Our origin story

Our journey into the world of coffee truly began while backpacking across South America back in ’04. After months of “character-building” coffees in Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil, we landed at the Platypus Hostel in Bogota. There, amidst the free-flowing, heavily sweetened black coffee, I discovered the rich, bold flavour of Colombian coffee. That was it – my coffee epiphany.

Meanwhile, my wife found her coffee calling in the northern reaches of Thailand. She fell for the locally grown beans, ground fresh with a mortar and pestle. We’d sneak back to our room, boil water with a hand-held element, and simply soak the grounds, stirring in milk powder and sugar. That’s how she truly connected with Thai coffee.

From South America, we landed in London in 2005. The coffee scene wasn’t what it is today, but we still sought out “origin blends,” always chasing that unique taste from different regions. Our travels took us to Rome, where we loved the vibrant stand-up espresso bars, to Paris for its elegant pastry and coffee culture, and on to Turkey and Egypt, always on the hunt for new coffee experiences.

After more than three years abroad, we returned home to Newcastle in 2008. While settling into our day jobs, my mind kept drifting back to those incredible coffees. The local scene hadn’t quite taken off, but that didn’t stop us. We explored the inner west coffee scene of Sydney and we started roasting, first with a popcorn popper, then graduating to a planetary mixer and a heat gun – a true labour of love!

That’s how Silverskin Coffee Roasters was born. We’ve poured our passion for those distinct, individual flavours into every roast. You’ll find us at the farmers market every week, showcasing a rotating selection of single origin coffees. While we’ve crafted three fantastic blends, it’s those unique origin flavours, the ones that first captured our hearts around the world, that truly define us. They’re what we’re known for, and why we’re so excited to share them with you, cup by cup.