Based in Ontario, HATCH Coffee has built a reputation for thoughtful roasting, precision brewing, and a deep commitment to quality and experimentation. As both a coffee bar and roastery, HATCH constantly looks for ways to bridge the gap between their roasting philosophy and the experience customers have in the cup.
That search led them to create LUMINA, an exclusive co-branded mineral profile developed in collaboration with APAX LAB and designed to enhance sweetness, structure, and brightness, especially when brewing with softer water.
Where the Idea Came From
For HATCH, the idea of a custom mineral profile started behind the bar.
Customers were constantly asking for recipes, but the team knew that a recipe is only as good as the water used. Brewing variables can be shared easily, but water composition often isn’t discussed, even though it plays a crucial role in the final cup.
The goal behind LUMINA was simple: create a mineral profile that could help adjust acidity and sweetness for customers brewing with softer water, and ultimately close the gap between HATCH’s roast profile and what ends up in the customer’s cup at home.
From Early Testing to Everyday Use
HATCH has been working with APAX LAB since the early beta days. Their baristas are deeply familiar with the APAX LAB ecosystem and have been using APAX minerals to dial in pour-overs since the initial launch.
When HATCH × APAX LUMINA became available, it wasn’t a learning curve for the team, it was a natural addition. LUMINA immediately became another tool in their brewing arsenal, one that fit seamlessly into their existing workflow.
How LUMINA Is Used In-Store
In the café, HATCH uses a reverse osmosis system to reduce their base water to around 50 ppm. For filter coffees, LUMINA is applied post-extraction, seasoning the brewed coffee when certain attributes need to be highlighted or refined.
This approach ensures that every cup served is consistently sweet, balanced, and bright, regardless of minor variations in brewing or coffee age. Beyond daily service, LUMINA has also proven effective in competition routines, and the team sees mineral concentrates as a long-term part of how they approach brewing.
Educating Customers Through Taste
LUMINA has also become a powerful educational tool.
HATCH uses it to challenge the common assumption that water only impacts extraction. With APAX LAB minerals, they can clearly demonstrate that minerals don’t just change how coffee brews; they change how flavour is perceived on the palate.
Instead of talking theory, they let customers taste the difference. It turns water chemistry into something tangible, intuitive, and memorable.
Customer Reactions
The most common response from customers is surprise, and often disbelief!
Many are shocked to learn how large a role minerals play in sensory perception, rather than just the mechanics of extraction. Tasting the same coffee before and after LUMINA makes the impact immediately clear, sparking curiosity and deeper conversations about flavour.
A Go-To Recipe
One current favourite at HATCH is their “Gingerbread Cookie” Holiday Coffee, brewed and finished with LUMINA:
Brewer: V60 (medium-coarse grind)
Dose: 15 g coffee to 240 g water
Water: 93 °C at 0 ppm
Pour Structure: 6 equal pours, one every 20 seconds
Adjustment: Finish with 6 drops of LUMINA post-brew to structure the flavour
The result is a cup with enhanced sweetness, clarity, and a beautifully defined flavour profile.
Final Thoughts
For HATCH, the collaboration with APAX LAB is a direct reflection of their core values: Quality, Innovation, and Experimentation.
Working with LUMINA allows them to experiment with the very foundation of brewing physics, refining not just recipes but service workflows, all in pursuit of delivering the highest possible quality to their customers.
By integrating water as an active variable rather than a fixed one, HATCH continues to push what’s possible in everyday café service.
