Pacemaker
Espresso Blend

Our house blend since 2011, when we opened our Surry Hills espresso bar.

Flavour: amaretto, raisin, caramel (as black) / shortbread, nougat, baked apple (with milk)

Body: Acidity:

It keeps you going

That’s Pacemaker, our original house blend since we started roasting as Sample! A touch lighter than Sweet Tooth and most espresso blends in the market, it’s loved for its fruity, consistent, and gentle taste.

A cup of latte coffee made in our Pro Shop. A bag of Pacemaker coffee being filled.

Flavour profile: smooth texture, bright sweetness

As black: amaretto, raisin, caramel. The base note is a classic caramel that gives structure and a comforting familiarity, with the added fun and brightness of dried fruit notes.
With milk: shortbread, nougat, baked apple. When combined with a quality, creamy milk, we feel a rounded sweetness, typical of baked fruit and goods.
Big body, low acidity. Given by our gentle, custom espresso roast profile.
Less caffeine than standard blends. Both components are Arabica (which contains less caffeine than Robusta), so it’s friendly on your stomach and palate.

Current blend components

Click on each origin to learn more about its story and transparency info.

Colombia El Meridiano

58 Members in Tolima

washed Process; Caturra

Country grade: Excelso (Colombia) ?

Importer grade: A (Caravela) ?

Ethiopia Haider Aba Mecha

Haider Aba Mecha in Jimma

washed Process; Heirloom

What makes it different to Sweet Tooth (our other espresso blend)?

Sweet Tooth is roasted a touch darker, and one of its components is a natural process. The combination gives it a bigger body and sweetness, making it closer to a traditional espresso profile.

Pacemaker is bright and fruity, just a touch lighter than Sweet Tooth.

Check these Pacemaker products:

Two bags of coffee, one of each of our espresso blends.

Espresso blend taster set – 2 x 250g bags

Taste our two espresso blends and save. Perfect to test which one matches your palate, or as a gift.

~~$40.40~~ $37.40

See our taster set

A Sample Coffee steeped bag steeping in a transparent glass.

Espresso blend steeped bag – box of 10

No gear? No worries. These steeped bags give you fantastic espresso-style coffee anytime, anywhere.

$27.00

See our steeped bags

Learn everything about this blend:

Ethical, traceable sourcing

We publish all the sourcing information (variety, process, region, story, importer, and more) that our importers share and give us permission to—both for single origins and blend components.

This helps us talk confidently about the quality and background of our product, and it helps you know exactly what you’re buying.

Learn more:
Coffee page transparency legend
Our coffee philosophy
Our business approach

Fresh harvest components

Our blends’ name and flavour profile stay consistent all year round. Their components (the single origins that make the final blend product) change ~2-3 times per year.

This is because we only use relatively small-sized coffee lots from the latest harvest and from independent small-scale producers. When one origin comes to an end, we replace it with another of similar characteristics.

Each espresso blend component is made transparent and linked in the product’s description.

Roasted for espresso (best enjoyed black or with milk)

Roast style: espresso. Leaning to the darker side of the spectrum, but still considered lighter when compared to other blends in the market.

Blend style: post-roast. The different single origins (components) are roasted separately, then mixed to create the final blend.

Designed for espresso brewing. Best enjoyed black or with milk (cow or alternative).

Learn more:
Our Loring Kestrel S35 roaster
Our roasting style and approach
How we create our espresso blends
The milks we use in our cafes

Best brewed within days 10–42 post-roast

The ‘fresh is best’ saying doesn’t apply to coffee (contrary to popular belief). Waiting before opening and brewing your bag of whole coffee beans helps develop peak flavour and acidity.

But heads up: if you buy pre-ground coffee, brew it as soon as possible.

Learn more:
Our recommended brewing window

Recommended ratio: 1:2 to 1:2.2 in ~26-32 seconds

Our recipes and ratios are tailored to our coffee sourcing and roasting styles, bringing the best flavour and feel out of each coffee.

For our espresso blends, we recommend a coffee:yield ratio of 1:2 or 1:2.2:

Dose: 22g ground coffee
Yield: 46–48g espresso
Total brew time: ~26-32 seconds

This is just a starting point! We encourage you to experiment, taste, and adjust to find the recipe that you enjoy the most.

Learn more:
Our espresso brew guide (blends)
Brewing ratio calculator

Packaging and sustainability

Bags: ABA-certified home compostable (AS 5810-2010)
Labels: recyclable
Valves (only on +250g bags): general waste
Box and tape (online orders): recyclable

Learn more:
Our packaging

Region: Kochere (Ethiopia), Tolima (Colombia)
Altitude: 1800-1950, 1500-1900m above sea level
Varieties: Caturra, Heirloom
Process: washed
Body: Full
Acidity: Low
Tasting notes: Amaretto, raisin, caramel (as black) / shortbread, nougat, baked apple (with milk)
Roast style: Espresso (black + milk drinks)