The Story
Supreme Roastworks began in 2007 when Magnus Lindskog partnered with Joar Christoffersen to open a micro roastery in a garage in Oslo’s Torshov area . Between them, the two coffee veterans had more than two decades of professional coffee experience when they first established the roastery in 2008 . Both founders had worked at Java and Mocca, pioneering specialty coffee shops that served as the breeding ground for many of Oslo’s coffee scene stars .
The trio was completed when Odd-Steinar Tøllefsen, a former photographer who had become passionate about specialty coffee, joined as a co-owner and partner in 2013 . Tøllefsen had worked for almost a decade as a photographer for Norway’s biggest newspapers before discovering coffee on a business trip to Naples, eventually becoming so devoted to quality that he would only visit Java when Magnus was working . In 2013, the roastery moved from the garage and opened their first retail space in hip Grünerløkka, where the shop remains today .
The transformation was complete when Tøllefsen ranked 4th in the World Brewers Cup in 2014, then won the World Brewers Cup Championship in 2015 . At the World Championships in Gothenburg 2015, Odd-Steinar won using Semeon Abay Maker Series, an Ethiopian natural processed coffee from Ninety Plus Coffee . Odd-Steinar remains the sole Norwegian World Champion in the World Brewers Cup .
Sourcing & Relationships
Supreme Roastworks has fundamentally changed industry perspectives on natural processed beans, which were long regarded as second-rate. During the 2015 competition, Supreme was the only team using natural beans, but two years later, everyone followed suit . Tøllefsen’s personal favorite is Ethiopian natural beans, made by drying berries without de-pulping, resulting in spontaneous fermentation that achieves sweetness and fruity flavors . The roastery is celebrated for their strong preference for natural processed coffees, often featuring multiple distinct natural options simultaneously – a rarity in specialty coffee .
Their current sourcing includes single origins from Ethiopia’s highlands (1900-2000m in Limmu), Kenya’s Kirinyaga region (1650-1700m), and Colombian farms in Huila, alongside Brazilian lots from Sul de Minas . They work with respected producers like Mekuria Merga, who owns three washing stations in Ethiopia’s Guji region and has 23 years of coffee industry experience . Their Ethiopian offerings showcase the country’s diversity, from washed Sidamo with fresh citrus and passion fruit notes to natural Guji lots with intense berry characteristics .
The roastery maintains transparency in their sourcing approach, with detailed information about farms, processing methods, and altitude. Water quality is paramount to their process – Tøllefsen famously carries 60 liters of Norwegian water as extra baggage when competing internationally in Japan, China, and Italy .
Roasting Philosophy
Supreme Roastworks distinguishes itself by using the same roasting profile for both espresso and filter coffee, finding the optimal roast degree for each individual coffee type rather than defaulting to darker roasts for espresso . Joar Christoffersen handles roasting operations using a 12-kilo Diedrich roaster, which is displayed prominently in their Grünerløkka location for customers to witness the craft firsthand . Originally, roasting operations were conducted in Joar’s hometown about an hour outside Oslo .
When asked about Supreme’s popularity, Tøllefsen answered: “Natural beans, and the world’s best black coffee. Naked and honest, just pure raw material brewed with pure Norwegian water” . Many of their coffee varieties are naturally processed, delivering sweeter and more fruit-forward flavors, and they experiment with these processing methods even for espresso applications . Their quality control is uncompromising – if coffee doesn’t meet their standards, it’s discarded rather than sold to customers .
The roastery upholds the philosophy of “no fuss, just great coffee,” deliberately simplifying everything else to avoid decision fatigue while focusing entirely on coffee excellence . This extends to their evening wine service, where natural wines fit perfectly into their honest approach philosophy .
What to Try
The signature “Satans god iskaffe” (damn good iced coffee) is their standout offering, made with three parts V60-brewed Ethiopian or Kenyan coffee combined with one part Fentimans rose lemonade and a slice of lime . This refreshingly acidic drink achieves a perfect balance between coffee and lemonade that’s both heavenly good and devilishly addictive . An alternative version uses apple juice with raspberry from Knatten apple farm, creating a flatter, more sweet-and-sour profile .
For hot coffee, customers choose between espresso varieties and exceptional pour-overs made with V60 or Chemex, featuring origins like Colombia and Ethiopia . Their Ethiopian championship coffee offers remarkable fruit-forward complexity, described as fruity yet almost tea-like in character . Food offerings include quality sandwiches and their notable coconut brownie .
Beyond coffee, Supreme transforms into a nighttime destination on Wednesday afternoons through Friday evenings, serving carefully chosen natural wines and craft beers from small-batch breweries worldwide . Their Aker Brygge location offers a unique experience, sharing space with a Porsche showroom while maintaining their focus on exceptional coffee . While only 10% of visitors are tourists, with 90% being local regulars, the quality consistently attracts coffee enthusiasts from around the world .