Pirate Coffee was born from Damian Hamilton's love for roastery and his wife Tracey's love for coffee.
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The pair met in a law firm in Wellington, New Zealand and Tracey said they would go out for a walk and a coffee every day.
"I gave Damo a barista course for his 23rd birthday and I also gave him his first coffee machine too," she said.
In 2009, the Hamilton's moved from Melbourne to Singapore and Tracey said Asia in 2009 was pre Starbucks.
"Damian got a little roaster and he started to roast little batches of coffee on our deck in our Singapore apartment," she said.
According to Tracey, that's when the name pirate was born because Damian used to scavenge for used coffee bags.
"He would scribble out the name and write pirate on it and then put the beans in the bag," she said.
They moved back to Australia in early 2020 to Sydney before travelling to Port Stephens for a holiday and falling in love with the area.
"Damo then got obsessed with finding property here and then we found our beautiful 1960's beach knockdown," she said.
They then officially launched Pirate Coffee at the St Philip's fair in 2022, the school that their two children Joshua and Lucy attend.
What may have started as a passion, the Hamilton's are now using coffee as a platform for positive change, particularly around men's mental wellbeing.
"We're taking this opportunity to deliver mental health workshops where we have conversations about mental health and also get the guys to grind the coffee and try different coffee," Tracey said.
Damian has also been working with /NEW, an IT conference in Newcastle for the past two years and has been running a coffee and conversation event.
"Good coffee that does good," he said.
Pirate Coffee recently won their first award at the Royal Adelaide Coffee Shop, receiving a bronze medal for their blend Tangaroa, meaning the Maori God of the Sea.
"It was really confronting to put myself and the brand out there but it also felt right," Damian said.
"I'm super proud of this mainly because of the fact that it represents the ocean that we're surrounded by in Port Stephens and connects us back to our homeland."
Pirate Coffee's roastery is located at 35 Shearwater Drive, Taylor's Beach and is currently open by appointment for coffee tastings, bean and barista gear sales.
Pirate Coffee also launched a Port Stephens tribute roast called Wally earlier this year on Moonshadow, which can be enjoyed onboard and it is also available at a number of cafes and restaurants.
It is also available online at www.drinkpirate.coffee.
Laura Rumbel
Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news.
Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news.
