# Recommend me a bean for brewed coffee please!



## Bogwoppit (Sep 26, 2013)

So I dip in and out of geeking out about coffee, each time refining my knowledge, learning something new, acquiring new kit etc.

It all started out with espresso, and I'm now fairly happy (for the time being) with where I am with espresso. I pull a very passable shot on my OPV moded gaggia classic, and tend to use either Squaremile Red Brick beans, or just recently I'm really enjoying UE Firefighter, especially as they're kind of local to me.

However I also enjoy brewed coffee, and own an old krups filter coffee maker (this occisionally gets pre-preped and automated with a wemo plug for some mornings - this was a god send in the early days with a new baby), three french presses (a 3-cup, an 8-cup, and an Espro Travel Press), an Aeropress, and a non-brand pour over. (I also own a 3-cup moka for when I fancy something in between the two).

Grinder wise I have a porlex mini, and Ibertial MC2 - both of which get used for espresso, and a standard porlex which I'd like to use for my brewed coffee... HOWEVER: I'm currently using shop bought pre-ground (hangs head in shame - please don't flame me too bad ), and I'd like to up my game a bit now.

It's here that I need some help. Thus far I haven't really learned enough to be able to tell up front what beans I'll likely enjoy, it all seems a bit of a minefield. Of the shop bought pre-ground coffee it turns out that the one I'm enjoying the most, having through trial and error bought lots that I hated, is Sainsburys Taste The Difference Fairtrade Columbian. It's rich and smooth, kinda nutty and caramelley. I've decided I do not like floral notes very much. Can someone recommend me a bean that I might enjoy on this basis. I've bought a bag of the equivalent bean from Sainsburys for the time being, but I'd like to source something I can regularly buy, freshly roasted from a reputable roastery.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## DNA (Jan 17, 2013)

You could try Rave coffee, they are quite popular on this forum and are where I get most of my beans. They have free shipping if you spend over £25 which is fantastic! They have a whole section of "nutty/caramelley" coffee so I am sure you will find something you like. I can not give you any recommendations because I go for more fruity light roast for my brewed coffee but I can definitely recommend getting the Filter Lover Taster Pack for £12 because it is really good value and helped me narrow down my choices in the beginning. They also have a Espresso taster pack if you want.

BTW the Aeropress is a fantastic way to make good coffee, I use mine every morning, it is so simple to use and is hard to make a bad cup of coffee, I cant say the same about my v60







.


----------



## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

Avenue's offerings (Kenyan, Rwandan, Rocko Mountain, natural Costa Rican, etc.) are pretty damn good.


----------



## Captain Grind (Feb 6, 2016)

Rave is a good shout, the fudge blend is sweet and well fudge like! Let the beans rest for a week or so and they seem to become even more flavoursome.

If you want to try something completely different the Tanzanian (Juhudi Maarifa) coffee that avenue have is awesome brewed. Its clean, fruity and creamy a bit like an ice-cream float, but with a lovely sharp cherry taste.


----------



## Bogwoppit (Sep 26, 2013)

Right, have ordered a few bags of various beans from Rave (Columbian Suarez, Chatswood, Signature and couldn't resist trying a Fudge blend for some milk based Gaggia fun too), thanks peeps. Will check out Avenue when the Rave stuff runs out. Nice to have starting point.


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

If you are already used to a higher quality offering like Square Mile then I'd advise trying their filer options too. Just pick whatever sounds tasty to you.


----------



## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Bogwoppit said:


> Right, have ordered a few bags of various beans from Rave (Columbian Suarez, Chatswood, Signature and couldn't resist trying a Fudge blend for some milk based Gaggia fun too), thanks peeps. Will check out Avenue when the Rave stuff runs out. Nice to have starting point.


Hate to say it, but i wouldnt use any of those in brewed, ok you know about the fudge, but i dont think the other belnds will be good, have had the Suarez a few times and i much preferred it in milk than long black.


----------



## Bogwoppit (Sep 26, 2013)

Thanks Aaronb. Had been using Squaremile espresso as that's what was pulled in a lot of the coffee shops I frequented when living in London and as I was starting out on the slippery slope of (attempting) to make good coffee at home. I have since had a small person arrive, and if I can get equally drinkable coffee a bit cheaper it's probably a good idea for the time being. I also like keeping things kinda local too where I can, hence checking out UE as I am now Oxfordshire based. Will hopefully be getting some more UE stuff soon too, but it's nice to get a feel for what else is out there and what people are recommending, good for calibrating my palate and expectations!


----------



## YerbaMate170 (Jun 15, 2015)

In my experience, trying to get nutty/caramel/chocolate notes from brewed coffee is a nightmare because these notes typically mean a darker roast, and dark roasts in filter have the tendency to be bitter.

I'd recommend Foundry's Congo, it's quite "conservative" but fruity at the same time, so the opposite of floral but has a lovely sweetness to it, people have said dates/prunes and black pepper which I'd go with.


----------



## Bogwoppit (Sep 26, 2013)

OOooo now prunes/dates I could do! Will add it to my list of beans to try, thank you.


----------



## Bogwoppit (Sep 26, 2013)

So brief update, enjoyed a flatte-ish type coffee with the Rave Fudge yesterday, and have had a couple of nice French Presses of the Suarez, with a tickle of milk in the cup. Been a nice cup to wake up to. Haven't aeropressed any yet, but will play this week.


----------



## spongio (Jun 2, 2016)

hi, i am searching beans for filter too. also on squaremile subscription. could you recommend like squaremile beans, or better? i like high acidity juicy coffees. also i am living in turkey. need roasters ships outside uk. thanks a lot.


----------



## tobimax (Jul 7, 2015)

I have used Rave quite a bit, have been disappointed with Fudge and Suarez. My favourite now is







.

I have just received a bag of test roast from The Barn in Berlin. Will give it a few days to rest first though.


----------



## Vieux Clou (Oct 22, 2014)

You'll need more than one.


----------

