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Siblings bring North’s first ‘cream of the crop’ Dutch coffee machine to Newcastle

Newcastle siblings at the helm of an independent coffee bar are throwing a spanner in the works of uninspiring coffee-making techniques, by importing the North’s very first Dutch handmade coffee machine.

Geordie-Italians Aldo, Cristina and Joseph De Giorgi, who own 9Bar Coffee - one of the best-known spots to soak up coffee culture in the centre of Newcastle, have imported a new espresso machine – the Mirage Idrocompresso - built to their own specification and handmade by renowned Dutch specialist Kees van der Westen.

The trio have been working with friend and local espresso engineer Neil Anderson, known as Coffee Repair Guy, to bring the Idrocompresso from the Netherlands to its new home in Newcastle. The machine, which is lever operated, is the only one of its kind in the North of England.

The lever technique is a very old system, developed at the end of the 1940s, to achieve the essential espresso – forcing hot water with high pressure through the ground coffee. Despite this being an old technique, the lever is still widely recognised to deliver the creamiest results.

In Naples, the centre of coffee in the original country of espresso, 90 per cent of all espresso machines are equipped with levers.

Neil Anderson, who supplied the machine, and who has travelled to the Netherlands several times to meet with Kees van der Westen, said: “This machine is the best, most advanced, most temperature stable and most beautifully engineered espresso machine in the world.

“I was struck by the minute attention to detail built into these incredible machines - detail that reflects a passion for engineering excellence in pursuit of the perfect espresso.”

Aldo De Giorgi said: “Lever machines can be described as being the godfather of espresso preparation, and they are enjoying a renewed interest from baristas all over the world. We’re delighted to have one of these special machines in 9Bar.

“This is the ideal tool for our baristas to create coffee as it should be made – not rushed, but carefully crafted to the highest quality. We’re the only venue in the North to use this machine, and we can’t wait to see our discerning espresso drinkers’ reactions when they experience the taste.”

9Bar serves coffee exclusively from Square Mile Coffee Roasters, owned by World Barista Champion James Hoffman. The bar has an impressive interior featuring bespoke urban artwork, and customers can enjoy a selection of Italian tapas or the shop’s famous cheese toastie which contains Montgomery cheese, known for its deep, rich, nutty flavour, cooked in sourdough bread in a wood fired oven (£4).

The De Giorgi family already has a strong following in the city garnered from the portfolio of popular bars and restaurants they have established including Don Vito’s, Secco, Paradiso, Popolo, Intermezzo and Alvinos. They also own Pasqualino’s Bar and Pizzeria on Market Street.

9Bar Cafe, Grey Street, Newcastle, NE1 6BR tel 0191 447 2217 www.9barcoffee.co.uk

Twitter: @9bar_coffee Facebook: 9Bar Coffee

The coffee shop offers complimentary Wi-Fi and is open seven days a week from 8am-late from Monday to Saturday, and from 10.30am - late on Sunday.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Uniquethinking PR team .