[Closed] Looking For Coffee Beans

Pact are good

Used Rave previously, who were also good but a bit expensive

Very easy to manage the Pact subscription

After trying lots we settled on Pelican Rouge 1863.

I have a Pact Coffee subscription that I got gifted a couple of years ago that's good for interesting stuff once a month. Other than that, I buy regular top-ups from Break Fluid, and if I'm in town and it takes my fancy, grab a bag of Square Mile Red Brick from my local nice coffee house.

We have had a subscription from Dusty Ape for 4 years. Enough variety through the year that we haven't felt the need to change.

https://jamesgourmetcoffee.com/ - great coffee, Peter (who runs it) is an absolute coffee genius. He's been at it 30 years and he's still so enthusiastic.

Loads of variety, lovely people to deal with, all ethically sourced....

Have you had a look at Union Roasters?

I use:

https://www.stewartscoffees.co.uk/

As they're my local coffee roaster, and the coffee is more than good enough for my tastes.

My bean of choice for some time has been the Guatemalan Elephant bean from Whittard's - half the price of many of the beans above but I find it makes a wonderful espresso.

Coffee Gems

I’ve had some lovely coffee off Ricardo at Coffee Gems. He does a lot of the markets down here in Henley & Wokingham and he’s a nice guy

Fresh beans and very tasty covfefe

https://hormozi.co.uk/shop/origin-coffee/guatemala-origin-coffee-bean/

Great quality and vfm.

Rosie and Java in Richmond.
We buy single estate and vary throughout the year to suit how we feel about things.

Farm Boy Brews keeps the office coffee machine going here.

Top, top bloke and the coffee's good too:

https://farmboybrews.square.site/about

I pretty much stick to the chocolate/caramel type of flavours from medium to dark roasts, so can recommend 'Italian Job' from Ravecoffee, or current favourite 'Stronghold' from Origin coffee. Union have some good espresso blends too.

Costco. Guatemalan, Costa Rican, Ethiopian usually 1kg bags under a tenner. I prefer the Ethiopian dark roast myself

Thanks guys! Ordering Pelican Rouge 1863 and Italian Job for now.

I had a look at Pact subscription, but I have no idea how many cups of coffee we drink and I have no idea how expensive it would be. We go through 1.5Kg of beans a month for two of us.

Wow, some of those beans are pretty expensive! £30 for a kilo is a little rich for me.

Found out the burnt toast I keep smelling every week at work is a local coffee roasters, but there is no way I am paying £12-£15 for a 250g bag of beans!

I have to pop into Brizzle at the weekend, so I might detour via Clifton Coffee Roasters, they seem to have a bit more variation to the last time I went. I'll be trying out your suggestions in the new year, I'd like to find a place that can recommend a bean for my machine or what settings I should change to make the bean taste great.

I really like the roasts from Manumit coffee in Cardiff. Just ordered some of the seasonal special, but the house coffee is great (IMHO).
Their story is pretty compelling too...

Bristol based? You may need to swing by Wogan mid-week for a bag of Cafe Feminino Peruvian beans. Around £9 for 500g. The Kenya Peaberry is good as is the current monthly special, Tarrazu from Costa Rica.

If you want a bit more bite in the cup then Riposo is a good all rounder.

www.hasbean.co.uk
'bean' using them for years.. Roasted to order and will provide any grind you specify. Or whole beans like I do.
I personally enjoy the south american. Guatemala or Niguragua (spelling?) Finca Limoncillo.
Great stuff...

HasBean

They're great

The Barzilian Fazenda Inglaterra is lovely and the El Salvadorian Finca la Fany, a treat.

Union have been good.
Cafe Direct do a handpicked range which we've found really good - and varied - over the last year. Sadly the discount code has expired and they're now reverted to headline price.
https://handpicked.cafedirect.co.uk/

You didn't mention a budget. They may be fine for you.

I've been through Lavazza Crema e Aroma, Super Crema, Pienaroma, Pelican Rouge and some local roasted stuff so far in my Melitta Barista and boringly prefer the Lavazza Crema e Aroma. Currently on Pelican Rouge but it's a bit harsh for me. Not really too keen on spending £20-30 per kilo which probably narrows it down somewhat. For an all round bean that will do a good Espresso, Ristretto, bog standard Cafe Crema and a decent Latte the Lavazza seems to be the best so far.

