreciation and connoisseurship. Something had to be done, I left academia, trained and learnt about coffee, and started my own business Kaffeehaus Amadeus in Lanchester – a Viennese Coffee House with an emphasis on speciality coffee, various brewing methods, home-made Austrian/German cakes, breakfasts and lunches.

Over the last seven years, I have enjoyed delivering coffee workshops and teaching people about speciality coffee. Having taster sessions, crunching coffee beans, brewing together, tasting various coffees and exchanging flavour notes, was always a highlight for me. The desire to create something more personal and roast my own coffee was the obvious next step and so, in 2020, the Durham’s first coffee roastery Kaffeehaus was born.

Coffee beans come from a certain origin and have unique characteristics due to climate, soil, farming and processing methods. However, it is ultimately up to myself as a roaster to determine a specific roast profile and what subtle flavours to bring out in a bean. When I finally hold a cup of my freshly roasted and brewed coffee, I feel I’m in heaven. From bean to cup, it has been a journey of discovery that excites me every time. To share this experience with customers and people I meet along the way completes the coffee journey. Jump on board and why not try one of our heritage range coffees.

Savour The Moment

Bernhard