# Department of Coffee and Social Affairs



## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Just got an email from Tap, my regular supplier of beans, letting me know they're merging with Dept of Coffee & Social Affairs. I've not heard of these guys before, anyone have any experience of them or any recommendations from them? Cheers


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

DCSA are a good quality (if somewhat hipster) coffee shop in Holborn. I had some beans from them called "the Earl's Mistress" which were so called because of the similarities between the coffee and Earl Grey tea. Tasting notes of bergamot, bergamot and more bergamot. I really enjoyed it, early on in my move to lighter roasts. Whether that taste profile sounds good to you I can't say, and as I haven't been near their shop in a while I don't know what their current stuff is like. Hopefully you'll continue to enjoy what you get after the merger.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

hotmetal said:


> DCSA are a good quality (if somewhat hipster) coffee shop in Holborn. I had some beans from them called "the Earl's Mistress" which were so called because of the similarities between the coffee and Earl Grey tea. Tasting notes of bergamot, bergamot and more bergamot. I really enjoyed it, early on in my move to lighter roasts. Whether that taste profile sounds good to you I can't say, and as I haven't been near their shop in a while I don't know what their current stuff is like. Hopefully you'll continue to enjoy what you get after the merger.


They have a few branches dotted about. I very almost popped into the Kingston branch while crimbo shopping but the glüwine was calling much more insistently!


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## Liam (Nov 8, 2012)

I think they've opened a shop in Manchester now, been meaning to try it for a few weeks


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I didn't realise they'd expanded so much. I used to like Hands in Kingston (Ozone). If I was shopping and not driving, Glühwein would win easy!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

They've got loads of branches now. Had a great natural from the one in Spitalfields Market a while back, but heard some of the roasts might not have been so considered.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Is it me or is it unusual to find shops serving naturals? I can understand why that might be the case, they are maybe a bit niche and a shock to many people used to Costafewbucks etc. I've recently got a bit over excited to find a great little shop in Hammersmith that serves outstanding naturals.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

hotmetal said:


> Is it me or is it unusual to find shops serving naturals? I can understand why that might be the case, they are maybe a bit niche and a shock to many people used to Costafewbucks etc. I've recently got a bit over excited to find a great little shop in Hammersmith that serves outstanding naturals.


It was in their second hopper, it wasn't the default one, but i think more places are coming round to serving naturals now they're 'cleaner' and can offer something a bit more different to what you normally find. People who randomly walk into my shop expecting something more conventional can leave a bit confounded though.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

There is a shop in Harrogate that almost always has a natural on slow brew. I assumed most third wave places have one most of the time?


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## Grimley (Jan 18, 2015)

To the OP. Expect the price of beans from them to go up, but they are bigger bags (360g as opposed to 250g for tap) I didn't any coffee subscriptions on their website, if you think the merging will make you worse off it may be time to jump ship. Plenty of other roasters in London to go to though.


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Thanks chaps, I'll check them out, got to admit I'm gutted Tap won't be doing their usual beans anymore, it may just be a case of enjoying what you're used to but they consistently send excellent beans that make my favourite pour overs... Just ordered myself some Gesha from Long & Short to cheer me up


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Grimley said:


> To the OP. Expect the price of beans from them to go up, but they are bigger bags (360g as opposed to 250g for tap) I didn't any coffee subscriptions on their website, if you think the merging will make you worse off it may be time to jump ship. Plenty of other roasters in London to go to though.


Cheers Grimley, any suggestions in particular?

I'm really enjoying this Rwanda Karizankara at the moment

https://shop.tapcoffee.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/rwanda-karizankara


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## Grimley (Jan 18, 2015)

Jon_Foster said:


> Cheers Grimley, any suggestions in particular?


This is my go to roaster in London currently.

https://www.darkartscoffee.co.uk


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## Batian (Oct 23, 2017)

is this 'naturals' thing just a marketing bovine excrement, or do I need edjumakating?

Brazil, the worlds largest producer, is nearly all 'natural' production (as different from 'washed') so its nothing new?


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Cheers dude









Just doing a quick search on the forum &

I notice that one of the things that set Dark Arts apart when they started up was that they roasted darker than usual for a 3rd wave type of joint. Great that they're doing things their way but I actually really enjoy lighter roasts.. (one thing I particularly liked about Tap (goddammit)) Is this something they still stick to or do they have lighter roasts as well?



Grimley said:


> This is my go to roaster in London currently.
> 
> https://www.darkartscoffee.co.uk


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Batian said:


> Brazil, the worlds largest producer, is nearly all 'natural' production (as different from 'washed') so its nothing new?


They haven't been as prevalent in coffee since I got into it, seemingly because speciality roasters can find them to have too many defects which cause unwanted flavours. Now the production seems to be better it's becoming more common to see them in hipster coffee shops. Also, because the flavours are a lot more pronounced, they're a lot more hit or miss - going for a washed or pulped which is more middle of the road will alienate fewer customers.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Jon_Foster said:


> Cheers dude
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They roast lighter now


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Aah cheers dude, I'll drop them a line.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Jon_Foster said:


> Just got an email from Tap, my regular supplier of beans, letting me know they're merging with Dept of Coffee & Social Affairs. I've not heard of these guys before, anyone have any experience of them or any recommendations from them? Cheers


Dept started off near Prufrock and have been around as long as TAP. They were OK when they bought their coffee from various roasters, but I don't like their own roasts. TAP are a lot better at roasting.

A shame in my opinion.

Dark Arts as suggested are very good and they roast light-medium certainly not dark, but I often find their coffee's a bit underwhelming when cupped against other roasters.

I believe some of the London cafe's get exclusive higher quality lots.


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Grimley said:


> This is my go to roaster in London currently.
> 
> https://www.darkartscoffee.co.uk


Got some Dark Arts Voodoo Child today by mistake









This morning I noticed that Milkbar in Soho use & stock Drop coffee & as my better half had a meeting around the corner I asked her to pop in and get me some beans (asked her to get the ones they use in Flat Whites).

She returned with the Dark Arts beans which was an unexpected but lovely surprise!

Bit weird as their website is covered in pics of Drop coffee & they talk about it in their blurb but there you go..

It's lovely BTW, very chocolatey!!


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Dark Arts are a good roaster, and I believe Milk Bar get exclusive lots of a very high quality from Dark Arts.

They were running Drop at one stage, not sure if it's now as a guest or for the filters maybe.


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Aaah that makes sense... I'll pop in and find out what the score is when I'm next in town.


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