I used to work as a survival instructor. So I learned to roast coffee in the bush, and then we decided to upscale it to keep up with the cafe
- Dave Bean
There is no doubt the Cabin Collective is Maitland's only coffee-tattoo salon.
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It's already a one stop shop for a full sleeve and a flat white, but it's also one of a kind nationally.
In fact, the High Street salon is the only cafe in the country that roasts its coffee beans over an open fire.
Dave Bean and Bree Hawkes are the duo behind the tattoo and coffee salon.
Mr Bean and Ms Hawkes are the pioneers behind the one of a kind coffee experience.
"I used to work as a survival instructor. I worked for an America company and you could log in and watch videos," Mr Bean said.
"So I learned to roast coffee in the bush, and then we decided to upscale it to keep up with the cafe."
The roasting process takes between 15 to 20 minutes with "micro batches" roasted over an open fire.
"We use a big stock pot, and then we warm it up over the fire. Everything is done by hand. We have a wooden tripod," Mr Bean said.
"I've kept it pretty primitive, and it's all stirred by hand. We roast less than a kilogram each time."
Ms Hawkes added the process was also "really enjoyable to watch."
"We use beans that are a bit more intense in flavour, and you get the distinct smokiness," she said.
Mr Bean added the roasting process made for a "richer" drop.
"It's a lot richer but still very smooth. It's not over the top in smokiness though," Mr Bean said.
"It definitely has its distinct characteristics. People love it."
The popular cafe - tattoo parlour - music venue has called the city home over the past 15-months after opening in April 2018.
Ms Hawkes said the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
"We wanted to make people feel like visitors in our home. We try not to make people feel like customers," she said.
"It's also lifting the veil on what tattoo studios used to be like."
The Cabin Collective is open from 7am to 3pm every day except Sunday.