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Piece on R4 yesterday lunchtime where a couple with an online coffee roasting business had to shut shop as orders had dropped through the floor, both online sales and the shops they supply. Guess folk are choosing between paying the fuel bill and decent coffee 😕
Many great small local roasters about the place. I do like to try different ones, but my local is Crankhouse in Exeter and recently I've mostly bought from him, always been happy with what I get. He's also a keen cyclist. I'm a fan of Foundry in Sheffield too.
Not sure whether this kind of roaster would appeal to those who think a lot of others are too light a roast. Personally, I find the opposite in that I'm more likely to find coffee over-roasted for my tastes. Albeit probably not that from good independents.
Another vote for https://extractcoffee.co.uk/ here. They have a great selection and I've found the quality of their beans/roasts have been better than Pact when I used to get them.
I've tried/used Extract, Wogan's, Rave, CoffeeCompass and North Star, but by far the best and most consistent has been Redber in Guildford.
https://heartandgraft.co.uk/ (as used by a few excellent local coffee shops in Heaton Moor)
I used to try lots of different roasters but Heart & Graft keep me happy now (Kickback also very good - now my preferred mid-ride pit stop on the Brickworks)
Red Brick from Square Mile Coffee Roasters is hard to beat!
Another vote for Monsoon here, partly because I can buy direct from the owners at at my local market every Saturday, but mostly because I've yet to find anything I like better. Fire Dancer, Espresso and The Bloke are probably my favourites, with the occasional bag of Fixie when I fancy something with a bit more bite.
I found iron and fire roasters about 6 months back and haven't ordered from anyone else since.
Really like their half-caf as well for when i don't want a lot of caffeine
I like redber coffees, currently on some sumatran mandheling as I type... 👍
I use a local roaster - Exchange Coffee. Their Espresso Crema is excellent stuff, and certainly not bitter. They did mail order for me throughout the pandemic.
My go to bulk buy remains Happy Donkey 100% Costa Rican at half the price of everyone else.
I buy the odd bag of:
a) Pact coffee
b) a 4 pack from Hasbeen
c) a 4 pack from Hotel Chocolat
The latter is surprisingly good. I know coffee prices are on the rise like everything else but £9 for 250g is a bit steep for me.
Another vote for Rave.
However, don't judge me for our go to beans when we are between Rave deliveries.
This is my favourite at the moment. Reasonably priced. Dark strong roast. Very good and non of those acidic sour fruity taste at all. Roast is darker than Java or Sumatra.
Cornish Coffee Stupidly Strong
Papua New Guinea highland or lowland beans are also very good.
Black Donkey Devil's Roast coffee bags, this afternoon I ought to pour hot water into the bag storage container, the early alarm today for work after a week off has left me super zombied!
Yes, Happy Donkey for us too. I like their Brazilian blend for my espressos. Mrs BigJohn has cappuccinos and likes their Costa Rica. She finds mine too muddy (it has a tiny bit of robusta which I like) and I find hers too sharp.
I really like fancy coffee, it’s one of my hobbies actually 😬
Dog & Hat do a good rotating subscription offer.
Normally rotate through these getting 1-2kg and splitting it into small freezer friendly bags to use as needed.
https://www.crafthousecoffee.co.uk
https://www.djangocoffeeco.com/
https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk - note do roast more medium dark but do so very well
https://www.crankhousecoffee.co.uk
https://www.blackcatcoffee.co.uk
https://www.darkartscoffee.co.uk
https://www.smithstreetcoffeeroasters.co.uk/
I try to go localish (Glasgow). Dear Green are very good but quite pricey, Hinba are based near Oban and good value and nice (recently opened a cafe in Glasgow too), and a couple of the local roasters in Glasgow. Glen Lyon are good too, but also pricey. All have been good and gives a nice variety. When I run out of fancy stuff I buy lavazza red at the shop and notice how much less I like it now than I used to(quite burnt and bitter).
Tried various fancy ones and always find them too harsh and bitter. I’m clearly a Philistine but haven’t found much better than Lavazza Crema e Aroma. Currently using Sainsbury’s fair trade which is also perfectly fine but not quite as smooth.
Pretty much the same, mainly Sainsburys Espresso at £10 a kg.
Pollards for me in Sheffield. Feel an obligation as remember being taken there by my mum (a big coffee drinker) from a very young age (and I’m now nearly 50).
Lots of history to the company too
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9410000/9410358.stm
Another Pact subscriber here. I've been with them for yonks so I get their 'pioneer price'. I love trying the random varieties they send. Very occasionally they send me one I don't like, I let them know and they don't send it again. Always freshly roasted, usually only 1 or 2 days before I get them
Based in Livingston and run by Murray Swanson. Gem of a bloke and a handy cyclist to say the least. Sources his beans from various places and roast them in house.
Edgecumbes down near Arundel is my local go to. Dark Side of the Edge is the current favourite blend but they have all been good.
Started with a pactcoffee.com subscription then moved to buying bulk beans from https://stirlingcoffee.co.uk/ for the last 6 months. Theyve got some fabulous roasts.
Please don't laugh but my go to is Morrisons Italian Coffee Beans I sometimes trial other beans but keep going back to this (not their Espresso blend which is bitterer) and helps it is under £9/kilo too.
Another satisfied Wogan user here. Some of the blended coffees are a bit to heavy roast for my taste. Spend over £35 and post is free and usually next day if you order before 8am on a weekday. Still family run too.