# Coffee Shops In-House Roasting



## coffee_mad (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi,

I recently spent a few days in Singapore on my return from holiday in Australia and found a supermarket called Carrefour who roast beans in-house. Does anyone know where I can find in-house roasting in the UK, preferably near Nottingham. Thanks.


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## TimStyles (Jul 22, 2008)

I went to a place in New York where beans were roasted in-house.... To order!

All controlled by a computer, and beans were sucked down vacuum tubes, roasted, and brewed automatically. The drinks were truly, truly, awful.

I have a video somewhere.


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## chrisweaver_barista (Jun 14, 2008)

I think that in-house roasting can be overrated. Normally for the wrong reasons.

I bet the drinks made Styles, that were roasted to order, were unbalanced, acidic monsters!! Seeing as coffee does need at least 48 hours in my opinion to de-gas and mellow.

However, if in-shop roasting is used well, I think its a great idea. It gives the shop a chance to offer a varied, and constantly changing list of guest coffee's.

It's something we are thinking about at Coffee Aroma, combined with continued supply from Hasbean. As we could never do the job that he does with our espresso blend!

Chris


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## chrisweaver_barista (Jun 14, 2008)

ohhh, and coffee mad, how close to Lincoln are you??

Chris


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## TimStyles (Jul 22, 2008)

A lot of places do in-house roasting amazingly well. Look at Tim Wendelboe, St Ali and now BBB, Auction Rooms, Monmouth (until recently).

Apparently Climpson and Sons are having a crack at it too, but we'll see how that one pans out.

I don't know that it's financially viable unless you're looking at wholesale/retail supply also.


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## chrisweaver_barista (Jun 14, 2008)

I think at the very least it would pay for itself, however it depends how much you value your coffee.

We charge £2.97 upwards for our filter coffee, and as such, if you are careful with wastage when roasting, you'll soon pay off the roaster!

Chris


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## TimStyles (Jul 22, 2008)

£2.97? What size are you serving?


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## chrisweaver_barista (Jun 14, 2008)

We serve 12oz filter coffee's, done individually in a chemex for £2.97

Our cappuccinos etc. are £1.97, though I take great offense serving coffee cheaper than the chains, when our coffee costs more, and we put more effort and more time into it!

Chris


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## SeamusMcFlurry (Jul 9, 2008)

You see, we do the same. We make filter coffee in a Bravilor TH-10, and serve them for a pound (sorry, no pound symbol on Italian keyboards







), and serve a 12oz capp or latte for 1.80, and we take prde in the fact we can serve a far superior coffee for much cheaper. Starbucks can serve it for however much they want, it's still crap, and hopefully people are starting to notice that they can get better coffee if they start looking.


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## chrisweaver_barista (Jun 14, 2008)

hey guys

let me throw this into a thread in coffee lounge. This is a discussion I can really get into!!

Join me in a second


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## coffee_mad (Jul 30, 2008)

Having done a little research I find that coffee bean roasting in-house or shop-roasting was very common about 50 years ago throughout the UK. I guess the marketing power of instant coffee changed all that. Having spent time in Melbourne (Australia) I have become a bit of a coffee snob. I will go out of my way to find a new or recommended coffee shop doing something different. I agree though that new roasted beans should be left for around 24hours to mature! I guess thats in the education of the coffee shop and the customer. I think shop-roasting could be both financially effective and a crowd puller. I would seek out such a coffee-shop. As for price, I think Starbucks has done a great service to smaller coffee shops, if you charge a little more than say Starbucks for a better quality product your customers will pay that (I do, and I am Joe average). Selling cheaper than say Starbucks for a better quality product seems a bad business decision, but I guess each coffee shop needs to weigh up its own strategy.


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## Jamtart (Jan 5, 2009)

The guys at Artisan Roasts in the centre of Edinburgh have a roasting den in the café. Or, more accurately, they have a café attached to the roasting den.

Well worth a visit if you are ever in town.

Worth checking out their website too - lots of tips and links.


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