INFO & FAQ
About Us
Sunspell is, through and through, a passion project. We started roasting at the end of 2024, chasing light roasted coffees that were floral and fruit forward, with juicy acidity and free of roasty flavours. We set out with a Kaffelogic Nano, to craft the cup we had in our minds — clean, expressive, and true to the bean. It's a brilliant little roaster, but roasting for ourselves, family, friends, and acquaintances quickly outgrew our needs. In May 2025 we brought in a Roest L100 Plus, which let us roast in larger volumes and, more importantly, gave us what we believe is the clearest path to the coffees we enjoyed.
Our coffees are roasted between ultra-light and light and we tend to source coffees with clean profiles and minimal funk, though we're not afraid to bring in something more adventurously processed when it earns its place.
Each pack is roasted as its own batch. 166g of green coffee goes in, and depending on weight loss during the roast (typically 8.5 to 10%), at least 145g comes out.
Resting guide
Because of our roasting approach, it's important to let our coffees rest for 4 to 6 weeks. A lot of flavour development happens during this period, so as tempting as it may be, please try to wait at least 4 weeks before opening the bag for the first time. Most of our coffees hit peak flavour clarity around the 6-week mark, though we've had some that keep developing up to 8 weeks and stay delicious for a couple of months after that.
That said, opening a bag a week in won't be the end of the world, but you might run into peanutty or grain-like flavours, from the lack of rest. There are exceptions, though. For example, some of our more processed coffees are fairly rest-agnostic, tasting good from a week in and only getting better from there. So if you're in dire need of coffee and resting isn't an option, one of these is the way to go. We'll mark which coffees are suitable to drink after a week of rest on their product pages.
Our bags are a little different from what you might expect, and we often get the question: "but where's the valve?". From our experience, and that of other light-roast specialists, light-roasted coffee develops better when rested in valveless bags. So please let your coffee rest inside the bag, and avoid transferring it to another container until the resting period is up.
Brewing guide
Hario V60
Our preferred brewing method is the trusty old V60 paired with Abaca Red filters. While we roast our coffees with this method in mind, they'll brew well with any method you prefer.
Our Recommended Brew Recipe
Water and temperature:
Use RO water, still bottled water, or a 1/3 TWW (Third Wave Water) light roast blend.
Brew at:
• 90-92°C for washed coffees
• 88°C for honey processed coffees
• 85°C for natural coffees
Grind size:
Burr gap of approximately 700 - 750 µm.
Dose:
12g of coffee and tare scale.
The pours:
1. Bloom, pour to 36g: Start your timer and begin pouring at the centre of the coffee bed, spiralling outward to saturate all the grounds. Keep it gentle and aim to finish within 8–10 seconds.
2. Pour to 92g: At 35 seconds, pour from the centre and spiral outward at a high flow rate. You want maximum agitation in a short span of time, so pour fast.
3. Pour to 148g: Once the water level has dropped by about 1.5cm, pour from the centre and spiral outward at a high flow rate again, fast and aggressive for maximum agitation.
4. Pour to 204g: Once the water level has dropped again by 1.5cm or so, pour from the centre and spiral outward, but gently this time. You want minimal agitation here. Keep the stream centered on the bed for the final 20g.
Total brew time should land between 2:30 and 3:00, though this is just a guideline. Ultimately, let your taste be the judge.
Try our brew calculator below to experiment with other doses and ratios.
Total water
255 g
Bloom — pour 1
pour to this weight
45 g
Pour 2
pour to this weight
115 g
Pour 3
pour to this weight
185 g
Pour 4
pour to this weight
255 g
Bloom 45 g for 35 s, then pour to 115 g, 185 g, 255 g
SHIPPING POLICY
All our coffee is roasted to order. We roast on weekends, so any order placed Monday through Friday is roasted that weekend and shipped out the following Monday. If you order on a Saturday or Sunday, we'll do our best to include it in that weekend's batch, but it may roll over to the following week.
Delivery takes 2–3 days from dispatch, depending on your location.
We currently ship within South Africa only. International shipping is coming soon.
Shipping is free for orders R800 and up. A flat rate of R90 applies to all orders below this.
Once your order has been dispatched, you'll receive a tracking number by email. Sunspell is not responsible for delays caused by the courier once the order has left our facility.
Failed deliveries and incorrect addresses
If a delivery fails due to an incorrect address provided at checkout, or if a parcel is unclaimed and returned to us, the customer is responsible for re-delivery costs. Please double-check your address before placing your order.
REFUND POLICY
Because our coffee is roasted fresh to order, we don't accept returns or offer refunds on change-of-mind purchases.
Damaged or incorrect orders
If your order arrives damaged or you receive the wrong item, please contact us within 7 days of delivery. Include your order number and a photo of the item. We'll send a replacement or issue a refund, depending on stock availability and your preference.
Lost parcels
If your tracking shows no movement for more than 5 business days after dispatch, get in touch and we'll investigate with the courier. If the parcel is confirmed lost, we'll reship or refund in full.
Quality issues
We stand behind our coffee. If something is genuinely wrong with the roast or the product, contact us and we'll make it right.
Refunds, where applicable, are processed within 5–7 business days and returned to your original payment method.
FAQ
Could you grind my beans for me?
We currently sell our coffee as whole bean only. Freshly ground coffee is one of the easiest ways to get noticeably better flavour in your cup. A grinder is a worthwhile investment up front, but it more than pays for itself over time.
Are all of your coffees single origin?
Yes, we only offer single origin coffees. Our current roasting setup isn't suited to producing blends, so it's something we've chosen not to pursue for now.
Jasmine, green apple, root beer, bubblegum?
Flavour descriptors can be tricky to interpret. We aim to describe what we taste in the cup as clearly as possible, highlighting the upfront aroma, the type of acidity, and the lingering finish. Sometimes a descriptor like "blueberry" refers to an actual fruit-forward taste, while other times it captures the character of the acidity rather than a literal flavour. Please refer to the flavour description on the coffee's page for a clearer understanding of how we arrived at those tasting notes.
Do you offer a subscription?
Not at this stage, but we do have automatic discounts that kick in once you hit the following thresholds:
3 Bags of coffee = 10% Discount
5 Bags of coffee = 12% Discount
10 Bags of coffee = 15% Discount