Coffee Class

More About Coffee Class

Coffee Class is a young and ambitious coffee roastery from ’s-Hertogenbosch. Located at Wateringen 23, the company explicitly positions itself as a master of coffee roasting. The founders, Mike van Es and Nazik van Es-Göksel, left their careers in education to follow their passion for coffee. Mike serves as Barista and Master Roaster, while Nazik takes on the role of Barista and Tea Sommelier. Although the current brand identity was publicly launched in 2025, the roots of the sole proprietorship date back to November 2019. The name Coffee Class carries a double meaning: it represents both a classroom for specialty coffee enthusiasts and the high quality of the product itself.

Technical Approach and Roasting Style

The roastery follows a philosophy where science and art converge. Rather than offering a standard house blend, Coffee Class opts for an origin-focused approach. Roasting profiles range from light to medium-dark, depending on the specific bean and its intended use. The company’s technical precision is evident in their operational guidelines. For a perfect espresso, they recommend a temperature of 90 to 96 degrees Celsius, nine bars of pressure, and an extraction time of 25 to 30 seconds, using a ratio of eighteen grams of ground coffee to thirty-six grams of water. For milk foam, they suggest a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the roastery aims for specific water parameters, with a total hardness of 70 to 85 ppm and an alkalinity of 40 to 50 ppm.

A Diverse and Unique Assortment

The offering from Coffee Class is surprisingly broad, with a strong focus on single-origin coffees. Their current webshop features thirteen different coffees, well-distributed geographically across Africa, South America, Asia, and North or Central America. Notably, they have made the conscious choice to include specialty robusta in their permanent range—a rare move for Dutch micro-roasters. Some of the standout coffees include:

Oeganda Zombo: A light-roasted filter coffee with an SCA score of 88. This coffee undergoes a 72-hour natural fermentation and consists of SL14 and Bourbon varieties, featuring notes of raspberry, magnolia, and vanilla.
Kenia Trans-Nzoia: A washed Batian AB coffee with a score of 86.75, grown at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,000 meters. This bean offers flavor notes of rose, raspberry, and peach.
Ethiopië Sheka: Local heirloom varieties, washed and processed at high altitudes, with an SCA score of 86 and notes of jasmine, cinnamon, and pomegranate.
Specialty Robusta: Coffees such as the Indonesië Java (SCA 83.75), the Vietnam Dak Lak (SCA 82), and the India Coorg. These beans are ideally suited for milk-based drinks and full-bodied espresso’s.

Furthermore, tea is by no means an afterthought for the company. The tea catalog currently includes one green tea, one black tea, and ten herbal infusions.

Direct Trade and Sustainable Impact

Transparency and sustainability form the absolute core of the sourcing strategy. Coffee Class selects high-quality beans from small-scale farmers and actively communicates about direct trade. In Kenia, they source via Stean Fasol, directly from the Sakami Ranches of Gloria and Jarmo. In doing so, they bypass the national auction system and support permaculture-based farming without chemical pesticides. In Colombia, producer Ascencio Muñoz from Nariño is the permanent partner, without the intervention of middlemen. In Peru, the brand collaborates with the brothers behind Finca Churupampa, a farm that trains surrounding farmers in organic cultivation and sustainable water use. In Brazilië as well, the roaster selects via Capricornio Coffees from farms with water-saving systems and organic fertilization. Moreover, for every kilo of Oeganda Zombo coffee sold, Coffee Class donates one euro to the Eight World foundation.

Education, Community, and Business Model

The educational background of the founders clearly shines through in their business model. Education is not just a hollow marketing slogan, but an integral part of their daily practice. The website features detailed publications on espresso, microfoam, and specific coffee recipes. Coffee Class positions itself primarily as a direct-to-consumer micro-roastery with a subscription model for fresh monthly deliveries. At the same time, they actively invite hospitality owners, retailers, and local residents for tastings and workshops. With this versatile and transparent approach, Coffee Class profiles itself not merely as a coffee supplier, but as a serious knowledge partner within the Dutch specialty coffee sector.

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