Six Eight Kafé

[by Ahmed Ahmed]

6/8 temple row, birmingham b2 5hg

There seems to be something of a café renaissance going on in Birmingham of late. Independent coffee shops are springing up across town, all with the common mission of luring punters away from the generic high street offering in favour of something more original. One such establishment is Six Eight Kafé. Blending carefully sourced coffee and expert techniques with social media marketing and a liberal sprinkling of support for the arts, this local venue is starting to cause something of a stir.

location

Somewhat like the Isla de Muerta* in that it’s easier to find if you already know where it is; behind the House of Fraser and a stone’s throw from St. Paul’s Square. Click here for Google map.

atmosphere

Though not especially distinguished by striking decor, the café has a sociable and contemporary ambience that lies in the staff, who greet each customer like an old friend (no doubt some of them are), and in the smooth and eclectic choice of music. When a samba remix of Coldplay’s Clocks kicks in, you know you’re in a place that likes to do things a little differently.

coffee

It might be helpful to think of the journey from crop to cup in three stages: sourcing, roasting and tasting. On each count, owner and founder Dav assured me, Six Eight Kafé is meticulous. He told me that the coffee beans are sourced in Brazil and Peru by a West Midlands coffee expert, who forms direct relationships with the growers and pays them a fair price for their crops.

He then roasts them here in the Birmingham area and delivers them to Six Eight, where the beans are rested for six days before being freshly ground to order for a cup of coffee. This careful timing helps to bring out the optimum flavours. Sipping what was possibly the richest-tasting cappuccino I’d ever had, I was in no position to argue. Dav insisted, ‘I’m not letting you have sugar!’ In fact I didn’t need to; there was no trace of the harshness that so often makes you reach for the little brown sachets.

the story

Working in Brussels, London and across the Continent, Dav became used to the sophisticated café culture enjoyed by urbanites elsewhere, and used this as the inspiration for his venture. Convinced that the art of coffee is every bit as subtle and complex as the world of wine, his decision to use Twitter as a major part of his marketing strategy has yielded bumper results. Six Eight Kafé has an international following online, and has welcomed some of these Twitter-savvy tourists from as far afield as Australia.

the arts

Given the recent hosting of a launch party for independent fashion and arts magazine FAKE, the regular live music events and the plans for independent film screenings in the future, Six Eight Kafé is clearly keen to carve itself a niche as a centrally-located hub for the creative arts.

verdict

If coffee, character and creativity are key ingredients for you, then Six Eight Kafé is well worth a visit. Like many of their regulars, you might become addicted to more than just the caffeine at this unique venue.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts on Six Eight Kafé here

To learn more about Six Eight Kafé, visit their blog here

*excuse the self-indulgent reference to a classic, Pirates of the Caribbean!