Hasbean and Peter James are both good choices.

I've got 20KGs of various beans form Gardelli coming in this week. He was the world roasting champion last year and buys only the best green beans. I'd definitely put Gardelli at the top of the best roasters in the world, and I've tried coffee from hundreds of roasters over the years

Only downside is that it tends to be a bit pricey, but I can do an STW discount if you're interested - DM me.

JP

We use the Algerian Coffee Store in Soho via their mail order service. No sure about postage/prices, Mrs Fly does that bits. I

I just get humoured by several bags of my favourite flavour "Algerian Special"

A bit pricey???? In the same way that Piers Morgan is a tiny bit irritating.

I use Rave and enjoy their coffee. As regards pricey - for the cost of 3-4 ready made coffees per month, I get nice roasted beans that last errr well about half a month. Things like this aren't really expensive when you compare them with other offerings. Even at £10 for 250g. Of course cheaper is available, but I always think that paying more for nicer is better at this end of the spending (I have a very cheap car).

I’ve got 20KGs of various beans form Gardelli coming in this week.

I have bought beans from JJprestige and they have been excellent, but you are looking at the best speciality beans available so not at the budget end.
I’m happy to pay for quality though as I can buy a mixed lot from my favourite roasters (gardelli, Collona, roundhill)

Don’t forget to DM me when you get stock!

I’ve got 20KGs of various beans form Gardelli coming in this week.

I have bought beans from JJprestige and they have been excellent, but you are looking at the best speciality beans available so not at the budget end.
I’m happy to pay for quality though as I can buy a mixed lot from my favourite roasters (gardelli, Collona, roundhill)

Don’t forget to DM me when you get stock!

Cheers!

Should be in on Friday - was roasted today. I'll drop you a line.

JP

Monsooned Malabar from Rave is my staple, tend to use that in the office machine as it’s exceptional value and pretty forgiving. Have tried plenty of others but keep coming back to this.

try looking up the trail coffee co. #trailcoffeeco adam the owner is quite a passionate bloke where coffee is concerned

Unorthodox roasters in Kinross (you've missed the Christmas post though). They have cafes in Dundee and Stirling I think.
Also a little place we found on holiday near Osmotherley in Ingleby Cross I think - yes, https://www.rountoncoffee.co.uk/shop-c1/our-coffee-c9

Aldi No4 - the No5 is not so good.

https://www.monsoonestatescoffee.co.uk/

Nice people, nice coffee.

Www.dragonroastery.co.uk
I was on the monsoon malabar but have just got through 1kg of Huehuetenango and I'll definitely be ordering more of those in the new year.

When I first got my Espresso machine I went all around the houses looking for beans including hasbean's starter packs (I seem to remember they did and 8 variety one) ending up in an artisan coffee shop buying beans that they claim were flown back from the county of origin personally and how they needed to be ground under specific conditions as the average kitchen was too humid for an optimum grind. (what a load....)

I have somehow ended up settling on these: https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Morrisons-Espresso-Coffee-Bean-/348160011?param=espresso&from=search

My preference is for stronger tasting coffee, never thought these own brand beans at £2:50 a go would fit the bill and it proved to me that I could not base quality and flavor on cost alone.

I am sure others may find the same beans not to their own tastes but for a regular everyday bean I am very happy with them.

I’ve been through Lavazza Crema e Aroma, Super Crema, Pienaroma, Pelican Rouge and some local roasted stuff so far in my Melitta Barista and boringly prefer the Lavazza Crema e Aroma. Currently on Pelican Rouge but it’s a bit harsh for me. Not really too keen on spending £20-30 per kilo which probably narrows it down somewhat. For an all round bean that will do a good Espresso, Ristretto, bog standard Cafe Crema and a decent Latte the Lavazza seems to be the best so far.

Andy, I have the same machine! Giving Pelicon Rouge a try from today, I might grab a bag of Lavazza Cafe Crema to try for Bean 2 long drinks. How are you getting on with your machine?

