CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

ot: where to buy nice coffee beans

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  1. steveo
    Member

    I'm thinking of getting some nice/unusual coffee for my wife. Can any one recommend where to get it and what's nice. I don't drink the stuff so I'm shooting in the dark.

    Chdot, please close if too far ot....;)

    Posted 13 years ago #
  2. SRD
    Moderator

    On a previous thread, I've recommended mail order from the algerian coffee shop in London. Lots of unusual, but nice, beans and I've had no problems with their deliveries etc. I like their dark roasts a lot, and also the 'lebanese' and '5 spice' blends.

    For more every-day stuff Valvona and Crolla beans always seem very fresh.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

    "Chdot, please close if too far ot....;)"

    If you'd said perfume or underwear...

    But people on here seem to know about coffee.

    Must be a cycling thing...

    Posted 13 years ago #
  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I think a number of coffee-istas on here would also recommend artisan roast on Broughton Street

    Posted 13 years ago #
  5. wee folding bike
    Member

    Long distance deliveries are off because of Stewart Stevenson and the snow he caused.

    Alistair Gow's bike shop always has coffee on the go. I use filter coffee at work, it's not that much more complicated than instant.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  6. SRD
    Moderator

    I think a number of coffee-istas on here would also recommend artisan roast on Broughton Street

    Not if you want anything approaching a full/dark/high roast!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  7. SRD
    Moderator

    use filter coffee at work, it's not that much more complicated than instant.

    We always do filter (manual, not machine). It is hot (unlike most machines), fresh and nice. Much better than french press etc. But hard to find filter cones and pots - only place in edin that used to stock was Greys on George St. But we've taken to just making big mugs in the morning anyway rather than pots, so not such a crisis.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  8. wee folding bike
    Member

    Ahhh... well actually I use a French press. It's only me drinking it so I make some around 0830, have a wee bit before school starts and it sits in a thermos camping cup thing till morning break.

    I once worked in a school with a filter machine but it was often left on at the end of the day and the following morning there was a crust of browness burnt onto the bottom of the pot.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Bialetti Mocka-Express for me

    Posted 13 years ago #
  10. LaidBack
    Member

    Also Neil Anderson at the coffee machine place... Coffee Solo? I need to find his website.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  11. SRD
    Moderator

    I should admit, btw, that those coffees that 'I like' are _supposed_ to be christmas presents for my other half! Luckily, he seems to like them too. And he was the one who used to bring coffee home from the Algerian shop when he worked in London. It's a fab place, on old Compton Street (sadly more famous in recent years for the nail bombing)

    Posted 13 years ago #
  12. PS
    Member

    I'd recommend Artisan Roast as well. They've usually got 5 or 6 different single estate beans available. If that doesn't float your boat, tell 'em what you're after and they'll blend something suitable up for you.

    They're eminently helpful as well, which is nice.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  13. LaidBack
    Member

    Maybe worth looking at Brodies Coffee Merchant Edinburgh

    Of course Edinburgh has always had some larger blenders of tea and coffee. At one time Melrose's was the tea merchant and noted for it's tea in particular.

    In Glasgow Mathew Algie have their followers... I'll look for link. Mathew Algie Glasgow

    The first Fair Trade tea and coffee brand is (was?) HQ'd here. Cafe Direct?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  14. steveo
    Member

    Cheers folks, I try and weed out what she likes and go speak to the guys at Artisan Roast since its rideable :).

    Posted 13 years ago #
  15. gembo
    Member

    Steveo - Artisan Roast is the one, whilst there pop into Villeneuve Wines and get yourself a present? Both places appear to be independent vendors and to complete the hatrick, birl down past the Phoebe Anne Traquair Church towards Rodney St and you can buy yourself another present in The BIke Chain. THis will then constitute a true North Side Experience.

    I ran out of the squirt wax, the snow + squirt meant the chain was clean and free of crud but rusty, also I felt it was a little frozen so I applied the green oil TBC gave me when I was scrounging, seemed to smooth things out yesterday, I fear the bottom bracket might be going and whole chainset needs replaced along with the backwheel which had slightly longer to live than the front one I replaced. In new year I will be visiting Mr Freewheelin

    Gembo's tip for people who drink black coffee and like the froth on top the italians call La Crema and George Clooney sells to you as Nespresso. Take a standard cafetiere - six quid from IKEA seems to be in every household. Add your spoonfuls of ground coffee. Add water that is just off the boil, making sure all the grains get frothed up nicely, you now should have a jug of coffee with the froth on top, bit like a pint of guinness. Leave it a minute or two to brew. Push down the plunger. You should now still have the pint of guinness with the head on top and the plunger at the bottom with the grains underneath. Get your cups ready - several wee ones if you are in company. Lift the lid of the cafetiere up [this moves the plunger a little but life is full of collateral damage] ensure that when the coffee is flowing out the spout, it is not touching the lid. Watch for spills. At least the first two cups will come out with the froth in the cup. You don't need this if you add milk but it is nice if you take it black. Also tea ceremonies, coffee making rituals, incantations etc

    Posted 13 years ago #
  16. SRD
    Moderator

    Inspired by this thread, I ordered some beans on the 16th, they shipped with Royal Mail 1st class on the 17th and arrived today!

    I can't get into the single estate stuff -- too subtle for me -- but we are looking forward to enjoying some algerian special, brazilian elephans, and gourmet noir.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  17. gembo
    Member

    Anyone know what happened to the Cuban coffee Taylors and also Asda used to sell. It was very tasty and also I used to like that Wallmart were giving money to Fidel but the product no longer around.

    On Saturday night I ordered a Sony I-phone speaker gizmo on-line at John Lewis and they texted me to say the product was waiting for me in store the next day. [ok they might have got them back in the shop and just stuck my name on it - but still...]

    Posted 13 years ago #
  18. Min
    Member

    "brazilian elephans"

    Is that the one that's been pooed out by elephants?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  19. SRD
    Moderator

    welll, i did wonder about the name, but think its a ref to the size of the bean. or at least i hope so!

    Posted 13 years ago #
  20. Min
    Member

    Hehe. Get someone else to taste it first, just in case. ;-)

    Posted 13 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    "How to Make the Perfect Coffee"

    AVAILABILITY:
    3 days left to listen

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00wnq0l

    Posted 13 years ago #

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