In Monte, close to the cable car station, ODD Coffee owner and manager Gonçalo Gouveia gave a live demonstration of how he roasts coffee for his cafés and for several coffee shops in Funchal. He learned the trade by taking courses before buying his first roasting machine, and later upgraded to a more advanced model that cools the beans in a separate chamber after roasting. Gonçalo mainly sources Arabica beans from Kenya and Ethiopia via Germany, and he does not use blends or favour coffee from Vietnam or Brazil. He explained that speciality coffee must score at least 85 points out of 100, unlike the inexpensive “bica” sold in supermarkets for less than €1. The beans may be “natural” or “washed”, and their density, humidity, sun exposure and sugar content all influence how they must be roasted. A batch of up to 12kg takes around half an hour after pre-heating, loses about 13% of its weight, and must then rest for several days before reaching an optimal drinking window of around 28–30 days. Madeira’s warmer and more humid climate is making coffee cultivation more viable, and the regional government is encouraging farmers to grow coffee, while Gonçalo is developing a project in Arco de São Jorge on Madeira’s north coast. ODD Coffee also grinds cocoa, makes its own ice cream, and sells coffee in Monte in 250g bags, while Gonçalo says the name “BICA” is said to mean “Beba Isto Com Açúcar” — “Drink this with sugar.”
