Coffee Appreciation

http://www.lfgss.com/thread42593.html

Ah yes, didn't show up in my search as it's entitled 'espresso' not 'coffee' ride - still, was over two years ago so another would be good :)

Make it a Saturday and it's a date.

okay coffee people. I now have a grinder courtesy of Vello, so as a relative novice when it comes to coffee, do people have any preference when it comes to be what beans to use, and where to get them from.
Bear in mind I don't drink coffee that often, use a stovetop maker, and am not looking to get into the heady realms of coffee exotica.

Read the thread...

Or speak to Pepe, I see him lurking...

okay coffee people. I now have a grinder courtesy of Vello, so as a relative novice when it comes to coffee, do people have any preference when it comes to be what beans to use, and where to get them from.
Bear in mind I don't drink coffee that often, use a stovetop maker, and am not looking to get into the heady realms of coffee exotica.

go to Federation and get a bag of their espresso blend. or come to mine and take some of my House Blend from Coffee Plant, have too many beans atm.

Or speak to Pepe, I see him lurking...

Haha!

Corny, please get in touch :)

By the way, I think Federation will be using our beans for a bit.

okay coffee people. I now have a grinder courtesy of Vello, so as a relative novice when it comes to coffee, do people have any preference when it comes to be what beans to use, and where to get them from.
Bear in mind I don't drink coffee that often, use a stovetop maker, and am not looking to get into the heady realms of coffee exotica.

go to Federation and get a bag of their espresso blend

Yeah try out a few different espresso blends, it's not really worth getting into the 'heady realms of coffee exotica' anyway because a lot of the characteristics of beans for filter etc get a bit lost in a stovetop. You can still make nice brews though. If you don't use it much try and buy the smallest bags possible or you'll end up with beans sitting on the shelf getting old. And most of all make sure you're brewing properly - hot water in the chamber, basket full of fine-ish-ground coffee but not tamped, low heat and WATCH the output with the lid open, go for a slow gooey trickle and stop before it starts spluttering (have a cold wet cloth ready to cool the bottom). Sorry if you knew all that already. It's all much easier to control now you've got a grinder.

I want to do a coffee ride - pick our favourite/best/oldest/most interesting/most talked about coffee houses/roasters/baristas around London and do a highly caffeinated tour.

Just putting it out there. Not got much time atm to actually plan it.

Oh man, the first espresso ride was awesome, we should definitely do it again. There's way more good coffee further away from the centre of town now as well (Ginger and White to the north, 46b Espresso to the east, Browns to the south-east off the top of my head) so we can get a decent ride in.

Would people be up for one, maybe some time mid October?

Hell yes, sounds ideal to me. can we arrange to have it on a Sunday? its my only day off and this is one I wouldn't want to miss!

I visit "Tapped and packed" a fair few times a week, just cant get enough of their pour-over

The staff in Monmouth are great, but their espresso is hugely disappointing and their bean prices are ridiculous. Sorry had to get that off my chest.

Out of interest, what was disappointing about it?

I've said this here before, but out of a wide range of beans that I've bought from many roasters, Monmouth are possibly the best, and I'm happy to pay the price they charge for the quality and consistency.

On another note, I had an espresso in the new Rapha store in Soho. It was well made. Took one sip and knew what the beans were immediately. My friend confirmed this by asking them; Square Mile Red Brick. Quite acidic! Should have had it with milk.

Lurked on the forum and coffee thread for a while and definitely up for coming along to an espresso ride :)

Woo! Yeah, OK so shall we start a list of possible stops?

(I may not be around in October but I won't know for a couple of weeks. If I'm still here I'll come.)

Re. the day, um...

Make it a Saturday and it's a date.

can we arrange to have it on a Sunday? its my only day off and this is one I wouldn't want to miss!

Fight over it?

I'd prefer a Sunday ride.

Ed can just HTFU.

I support the "make them fight" option

Just do it twice, the first one being a Sunday the next one a sat?

But some places (I'm thinking street markets) aren't open on Sundays....just sayin'

Right to get the ball rolling...

Coffee Ride October 2012, venue suggestions:

Coleman Coffee http://www.colemancoffee.com/ - Unit 5, Dockley Road nr Tower Bridge, Sats only between 8:30-3:00
Jamaica Wine House, site of London’s first coffee house, founded in 1652 - could be interesting?
The Royal Exchange - a trading centre for tea and coffee from the 17th century.
Prufrock, Leather Lane
Goswell Road and/or Bermondsey Street Coffee
Brunswick House Cafe, Vauxhall
Federation, Brixton
Algerian Coffee Store, Soho
Flat White, Soho
LMNH, Old Street
Kaffeine, Great Titchfield Street
ScooterCaffè, Lower Marsh SE1
Rapha Club, Brewer Street (AKA DJ's second home and 'Mother Ship')

I'll take you all on.

Sunday could be possible but ideally for me it'd be between 11:00 and 3:00. That way I could catch the train up, write on the train, submit copy on my mifi thing then join you, then write again in the afternoon from 3 to 7 or so.

Whats Nuno's cafe called? Do they do coffee?

Bird. Dalston. Yes. Not sure on whether it's good though - but he does fancy sarnies : )

Out of interest, what was disappointing about it?

If I wanted an espresso which lacked depth, sweetness and completely dominated my taste buds with it's overwhelming bitterness exploding all over the back of my tongue I would go to Starfucks, where, I would pay less and most probably get an actual seat.

But some places (I'm thinking street markets) aren't open on Sundays....just sayin'

Right to get the ball rolling...

Coffee Ride October 2012, venue suggestions:

Coleman Coffee http://www.colemancoffee.com/ - Unit 5, Dockley Road nr Tower Bridge, Sats only between 8:30-3:00
Jamaica Wine House, site of London’s first coffee house, founded in 1652 - could be interesting?
The Royal Exchange - a trading centre for tea and coffee from the 17th century.
Prufrock, Leather Lane
Goswell Road and/or Bermondsey Street Coffee
Brunswick House Cafe, Vauxhall
Federation, Brixton
Algerian Coffee Store, Soho
Flat White, Soho
LMNH, Old Street
Kaffeine, Great Titchfield Street
ScooterCaffè, Lower Marsh SE1
Rapha Club, Brewer Street (AKA DJ's second home and 'Mother Ship')

Up for this, even if it's on a Sunday... but I suspect lots of places will be closed on a Sunday.

Also, much as I love LMNH, we should be more imaginative. Set off from there, perhaps... but not visit it as a venue.

^ That.

It's a good place to meet or end up for beers but there is a wealth of opportunity for coffee that people haven't visited before all across London.

Up for this, even if it's on a Sunday... but I suspect lots of places will be closed on a Sunday.

Also, much as I love LMNH, we should be more imaginative. Set off from there, perhaps... but not visit it as a venue.

I agree entirely, only added it so as not to offend anyone, plus it's become a bit of a TV set of late.

The stall that does cold brew at the end of Broadway market is decent.