Mark Free is a free spirit. A free spirit peddling black coffee pop ups.
As I sip on a pinot noir and Free on a good ol’ beer at Gnome cafe – we’re talking all things black. We probably should be sipping black coffee; talking coffee notes, regions and brewing methods but it’s late, post-five pm and black coffee just won’t hit the spot at this hour.
I’m here with Mr. Black Coffee to get to the nitty gritty of why he’s got a love affair with all things black. And how a simple black coffee pop up has caused such a frenzy – and a new coffee culture reviving this cit-ay.
A little about Mr. Black Coffee.
Originally from sunny Brisbane, Mark ventured to the Queensland University of Technology to persue a ‘creative’ degree. Film, theatre and creative writing were among the classes – but after a year of skipping class, getting ‘uninspired‘ instead of ‘inspired‘ – Free decided to called it quits. Choosing to play in a band and used coffee as a way to fund his creative ventures (don’t we all know this feeling). Little did he know, that this side gig would turn into a world in itself… Free worked the machines at Cafenatics before moving onto Brother Buda Budan as head barista. Free paid his dues, listened, learned, heated and frothed his way up the coffee chain (yes, Free can make a white coffee). After, one crazy black coffee pop up – it was an idea that stuck and in need to be explored.
Why Black Coffee?
Simple. It’s the purist form of coffee. It’s uncomplicated. It requires three things; water, coffee and a filtration process – anyone can do it. It doesn’t require any professional training. Just a bit of experimentation and your taste buds.
Free makes the best point about the ‘complicated’ aura that surrounds the black coffee movement. It’s all caused by your white coffee.
That somewhat supposedly simple white coffee requires quite a bit of machinery; grinder, coffee machine with a heap of moving parts, milk, water, heat and a skilled barista. Free says, “do you actually know what goes on it there (the coffee machine)?” Ummm, nup, not even. Yet somehow – we question the simple pouring of water over ground coffee for a black coffee pourover.
Someone hit me on the head. Now. I’d never even thought about white coffee like that.
Free insists what he’s doing is normal. Well, it is the norm in the states and across Europe. We, my foodies, are just so accustomed to white coffee (aka coffee-flavoured-milk) that black coffee is considered complicated – when it is indeed the opposite.
Free’s tips on how to switch to Black Coffee?
Free’s not about forcing the black stuff onto every Tom, Dick or Harry. Rather, Free’s all about merely placing a black coffee into a punter’s hands and getting them to take a sip. No explanations – just close your eyes, and let the coffee speak for itself. From there it’s all about taste. You can get hooked, ask questions, take another sip and make up your own mind.
Mark Free’s Top Melbourne Coffee Spots to check out
Brother Buda Budan
Patricia
Auction Rooms
Proud Mary
Market Lane
Final Step
Lowlands (Free’s local)
What’s next for Black Coffee?
With Black Coffee – the setup is simple. There is very little equipment so Black Coffee lends itself to a pop up easily. There’s another major pop up planned in August and Christmas, alongside Free’s weekly Saturday Black Coffee pop ups in Melbourne (for deets follow him on twitter, tumblr, facebook and over on the website to find out the ever changing location). There is the possibility of some international pop ups too. Nico (his right hand man) has a trip planned to this home-city Paris, that may be on the cards for Black Coffee. You could even see these guys in New York, Amsterdam or even Berlin. The world is their dark oyster.
The Black Coffee Boys. Nico on the left and founder, Mark Free on the right.
Coffee tools, that you can actually own at home, to perfect your own black coffee skills
My black coffee crew, the gorgeous Stacy (left aka coffee connoisseur) and Lisa aka The Paper Convention (right)
Th launch of Black Coffee at Outre Gallery Sydney
Nico makes sure the water is at optimum temperature for the aeropress
Nico recommends the reverse aeropress techique as it allows the coffee to infuse with no need for an implement
Hey presso, it's as easy as that
Free demos a Black Coffee pour over
I absolutely loved the intimate nature of the pop up - you could ask the guys anything n' everything
THE DEETS YOU WANT TO KNOW
BLACK COFFEE POP UPS
Every Saturday in Melbourne. To find your next cup of Black Coffee, you need to social stalk;
www.blackcoffeeshop.com.au
www.blackcoffeeshop.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/blackcoffeeshop
@blackcoffeeshop
THE GOOK attended Mark Free and attended the launch as a guest of Black Coffee.