I’m happy to pay for quality though as I can buy a mixed lot from my favourite roasters (gardelli, Collona, roundhill)

Maybe I should pop round to Collona and grab a bag to see what I'm missing... Or will I not get the benefit with a bean to cup machine?

https://www.hasbean.co.uk/

Well I've just ordered 1/40th of what jj is getting from l'italia, postage just a wee bit more than what robbin mail charge for a small parcel in the Uk lets hope it good. I can never taste the logan berries, lavender, caramac, fruitellas etc you sometimes read others can taste from their beans
I occasionally use Artisan roast steampunk but would only buy beans as you order a flat white and unless you drive an old vdub, have a hairy pus or look like a dude they think you know nothing about coffee and give you it lukewarm by the time they bring it over

I have to be honest some of the flavours they claim to be in there are complete fantasy!
Love the Melitta, can’t fault it really although you do have to clean it regularly for it to work perfectly. It does great frothy lattes and the dual bean container is great as my other half has decaf a good deal of the time, so we keep full fat in one half and decaf in the other.

My good lady has just given me a Melitta Barista Smart TS machine for my birthday so I'm looking for a decent subscription.

I've been following these guys on Instagram for ages Trail Coffee Company so I'm going to give them a try.

I’m currently into a vanilla from cofeedirect but oddly enough tried one of the £7.99 1kg Lidl italia special offers and mmm it was actually very pleasant.

Worth trying the cheapos tbh you may be surprised.

My beans i ordered a couple of days ago are delivered to Scozia from Italia by dhl, thats pretty good going even though its a pain having to sign for them, i will let jj prestidge know all the flavours i can taste and maybe convert an old horsebox, bolt on Silvia, stop shavin and charge a packet for an unrecyclable cup of flat white

Maybe I should pop round to Collona and grab a bag to see what I’m missing… Or will I not get the benefit with a bean to cup machine?

As long as your machine can grind fine enough, and your water isn't horrible in terms of bicarb, then you'll notice a difference with Colonna beans over bog standard stuff. The main problems happen when bean to cup grinders can't get the grind fine enough to extract a light roast coffee properly.

JP

I occasionally use Artisan roast steampunk but would only buy beans as you order a flat white and unless you drive an old vdub, have a hairy pus or look like a dude they think you know nothing about coffee and give you it lukewarm by the time they bring it over

Are you one of those people who wants the milk in their flat white hotter than the surface of the sun? If so, you should consider the fact that at over 65C the heat changes the milk proteins and creates a very sour flavour. There's a noticeable improvement in flavour by texturing the milk only up to 55C, which IMO is pretty much the optimum temperature for drinking anyway.

JP

I have to be honest some of the flavours they claim to be in there are complete fantasy!

Tasting notes are a guide, and will be greatly affected by how you brew the coffee personally. It's much easier to perceive all the flavours when the coffee isn't diluted with milk. Lower TDS espressos (ie with longer brew ratios) also allow more flavours to be sensed, as the strength doesn't overpower the pallate. So, ristretto bad, lungo good.

JP

Dont like it scalding hot but i always use a warmed up cup and use a thermometer for my milk, never ever weigh the coffee. I object to having to chuck it back in one due to a cold cup and maybe busy waiting staff

La Mar Dolca in Pollensa my favourite flat white, perfect temperature 1.5 euro award winning barista

never ever weigh the coffee

You'll never get any consistency if you don't weigh. It's a bit like being a baker and just chucking in random amounts of flour because it 'looks about right'.

JP

I measure by volume never short measures, would you notice 15g either way by taste?

I measure by volume never short measures, would you notice 15g either way by taste?

Yes! Even if that's a typo and you meant 1.5g, there's quite a difference in extraction between a 15g input and a 16.5g one at the same grind level.

JP

OK - this lot has just come in from Gardelli:

Bynekere Estate, sugarcane ferm. lot (India) 250g
Holiday Coffee, San Ignacio (Peru) 250g
La Candelilla (Costa Rica) 250g
Tolu Batak, Sumatra (Indonesia) 250g
Banko Gotiti (Ethiopia) 250g
Nensebo (Ethiopia) 250g

Further details are on Gardelli's site (it's much more expensive on there, though). I can do any those apart from the Nensebo for £10 a bag. the Nensebo is £11. Shipping is £2.50.

All coffees are rated at 87.75 and above (specialty coffee starts at 80 points).

Cheers,

JP

I wonder if my 500g caught the same bus over, dhl dropping by today for me. My usual is from Glenlyon red stag, the Glen is a cracking bike run from West to East pretty fast