Open Cupping: Semilla Coffee, hosted by Fieldwork Coffee

Join us for an open cupping of smallholder coffees from Colombia and Honduras. Sourced by Semilla Coffee (Montreal, Canada), and roasted by Keisuke of Routemap Coffee Roasters (Narita, Japan).

Semilla Coffee is a small importing company with a clear sense of purpose: to work slowly and deliberately with producers who have strong coffees, but limited access to the specialty market. Rather than chasing top-scoring microlots or jumping from one region to the next, Semilla commits to specific groups for the long haul — building trust, fostering autonomy, and working together to bring solid, consistent coffees to market.

Their approach is rooted in deep traceability and local partnerships. They prioritise transparency and collaboration over volume and scale, focusing on relationships where real support can take shape, not just in price, but in knowledge sharing, infrastructure, and mutual respect. It’s about buying from people they believe in, and sticking with them through the ups and downs of each harvest.

We met Brendan Adams of Semilla Coffee recently at the SCA Expo in Houston, Texas and were impressed initially by their coffees, and then by the clarity and intent behind how they bring them to market. Our meeting ended with the desire to do something together, and the usual “if you’re ever in Australia…” sign off.

And now, to coincide with Coffee Weekend, we’re hosting an informal cupping with Semilla’s Japan-based sales representative, Keisuke, who’ll be sharing a few coffees they’re currently excited about. Keisuke also owns Routemap Coffee Roasters in Narita, Japan, which is where the samples we’ll be tasting were roasted.

Whether you’re a barista, a roaster, or just someone curious to learn more, you’re invited to join us at the table for an opportunity to taste, chat, meet Keisuke, and get to know these Semilla coffees and the people behind them.

Friday July 4th
3pm - 4pm
Free, with RSVP

Fieldwork Coffee
336 St. Georges Road
Fitzroy North 3068

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What is cupping?

Cupping is how we taste coffee at its most unadorned. No milk, no filters, no machines, just coffee, hot water, and four minutes of brew time. It’s a method used across the industry to assess quality, but it’s also a great way to share a range of coffees with a larger group.

At Fieldwork, we use the cupping process to eliminate as many variables as possible. The same dose, same water, and same brewing time for every bowl, giving us a transparent and uninfluenced look at the coffee itself. It helps us make sourcing decisions, fine-tune our roasting, share coffees with a group, and check that everything’s tasting as it should.

Our open cuppings are not formal or stuffy — they’re a chance for the coffee curious to taste a few things side by side. You don’t need any experience, and you don’t need to say the “right” thing. There’s no wrong answers, just an untapped world of coffee experiences to discover, and we’d love to host you.