Welcome to Caffe Dolce Alchemia, Amsterdam’s only wood fired roaster
I believe that everyone has their own individual way of drinking their coffee; and I do not believe there is such a thing as a “wrong way” to drink coffee. My job, the way I see it; is to deliver you the best possible product to suit all the shapes and sizes of the coffee world. With milk? Sure! Sugar? Why not! Oat milk? Oh yeah! If this is how you enjoy it the best, then you’ll not hear anything from me!
I am happy to craft a Nordic style coffee for slow brew methods as well as a dark traditional Italian styled espresso (and everything in between). For me it does not matter. I am the guy who applies heat and technique.
My philosophy
I strongly believe in a sustainably created product.
For this I have chosen to run a 1970’s FIMT-Scolari roaster which burns wood instead of gas.
Not only does this help to impart a unique flavour; but, if we look at the entire lifespan of gas; from procurement, to refinement, delivery, and combustion it is not very environmentally friendly.
And don’t worry, I’m not paying for trees to be cut down; I work together with a carpenter who recompresses his hardwood sawdust into logs for me to burn. Its all part of the circular economy.
Social Impact
Also, a big part of sustainability is the “social-impact” side of the story. What do the farmers earn and how much do you pay, as the drinker of this enchanting brew?
Firstly. The farmers. Coffee is one of the highest traded commodities in the world. But often, especially in the last couple years; farmers have been forced by the markets to sell their coffee for less than it costs to grow.
Out of the entire chain, the farmers have the hardest job. Did you know that it takes 4-5 years from a seed to sprout into a fruiting shrub. Then all it takes is a bad weather at the wrong time, plant pests, and other calamities to destroy all of that hard work.
A lot of thoughtful consideration goes into creating balance for the farmers for their huge efforts.
But this is where you come in.
Together with the farmer, we work to bring you highest quality coffee you can imagine. But, these high end lots can often times be quite expensive. So, what happens to the coffee which doesn’t make it into the best of the best? Well, usually these are sold off to bulk exporters for commodity market prices. Well, I have chosen to buy these lots from the farmers as well, this way I can offer a variety of prices, even prices which are “supermarket competitive”. Good coffee doesn’t have to drain your bank account.
