Moonshine’s Moon Runner Blend Review

The Moon Runner Blend is the heart and soul of Byron Moonshine Coffee. A blend of organic and Fair Trade beans, it is intentionally easy to drink and a perfect example of Moonshine’s down to earth approach to your favourite drink. So, here’s your guide to the Moon Runner blend - what’s in it, how to use it, and where to get it.

Hang on, why is it called Moon Runner?

The blend’s name is a reference to the 1975 film Moonrunners, a film about running sly liquor (moonshine) in America’s deep south and the precursor to the hit TV series The Dukes of Hazzard.

When the blend was created and named, back in 2016, the Moonshine roastery in Federal was just a remote hinterland village. Driving around the Byron hinterland in an old F150 Ford flat tray with tins of ‘moonshine’ coffee, felt pretty darn close to illicit trade!

Moonrunners

Organic and Fair Trade: the best of both worlds
Sourcing coffees in a transparent and ethical manner, Moon Runner is a blend of organic and Fair Trade coffees. Certified organic coffee is grown without the use of artificial pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, or fertilisers, and Fair Trade coffees ensure that farmers receive a minimum price as well as a Fair Trade premium that’s invested in community projects. Some of the coffees used in the blend are even certified under both systems.
Three is definitely not a crowd!
Moon Runner is a combination of Arabica coffees from single origins (or places), each chosen to bring unique flavour and tactile elements that complement and enhance one another.

At the heart of the blend is a fully washed, full bodied coffee from the Tolima region of Colombia. Adding notes of dried fruit and lovely juicy acidity is a coffee from Peru’s Faical cooperative. And the third ‘amigo’ is a Mexican Berlino coffee, adding body and rich chocolate notes.

Each coffee is roasted to its own profile and then blended and packaged at the roastery in Billinudgel in northern NSW.
Moonrunner Blend
How do I know if I’m going to like the Moon Runner blend?

This blend is for everyday drinking (and sometimes for more than one a day at that).

Richard Kelly, owner of Moonshine Coffee, explains.

“As roasters we have built our approach to coffee with the customer in mind. We strive to deliver a coffee that is sustainable, approachable, and consistently delicious. We designed the Moon Runner blend to be a real crowd pleaser, that balances body, acidity, sweetness and has a delicious lingering aftertaste.”

What is the best way to make coffee with the Moon Runner blend?

Moon Runner is a go-to-blend because it’s a versatile, easy drinking, medium style roast that works across a number of brew methods.

You’ll find Moon Runner as the house blend served in Moonshine’s roastery cafes in Federal, Billinudgel and Brisbane. As an espresso, Moon Runner has a toffee sweetness with dark chocolate and citrus on the finish. Adding milk makes it smooth and sweet, with balanced flavours of malt, caramel and soft fruits.

Many cafés who use Moonshine as their coffee choose the Moon Runner blend as their first serve option. Now you’ve read this post, ask your barista next time you’re in!

Moonrunner Blend

If you’re keen to brew Moon Runner at home, for espresso the suggested recipe for a standard double espresso is a 22 gram dose with a yield in the cup of 44-46 grams of coffee, and adjust your grinder so that the extraction time is around 30-32 seconds. If your coffee machine allows, adjust your water temperature to 94 degrees Celsius.

Though the coffee is a medium roast and suitable for espresso machines, there is plenty of scope to enjoy the coffee at home by brewing on your stove top. And, you’ll get some lovely chocolate notes if you brew Moon Runner as a plunger or filter brew.

Where can I get some for home?

The Moonshine website is a great place to purchase freshly roasted coffee and have it delivered to your door. You can choose whole beans or ask to have it ground to suit your brew equipment.

And you can put the dreaded ‘Oh no, we’re out of coffee!’ moment firmly in the past because Moonshine has your back with a regular monthly coffee subscription (View them here).

Moonrunner Blend

Moon Runner is also available in 250g and 1kg packs from Federal, Billinudgel and Brisbane Moonshine Coffee cafés. Their friendly baristas will grind it for you on the spot for ultimate freshness. And many café customers stock 250g retail bags of both whole bean and ground Moon Runner, so ask at the counter at your local Moonshine café.

You can get your Moon Runner fix at these locations:

Roastery & Espresso Bar
447 Federal Drive
Federal NSW 2480
Monday to Friday 7:30 – 1:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 8:00 – 1:30pm.

New HQ, Espresso bar & Training Centre
17 Lucky Lane
 Billinudgel NSW 2483
Monday to Friday – 7am – 12:30pm

Tucked under the iconic Story Bridge
98 Main Street
Kangaroo Point Brisbane
Monday to Friday – 6am – 2pm
Saturday & Sunday 7am to 2pm
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