BEANDEPENDENT — Genuine Artisan Coffee in Vienna

The BEANDEPENDENT coffee shop & micro roastery is a small one-person business that might be best described as true-to-the-roots Third Wave spot.
However, the concept draws inspiration from all of the three waves in coffees history - just in reverse order:

The emphasis is on higher quality beans, the (traceable) value chain of the resource and the people behind it, the farmers and producers.
Trying to carry over the distinctive flavors and unique character of a bean with artisanal roasting in small batches and precise brewing in various ways.
Showcasing the beautiful, endless diversity of coffee and all the vibrant flavor profiles.

Classic ‘Third Wave’ at its core, bridging the gap between ‘old school indy’ and ‘modern’ cafés.

The BEANDEPENDENT coffee shop was placed intentionally (and quite literally) in a corner of Vienna that was often dismissed as ‘calm and empty’

It was part of the plan to wake up this area and give that neighborhood a social café experience where high quality coffee is the central element.
Similar to the ‘Second Wave’ that saw the rise of coffee shops and the social aspect they brought along. Building a local coffee shop, becoming a ‘Grätzl-Café’, helped not only reviving a dilapidated location, but also improved the value and reputation of the neighborhood (Volkertviertel).

Every coffee that is brewed and served at BEANDEPENDENT is roasted in the own in-house Micro Roastery, and is available to purchase for home-brewing.The beans are roasted with intention and care, tailored to fit specific brewing methods.
Making locally roasted coffee accessible for the people around is reflecting the ‘First Wave’ of coffee, where it became conveniently available and affordable for every household.

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BEANDEPENDENT puts emphasis on the importance of hands involved in every step along the journey of coffee.
The craft starts in the origin. It is what makes coffee lively.

Engaging all the senses from touch, smell, sight and hearing, together with attention to details, is crucial in the process of creating the outcome, where the fifth sense - taste - is the ultimate deciding factor.

Being present, reading what is going on and responding to that, using the experience and applying the skills gathered up to this point.

There is great investment of time and a lot of effort put into learning and gaining further experience. Applying a systematic approach of trial & error followed by honest reflection and analysis.

The use of reliable machines and carefully chosen equipment is important to create consistent, repeatable results and keep a high quality standard.
These tools are instruments (not gadgets) and there is a purpose they serve in the process of creating the intended outcome.
It requires practical knowledge how, when and why exactly they are put to use.

At the very core of the artisan concept of BEANDEPENDENT is working manually as much as possible. This applies for roasting and brewing alike.
Automation is cautiously and intentionally implemented as little as possible, only where it is assisting the craft and not interfering with the hand- & human-made approach, which is substantial for the character.

At BEANDEPENDENT precision is in the act of creation.
Perfection is an approach, not a result. It comes from passion and persistence.

GENUINE ARTISAN COFFEE is ultimately about mind-muscle-heart connection.

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Being able to work with coffee is a very precious privilege, especially at the very end of its extensive and long value chain.

It is only possible because of the people who plant, grow, harvest and process it. Coffea arabica is a tremendously sensitive plant that needs very specific conditions, requires great care, deep knowledge and takes an enormous amount of time from planting seeds to growing, harvesting and processing.

Before ‘coffee’ can even become a drink, coffee is a high-value agricultural resource and and is in the top 10 of most traded commodities globally.

Despite the vast (and growing) number of coffee businesses everywhere, there is a shockingly low level of knowledge about the raw material, the origins and the production of coffee, that consumers are able to pick up.

I feel very fortunate to have been working with coffee since early 2010, constantly learning something new about it, observing various developments and realizing that the people in the coffee producing countries have constantly been facing multiple challenges simultaneously.

The biggest growing threat is obviously, undeniably human-made climate change that has been leading to rising temperatures, water shortage and prolonged periods of drought.

Following all this closely for more than a decade made it increasingly important for me to challenge the status quo of how coffee is treated, traded and talked about.

