Brandmeester’s

Brandmeester’s is more than a coffee bar. The company has been shaping a Dutch coffee culture since 1994. With craftsmanship, fresh ideas, and a nose for quality, it set the tone. This article shows why that still matters.

Founder Lammert Brouwers opened his small shop on Van Baerlestraat in 1994. The aroma of freshly roasted beans soon drew long lines of curious customers. Brouwers was inspired by the emerging espresso-bar culture in the United States and brought that concept to Amsterdam. In thirty years, the brand has grown into a family business delivering freshly roasted coffee daily for hospitality, offices, and home. The name Brandmeester’s, literally “roast master”, remains a fitting promise.

At Brandmeester’s everything revolves around slow-roasting in small loads. Roasters Tom and Farkas guide the process mainly by sight, smell, and sound. The beans are cooled with air instead of water, so flavors stay intact. As a result, each origin profile comes through clearly and the day-fresh coffee stays bright. Not a single defective bean gets the chance to spoil the batch.

- Slow roast delivers even flavor development
– Small batches guarantee control
– Post-roast blending delivers balance

The range includes at least nine single origins and several blends. Single Estate coffees showcase the terroir of a single farm, while regional origins offer a broader flavor profile. Well-known blends like Aficionado deliver a powerful, full espresso character. Campionissimo has shown since 2012 that an Italian roast can taste smooth as well. This way every enthusiast can find a fitting cup, from fruity-light to dark and chocolatey.

– Aficionado: powerful, full-bodied
– Campionissimo: dark, velvety
– Lentemelange: fresh with citrus
– Winterblend: caramel and spice

Experiment remains the engine behind new ideas. Limited runs and seasonal blends test unusual origins or roast profiles. This is how a secret corporate blend for Deloitte and AKD came about, described as aromatic, syrupy and lightly chocolatey. In 2022, a premium tea line and a coffee subscription followed to keep customers stocked with fresh product. A project around coffee on tap in the new shop also shows a willingness to experiment.

Quality goes hand in hand with responsibility. Brandmeester’s is Skal-certified organic and works with Rainforest Alliance farmers. Fair prices and direct collaboration encourage better harvests, and therefore better cups. Rejected beans get a second life in, for example, coffee scrub soap, while research into biodegradable packaging is underway. That cuts out waste and environmental impact wherever possible.

- Skal organic certification
- Rainforest Alliance origin
- Reuse of rejected beans
- Development of biodegradable bags

Sharing knowledge forms a second pillar. The training center in Vijfhuizen teaches baristas everything from espresso settings to latte art. Sponsoring the Dutch Barista Championships stimulates new talent. Public workshops in the new flagship store on Maasstraat bring enthusiasts together around cuppings and brew demos. Moreover, Brandmeester’s hosted the Hario anniversary in 2021, which made the community even stronger.

Looking ahead, Brandmeester’s continues to innovate without letting go of its core values. The new shop with coffee “on tap” and space for events underlines that. Further expansion may follow, but only if craftsmanship, sustainability, and transparency remain guaranteed. The team continues to work on biodegradable bags and explores new origins to keep the range fresh. The coffee subscriptions provide a stable foundation for growth.

Brandmeester’s proves that small batches, direct farmer relationships, and continuous innovation can be profitable together. It shows how a brand can honor tradition while staying future focused. Keep tasting, because at Brandmeester’s there is something new roasting every day.