WATER & COFFEE with DARA SANTANA
Water & Coffee is a focused, one-day session led by Dara Santana – an exploration of how the chemistry of water shapes extraction, clarity, and balance in the cup. We’ll take a look at the components of water: the minerals, structure and stability, how each element interacts with coffee, and how small changes create very different outcomes.
Dara Santana, also known as ‘dartcaffeine’, is a known chemical engineer, water scientist and Q-grader from the Canary Islands, known for her work of exploring the role of water in coffee. Combining scientific knowledge with sensory expertise, she creates interactive, hands-on sessions that reveal how water composition shapes extraction, flavour, and texture. Her workshops have helped baristas, roasters and coffee enthusiasts all over the world experience water not as a background element, but as the decisive ingredient in every cup, improving home and professional brews.
No competition. No rush. Just attention.
What to expect:
- Understanding the chemistry behind water and extraction
- Recognizing how minerals shape flavour and mouthfeel
- Comparative tasting with different water profiles
- Practical tools for evaluating and improving brew consistency
- Approaching water as a controllable variable in quality coffee preparation
- Rethink what water actually means
WHEN
Monday, December 8
Duration: Full day (approx. 8 hours)
Group size: max. 8 participants
Price: €369 per person
Audience: Coffee professionals – baristas, roasters, café owners
Ticket includes provided lunch and enough coffee to give you a heart attack.
FORM vs FUNCTION vs LESS WASTE
We love good packaging design, but not waste. That’s why we aim for a balance between aesthetics and sustainability. Finding food-safe solutions that work across local and international recycling systems isn’t easy, but we take it seriously. For us, reuse, reduce, recycle is more than just a label.
When ordering coffee, you can choose from three packaging types:
A.M.O.C. JAR
Made from fully recyclable PET. Lightweight, durable, and made to be reused endlessly.
REFILL
A low-waste option, vacuum-packed in thin, food-grade PP without a valve or zipper. About 40% lighter than standard bags and easier to recycle. These are not retail-friendly and may lose vacuum in transit—this doesn’t affect quality. Transfer to a container after opening. Not freezer-safe unless portioned first.
KILO BAG
For larger orders, we use high-barrier packaging that protects freshness and is recyclable under certain conditions. We chose it for both performance and environmental impact.
You’ll find more on our packaging choices and sustainability approach on the about page.
ESPRESSO VS FILTER ROAST
Our filter roasts are designed for clarity and expression, but they’re great for both filter and espresso brewing. In fact, we often prefer the brighter, more expressive profile they bring to espresso.
Espresso roasts, on the other hand, are specifically developed for espresso brewing only. We don’t recommend using them for filter methods, as they’re tailored for higher extraction and a more classic cup profile.
Choose based on your taste and brew method, but know we stand behind both.
ROAST DATE
All our coffees are shipped as fresh as possible, typically within a few days of roasting. We don’t sit on a lot of stock and roast multiple times a week, so what you receive has been roasted recently, usually no longer than a 7-10 days before shipping, but it could also be roasted and shipped the same day.
You’ll find the exact roast date printed on the label. We recommend resting the coffee for a few days after roasting to allow it to degas and open up in flavour.
![APAX LAB —LYLAC [3]](https://amatterofconcrete.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/P1150142-247x247.jpg)
