Liquid Dream is a micro-roastery in Cologne run by two friends, Julian Benke and Maximilian Müller. It started as a dream the two shared, and they go looking for rare and uncommon varieties to pass on rather than keep for themselves. The aim is to make “exceptional coffee approachable”, for drinkers new to specialty coffee and for confirmed coffee nerds alike.

The coffees are sorted by how they show in the cup. Terroir coffees carry the character of the place they grow; Processing coffees take their flavour from what happens after harvest, such as carbonic maceration, thermal shock or anaerobic fermentation with added yeast. Most come from Colombia, from producers such as Nestor Lasso, Oscar Hernandez at Los Nogales and Wilton Benitez at Granja Paraíso 92, with further lots from Peru, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Mexico, Kenya and Ethiopia. The varieties run from Gesha and Sidra to Bourbon Pimienta, Ombligon, Chiroso, Sudan Rume and Wush Wush.

Bags hold 100 g or 200 g. Earlier releases carried numbers, from #001, a Sidra and Typica Mejorado from Galo Morales in Ecuador that placed fourth at the German Brewers Cup 2024, to #037, a Chico Gallo from the Hartmann family in Panama. Orders close on Friday evening and ship freshly roasted every Monday. A monthly subscription sends a coffee in the first week of each month, and cafés and restaurants can buy wholesale.

Coffee on the shelf

Colombia#025 Gesha, product image from the roaster
  • Lemon sorbet
  • Rosemary
Liquid Dream

#025 Gesha

Out of stock
Thermal shock120h fermentation with the pulp sugars
Cologne

Photograph: Liquid Dream