Like a music festival line-up announcement, the drop of a blockbuster movie trailer or the release of an anticipated single, every drip-fed tease of a new tenant of Albion hub Craft’d Grounds helped build excitement for the arrival of the genuine article. First came the news of Brewtide’s craft-beer brewery, taproom and cellar. Then there was the reveal that specialty coffee roaster Seven Miles would also be adding its Queensland flagship to the Collingwood Street food and lifestyle development. After a few months of waiting, both Brewtide and Seven Miles opened to the public in November, unveiling their respective homes within Craft’d Grounds’ open-plan interior. When considering options for suitable flag-planting destinations, the Seven Miles Brisbane crew, led by Ben Graham (former owner of beloved Brisbane-based micro roaster Parallel Roasters), sought a site that could not only accommodate its roasting, packaging and wholesale operations, but also one that aligned with its artisanal values. Craft’d Grounds, with its own focus on supporting boutique operators, proved to be the perfect spot for Seven Miles to express its community-oriented nature, showcase its thought leadership in the coffee craft and improve point-of-contact relationships with clients.

Seven Miles’ coffee bar is located on the first floor of Craft’d Grounds, opposite Brewtide’s main bar area. A gleaming high-tech Dalla Corte machine (one of the first of its kind in Australia) is already being put through its paces making cups of the good stuff using the roaster’s signature Brisbane blend The Cat’s Pyjamas, its Wilde and Cultivar blends or one of its feature monthly single-origin coffees. Any espresso brew can be made alongside batch, cold brew and hand-poured V60 coffee, with the possibility of AeroPress being added in the future. Guests can perch along a lengthy bench overlooking the roasting area, which is equipped to prepare The Cat’s Pyjamas and small batches of other blends for distribution to roughly 120 Queensland-based cafes. A retail section is stocked with bags upon bags of beans, nitro cans and home-brewing equipment, while the coffee bar is also serving a small selection of biscuits and cakes from Floss Bakes. Seven Miles is using its Albion location as a hub of learning and coffee science, too – masterclasses, cupping sessions, the development and execution of barista training modules, equipment experimentation and servicing will all take place here, making the location a terrific resource for those making a career out of coffee. Soon Craft’d Grounds will announce more residents that are set to call the precinct home – stay tuned for more!

Seven Miles is open to the public! Need a pick-me-up? Hit the Stumble Guide to get info on opening hours and contact details.