The availability of the resource is shrinking, so the most sustainable way for a coffee business is a small-scale operation and the elimination of overproduction.

At this point it must be addressed that there is still an enormous level of inequality rooting in colonialism. There is responsibility attached to the privilege of working with coffee.

Through mindful handling of the resource, artisanal roasting & meticulous brewing, by educating and sharing information BEANDEPENDENT intends to add value to the chain.

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The term micro roasting is a reference to the scaled-down production volume as well as the smaller size of individual roasting batches.
Every coffee served at BEANDEPENDENT is roasted in-house in batch sizes ranging from 500g for filter, up to a maximum of 1000g -1200g for espresso.

This ‘reduced’ volume for the production and the individual roasts is purposefully chosen. Requiring much more time and more focus, this entails greater involvement in the roasting process and leads to consistent quality control.It also allows for a more thoughtful, needs-based quantity management.

The roasting style is mindful of the brewing method and aimed for balance.Every coffee and each batch is roasted with intention and consideration of how it will be prepared and eventually consumed, less regarding just shades or colors (like light/medium/dark).

All the flavor components within coffee are valued because they contribute to the individuality and complexity of it. There is a lot of effort in trying to bring all of them to a level where they harmonize, almost like a synchronization of aroma, sweetness, acidity, bitterness, body and the finishing aftertaste.

The roasting result supports straight-forward brewing, that allows the various coffees to be recognised and perceived as interpreted by the roaster and served in the coffee shop.

The underlying idea is to build a bridge from origin to the very end of the value chain, and the attempt to represent a coffee, the people who grow and process the beans, as best as possible.

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The set-up is simple, the interior is pure, focused on the necessities.
There are no distractions and there is no doubt what it is about: BEANDEPENDENT is here for coffee.

Located in the second district of Vienna, close the Augarten and right next to the Volkertmarkt, the BEANDEPENDENT coffee shop opened its doors in the Summer of 2024.

The intention was clear: here’s an area in the city with a sleepy reputation, and what better way to wake up a neighborhood than with coffee.

Being a local from that neighborhood, this was not only about the revival of an empty, rundown location by itself. I wanted to contribute to the local environment and positively impact the look and reputation for this part of the city.

Good, properly prepared and cared for coffee is a luxurious product, there is no doubt about it. But it should still be accessible, because everybody deserves good coffee. A neighborhood will flourish when it has its own local coffee shop, and the benefit goes far beyond the borders of the ‘Grätzl’.

Being in a calm corner of the city comes with advantages for keeping the workflow and checking the quality, ultimately controlling the consistency.
It also allows for these social human interactions that are a crucial part and are responsible for the vibe of a true local coffee shop aka. ’Grätzl-Café’.

Whether you are local yourself or just visiting, wether you’re a experienced coffee nerd or a newbie who never thought about how deep the world of coffee might be: coffee connects and at BEANDEPENDENT there is plenty of room for it.

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photo: Lipp Zahnschirm

LOCATION

coffee shop & micro roastery

Lessinggasse 19 × Vereinsgasse,
1020 Vienna / Wien

MO - FR · 07:30 - 16:00

JUL & AUG: 

MO - FR · 07:30 - 15:00

Closed on Weekends & Public Holidays

@beandependent_artisancoffee

At the very heart center of the location stands a unique bar that is the result of a beautiful collaboration of creative minds and small, independent local businesses. Designed together with capeland carried by a raw steel construction welded by ps architecture and enveloped with custom designed panels made from recycled PET by fantoplast

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the moment you enter the the BEANDEPENDENT coffee shop you will most likely look directly into the La Marzocco Home showroom that is integrated into the micro roastery which is just behind the center stage.
In collaboration with La Marzocco Austria you are able to get up close with the Linea Micra, Linea Mini R and a special custom GS/3 MP, as well as the Pico grinder. See them, feel them, ask questions, get answers - and if you want to step into the home barista world, or step-up your home brewing game by realizing the dream of owning a La Marzocco - you’re at the right place!

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