That's an awful lot of dough for a cup o' joe
How much would you pay for a cup of coffee? Three dollars? Seven dollars? How about $100?
That's what some coffee enthusiasts are willing to pay for a special tasting at this weekend's Melbourne International Coffee Expo.
At their booth in the Grand Pavilion at the Showgrounds, Melbourne's Proud Mary Coffee Roasters is offering people the chance to try a rare variety, named HR61, which is only grown at one small farm in Colombia.
Nolan Hirte, owner of the Collingwood cafe, travelled to Colombia to secure the beans. As soon as he tasted HR61, he knew he had found something special.
''You get lily and rose on the nose, but you also get it in the cup. It's the first time I've ever tasted flowers in a cup,'' he said.
At auction, Mr Hirte was locked in a bidding war with the daughter of George Howell, a well-respected coffee guru from America. He paid a high price - $130 for each pound of beans - but Nolan knew he had to bring the coffee to Melbourne for the expo. ''This is a world event. If there was ever any time to let loose a little bit, it's now,'' he said.''
So, why would anyone pay $100 for a tasting?
''It doesn't exist anywhere else,'' Mr Hirte said. ''It's the first time any company in the world has been able to roast it and sell it to the public, so $100 per head is probably cheap in my eyes.''
Its scarcity is also a factor. ''There's only 18 kilos. At 150 grams a jar, there's only 100 jars.''
If there are any jars left after the expo, which finishes on Sunday, Proud Mary plans to offer HR61 to its customers - at a price. ''At least $30 a cup. Maybe $40.''
But it won't be available in a standard latte. Coffee like this should be an event, Mr Hirte said.
''The customers have to smell it, they have to get involved, they have to see it. We're gonna make an experience. I'll change the music - I might play the same tune every time. 'Somebody just ordered HR61. Ring the alarm!'''