If a certain ad campaign is to be taken as gospel, then Al Pacino knows coffee. George Clooney supposedly knows it too when Jack Black isn’t doing a cameo, and the man-child actor from Modern Family also knows his stuff as well. But Brad Nixon understands it. He has been in the industry for over a decade, with his first gig a rather modest one, slinging shots and pouring coffees at Hudson’s on Hindley Street.
“I wanted to be passionate about what I was doing. I didn’t want to be like my friends, working just for money” explains Nixon.
Brad Nixon with partner Carly and their Young St warehouse.
A first job is rarely an indicator to the successes that potentially lie ahead. Tom Roden of Exchange Specialty Coffee in the East End plied his trade at an early age behind the machines of Funk Coffee. Similarly, Ian Callahan of the hugely popular Bar 9 began at Gloria Jeans. It can be surprising to hear that some of the best started in places you wouldn’t expect, but it’s a testament to their dedication the industry.
Nixon’s journey became serious in 2008 when, after viewing former World Barista Champion Paul Bassett’s video, he decided to book flights to Europe to follow in Bassett’s footsteps. Once there, Nixon visited a place called Stockfleth’s in Norway. It was the starting place for Tim Wendleboe, one of the most consistent barista’s in the world, having come second twice and eventually winning the title of Barista World Champion. “Tim started at Stockfleths and eventually I got to visit him at his self-named store and it was simply the mecca of coffee” says Nixon.
But it was in Copenhagen when Nixon experienced his epiphany moment. “I went Copenhagen and it was a cappuccino, made with an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It was floral, sweet, caramelly and made to perfection. I’d never tasted coffee like that before, and it was unique because back then blends were used primarily for milk coffees, and this was a single origin. This was unprecedented in 2008.”
Since then Brad has been plying his trade in Melbourne, working for 5senses in their customer service team, and eventually with Code Black Coffee Roasters, where he honed his roasting skills – after learning the technique at the Coffee Barun.
He then returned home to Adelaide a year ago and the past twelve months has been dedicated to finding the right space for his newest adventure, Elementary Coffee. His team pinpointed a few different locations, but finally settled on a 700 sq/m warehouse on Young Street, between Franklin and Waymouth, as the ideal site.
After subdividing the warehouse to two more businesses, it took them three months to fit their section and are now in the final stages, preparing to open the doors next week on July 25th.
“I did a lot of 3D modelling for this space and I have placed a strong focus on the seating and layout, to ensure it’s a comfortable area that acts as a destination for people. The whole intention behind Elementary is to showcase what we’re doing with coffee, placing a focus on coffee by doing a good job with our roasting” says Nixon.
“I want this to be a destination, where people come, enjoy a coffee and relax. I don’t intend this to be a burn and turn cafe.”
There’s great news for all the hospitality crew, too. Due to council restrictions, Brad can only roast beans on Saturday, so instead of shutting up the shop altogether, he’s dedicated that day as an industry day, where “anybody from the hospitality industry can come in, jump behind the machine and make themselves a coffee, have a chat with me and relax. We’ll be doing cupping sessions on Saturday’s, too.”
As for the coffee, consistency is Nixon’s primary goal, “What I’ve noticed with Adelaide is there is a real lack of consistency. On a local and national scale a lot of the importers are based in Melbourne and Sydney and it costs quite a bit of money to get a pallet of beans over here, and if you put that on top of your running cost it slowly adds up.”
“We’ll be using a blend of Brazil & Colombia throughout the year. Coffee has a harvest, it’s seasonal, and some roasters aren’t able to get the consistent product from their beans. From my experience, Brazil and Colombia have a main crop and a fly crop, so we’re always going to be able to get that crop all year round which will ensure consistency.”
If you’re feeling peckish, the hero for lunches will be slow cooked meats, which will be done in sandwiches and sourced from Wakefield Grange Farmgate Meats, which is ethically and sustainably produced.
“In Adelaide there’s such amazing produce and I don’t see enough of it being used in cafes, and I want to see more of that” says Nixon.
Elementary Coffee will open at 9 Young Street, on July 25. Opening hours will be 7:30-3:30pm Mon-Fri, while Saturday is reserved for industry and roasting only. Follow Elementary Coffee on Instagram and Facebook.
Photography by Chris Komorek
More News
