Interviews August 2023 | I KNOW JERRY FROM TORONTO

Who was in the August 2023 box?

Yes, I can FEEL it in Bratislava (SK). Rebelling in Brno (CZ), visiting a trendy neighborhood full of pastel-colored art-deco buildings in Prague (CZ), and a nice clean cup of coffee at Kasette Koffie of them in Prague (CZ).

Bratislava - Slovakia

Pressink
Kristína Uhráková

It’s for sure Jerry’s favorite style of print design: letters, forms, and bright colors.
Always love it when they want to make something for our boxes.
And of course, our collection is expanding as well :-)

When did you become an artist?

It was back in 2016 when I moved to Bratislava after spending almost 12 years in London.

Do you have some kind of ritual to get inspiration?

Morning walks through Carpathian woods or a nice bike ride to my studio.

What printing technique do you like the most?

That must be letterpress!

If you could choose one artist to do a collaboration with (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

I would love to collaborate with Dafi Khune who is a letterpress printer from Switzerland.
I just admire his work!

Jerry wants to reach more people to expand his coffee and art community,
do you have any original ideas to do this?

Well, you tell me :-)

Do you drink and like coffee?
And where do you get your caffeine shots?

I love cappuccino.

"Imagine the sky was white and the clouds were blue."

Brno - Czech Republic

Rebelbean

Our first roaster in 2020 nice to have them back in the box.
I saw them popping up again on the back of a book.
It couldn’t be a coincidence, it was time to ask Rebelbean again for our box!

For the people who don’t know Rebelbean (yet) can you give us an overview of how you started?

Sure,
we presented our first coffee in 2013.
We started as a garage project (literally) with just one coffee in the offer.
Later, we added limited editions, blends, and specials like barrel-aged coffee.
Basically, we were roaster-less until 2017, when in April we opened our own facility.
We started as a wholesale roaster but since 2015 we’ve also opened our own coffee shops.
We also do events, catering, and stuff.
We just like coffee and we want as many people as we can on our side!

Did many things change since we last met in 2020?

I think so.
We moved our production to bigger space.
Right before Covid 19 and lockdowns.
Also during this wild period, we opened three more locations in Brno.
Now, we are building a new cafe (6th) and also we have our new roaster in production, so we are looking forward to stepping up our game again!
Another great achievement was winning the Czech Barista Championship two times in a row.
Can’t be more proud of our team!
Also, we were very lucky, that we were able to visit producers in Colombia with them last summer.

What would your top tips be, for making your coffee at home?

For me personally, it is always about two things.
Give me good beans and proper water and I am good to go.
Easy.

I was reading a book about coffee roasting and on the back was a comment of Rebelbean.
Do you write books of your own or only comment some books?
Or do you have plans to write one…

Ah,
I remember this one, it was my colleague Tom…
At the time we don’t have any plans like that.
But who knows…
We always wanted to do some kind of blog, podcast, or vlog, but we haven’t found our voice yet.

Jerry wants to expand his community of art and coffee,
do you know how we can reach more people with the same interest in the Czech Republic?

Great question!
Coffee, culture, and art are best together!
It depends on style and individuality.
The Art could be carefully picked cups and plates, or perfect and spot café design,
It can be manifested in paintings on the walls.
So I guess it’s about connecting with the right people.

"I would like to thank you for including us for the second time!
It’s an honor!
We wish you all the best.
Enjoy!"

Prague - Czech Republic

Dos Mundos

Located in a trendy neighborhood in Prague full of pastel-coloured art-deco buildings - Vinohrady (= vineyards).
It is so named because the area was once covered in vineyards dating from the 14th century.
You can find this roastery called Dos Mundos here along with nice spots to eat and trendy bars.
Dos Mundos also has a café in another popular area Letná and the main production is located in the part of the Czech capital city called Strasnice.
Here they roast all their coffees on a Giesen W30 Roaster machine.

How did the coffee story of Dos Mundos start?

The roastery was established in 2014 by Lukas and Adela.
The plan to set up their own coffee business started when Lukas went to China, where he got some extraordinary inspiration and experience in making filter coffee.
Many years have passed since then, during which time some important events have happened.
One of the most significant was that he met Adela.
They both had a passion for gastronomy, and this enthusiasm gradually developed into a coffee roastery and two cafés in the center of Prague.

What is your favorite coffee you roast and why?

It is difficult to choose only one.
We really enjoy every fresh coffee crop that arrives at the roastery and we are so excited about its first roast.
It is always a kind of adrenaline creating the right roasting profile and tasting it for the first time.

Vinohrady sounds like a real hotspot for coffee and art.
Are there more coffee roasters to find or only you?

There are many cafés, restaurants, bars, and other places where people are gathering every day.
This part of Prague is full of life and fun.
There are not many other roasteries in the area, but local cafés are supplied by them as other roasteries besides Prague.

What is your favorite spot in your neighborhood?

After a long shift, we really enjoyed having a beer in Lokal pub,
which is just a few steps from our Vinohrady roastery. :-)

Jerry wants to expand his community of art and coffee,
do you know how we can reach more people with the same interest in the Czech Republic?

In our country, we have so many places where people are gathering to enjoy and appreciate art and coffee as well.
Only in Prague, there are several coffee places connected to galleries, cinemas, or for example book shops.

"Thank you for having us in your tasting box.
We hope you enjoy our coffee and whenever you have time to visit Prague,
don’t forget to stop by our roastery or café."

Prague - Czech Republic

La Bohème Cafe

Jerry had a cup of their coffee in Kasette Koffie in Antwerp, a nice clean cup!
He definitely needed this roaster in his box.
These guys are already in the game since 2005.

"It all started 17 years ago when, during my daily morning coffee ritual, I realized that the world's coffee quality standard was actually very poor.
Due to my deep-rooted passion for coffee and love of travel, I almost immediately decided to embark on the way to better coffee.

After years spent traveling to the origins of coffee, from Africa to Central and South America,
I quickly understood what constitutes coffee quality,
how the system works how it differs from origin to origin, and how my efforts as a coffee roaster in the Czech Republic can make a significant contribution to the living conditions of farmers, their community, and the environment in which their farm is located.
And so began my criteria of building socially responsible, charitable, and long-term sustainable relationships with coffee growers dedicated to what I call "excellent coffee".

That's why I'm extremely lucky to be able to offer you one of the best coffees in the world.
This happiness can only be attributed to the dedication and passion of our partner farmers, my amazing team of coffee gurus in the Czech Republic, and you, our customers, who share our passion for the highest quality sustainable coffee.
Together,
we not only enjoy what we like and what makes our day pleasant but with every sip we can also enjoy the knowledge that we are working to improve the standard of living of farmers and the environment in which they live."

we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists!