Rob Clarijs doesn’t sit still. The stylish coffee roaster and award-winning barista champion from Rotterdam is always looking for ways to advance his mission of putting the most extraordinary coffees into the world and collaborating with select partners to offer that extra touch of uniqueness that makes his brand A Matter Of Concrete so exciting.
Even before it launched in 2021, rumours swirled about how Rob was planning to run this business. Some people whispered that he was building the roastery of the future where he literally was just going to ‘press a button’ and everything else would be automated. In hindsight, it’s funny to think back at those conversations because they were totally absurd but there is indeed a grain of truth to this.
At the end of the day, every business must be data driven and a specialty coffee roastery where every second and every degree matter is no exception. Thus, the name. Rob drives his business forward through a matter of concrete decisions that are all based on hard data. And truth be told, his roasting space is impressive. Nestled just outside the iconic Van Nelle factory in Rotterdam, his space is a big warehouse with many of the latest gadgets that one needs in order to roast exceptional coffee such a Loring S35 roaster and Sovda colour sorter.
Rob and I have been good friends for a long time and it’s been a while since he was last featured in a Coffeevine box. After bumping into him at various places over the past few weeks, I suggested we should link up again for a fresh collab and he was more than happy to get involved and I am glad he found the time given how busy the coming weeks will be with the Amsterdam and London Coffee Festivals just around the corner.
For our recent cupping in Utrecht, Rob sent us two mystery coffees, both of which are as of yet unreleased. However, we could only choose one despite the fact that it was difficult to make the choice. I am a big fan of Colombian Pink Bourbons or Rosados as they are also known and the one Rob will roast for the April 2024 edition is really outstanding. It’s fresh and sparkling with notes of rhubarb soda.
It hails from producer Julián Calderón whose Gesha A.M.O.C. sourced last year. Rob told me that he absolutely loved Julián’s coffees and how clean and bright they are. I can safely say, given that this was one of our top favourites at the cupping, that this coffee will be a real treat both as filter and espresso.
To receive this outstanding coffee along with its companion coffees from Bugan Coffee Lab and Craft House Coffee, order our European roasters selection or the Total Package with all coffees including our Global and GEMS roasters selections for April.
Pre-orders close on 15.04.2024 / Ships globally on 20.04.2024
