Frederiks Reserve Blend

A blend born from an experiment, and brought back by demand.

Brazil 50% - Brazil | Fazenda Progresso | Catuaí / Topazio Natural
Ethiopia 50% - Chelchele Heirloom Washed Grade 1

Originally developed as a trial for a church camp, where it was known as Man Camp Blend, this coffee quickly proved it was something special. Frederik was immediately hooked, saying it outshone every other coffee he’d been drinking. After requesting it as his regular monthly order, we decided it deserved a permanent place in the lineup, and Frederik Reserve Blend was born.

Built on a simple but deliberate pairing of Ethiopia Chelchele and Brazil Fazenda Progresso, Frederik Reserve is all about balance. You get the brightness and clarity of a washed Ethiopian, layered with the rich, chocolatey depth of a natural Brazil.

In the cup, it leans smooth and structured, with gentle fruit lifting through a rounded body. It’s incredibly versatile, equally at home as a long black or with a touch of milk, which is exactly how Frederik drinks it. Expect a clean finish, subtle sweetness, and a profile that keeps you coming back without trying too hard to impress.

F.A.Q. - How does this compare to our other blends?

Roast strength vs roast darkness

A "strong" coffee doesn't always mean a darker roast.

When coffee is roasted darker, it tastes stronger because bitterness, smoke, and roast flavours become more dominant. That heavy, bold flavour is what most people describe as strength.

But as coffee is roasted darker, something else happens.

What happens as coffee gets darker

As roasting continues:

• Natural sugars caramelise, then burn
• Acidity drops
• Origin flavours fade
• Oils move to the surface of the bean
• The coffee becomes heavier, more bitter, and less nuanced

Very dark roasts can taste intense, but they often lose clarity and sweetness. The shiny, oily surface you see on dark beans is a sign that the roast has broken down the bean structure and pushed oils outward.

This is why darker coffee tastes bold and smoky, but not necessarily complex.

So what actually makes a coffee feel strong?

Flavour strength comes from:

• Roast depth
• Coffee species, Robusta tastes stronger than Arabica
• Brew ratio and extraction

Caffeine, on the other hand:

• Is higher in Robusta than Arabica
• Changes only slightly with roast level
• Is more affected by dose than darkness

In other words, a coffee can taste very strong while containing less caffeine, and a lighter coffee can still pack a serious caffeine hit.

How we think about roasting

We roast each blend to suit its purpose.

Some are pushed darker for body and boldness. Others are roasted lighter to preserve sweetness, clarity, and origin character. Strength on our bags refers to flavour/darkness intensity, not how much caffeine you will get.

If you want help choosing, our blend comparison table is the easiest place to start.

What this means for our blends

• Becs Blend
  Tastes the strongest due to it being roasted the darkest.
• Coastal Darkside
  Next strongest
• Somersby Blend
  Tastes dark and bold, but is 100% Arabica, so caffeine is lower than Darkside despite a similar roast depth.
• Coastal Blend
  Balanced strength and cuts through milk well.
• Frederiks Blend
  Bright and lighter tasting, but still contains plenty of caffeine. It just doesn't taste as heavy, fantastic as black and ok with milk.
• Bouddi Blend
  Bright and lighter tasting, but still contains plenty of caffeine. It just doesn't taste as heavy, fantastic as black and ok with milk.